PlainZIP

Westhampton Beach, NY · standard

ZIP Code 11978

Suffolk County, New York - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

3,255
100/sq mi
$125,179
Median income
$1,054,000
Median home value
57.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Westhampton Beach pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 8%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 2%
home value, US ZIPs
100
people per sq mi
88%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 11978 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 11978 covers 32.6 square miles in Westhampton Beach, Suffolk County, New York (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,255 residents on file, a density of 100 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 11978 skews affluent, with a median household income of $125,179 (35% above the New York average), while per-capita income is $82,765. Poverty here runs at 10.8%, with unemployment measured at 7.0%. Median home value sits at $1,054,000 (179% above the state average), median rent at $2,150 a month, and owner-occupancy at 88.2%.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 57.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.1, and the average commute is 27 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Suffolk County, letting you compare 11978 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 11978

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Westhampton Beach, NY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 11978.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 11978, Westhampton Beach, NY · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

3,255

Population

32.6

Area (sq mi)

100

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 11978?

45.1

Median Age

52.0%

Male

48.0%

Female

15.6%

Foreign-Born

White 70.2%
African American 7.6%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 16.2%
Hispanic or Latino 11.8%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$125,179

Median Household Income

+35% vs state

$82,765

Per Capita Income

10.8%

Poverty Rate

7.0%

Unemployment Rate

27.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 11978 ranks nationally

Westhampton Beach, NY household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$125,179 Top 8% higher than 92% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). This entry sits in this band. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 78.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 57.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

4,037

Total Housing Units

1,704

Occupied Units

2,333

Vacant Units

2.68

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 88.2%
Renter 11.8%

$1,054,000

Median Home Value

+179% vs state

$2,150

Median Rent

1985

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+9.3%

YoY Change (2024)

424

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+324%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 11978 have increased 9.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +324% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +7.3% 286
2021 +21.9% 348
2022 +9.0% 380
2023 +2.1% 388
2024 +9.3% 424

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 340 business establishments in ZIP 11978, employing approximately 2,397 people with a combined annual payroll of $148,354,000.

340

Businesses

2,397

Employees

$148.4M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 52 15.3%
Construction 50 14.7%
Accommodation and food services 40 11.8%
Other services (except public administration) 40 11.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 30 8.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 22 6.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 21 6.2%
Health care and social assistance 21 6.2%
Finance and insurance 16 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 14 4.1%
Wholesale trade 12 3.5%
Transportation and warehousing 8 2.4%
Information 5 1.5%
Manufacturing 3 0.9%
Educational services 3 0.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 11978 vs 11977 →

ZIP 11978 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 11978 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 11978 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 11978 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
11977 Westhampton, NY 2,467 1.7 mi
11959 Quogue, NY 939 2.5 mi
11972 Speonk, NY 1,321 3.1 mi
11960 Remsenburg, NY 1,084 3.4 mi
11941 Eastport, NY 1,986 4.2 mi
11942 East Quogue, NY 4,603 3.7 mi
11901 Riverhead, NY 27,172 6.4 mi
11940 East Moriches, NY 5,210 5.9 mi
11931 Aquebogue, NY 151 7.5 mi
11946 Hampton Bays, NY 14,068 7.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Suffolk County

11746 standard
Huntington Station, NY
Pop: 67,094
11706 standard
Bay Shore, NY
Pop: 62,543
11717 standard
Brentwood, NY
Pop: 60,745
11757 standard
Lindenhurst, NY
Pop: 45,700
11772 standard
Patchogue, NY
Pop: 44,837
11743 standard
Huntington, NY
Pop: 42,230

Related Areas

Suffolk County Westhampton Beach, NY New York

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 11978 in? ▼
ZIP code 11978 (Westhampton Beach) is located in Suffolk County, New York. Suffolk County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/suffolk-ny.
What is the population of ZIP code 11978? ▼
ZIP code 11978 in Westhampton Beach, NY has a population of 3,255 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 11978? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 11978 is $125,179, which is 64% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 11978? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 11978 is $1,054,000, which is 279% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 11978? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 11978 is White at 70.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 11978? ▼
ZIP code 11978 has 340 business establishments employing approximately 2,397 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 11978? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 11978 are: Retail trade (52), Construction (50), Accommodation and food services (40). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 11978? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 11978 increased by 9.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 324%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 11978? ▼
In ZIP code 11978, 78.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 57.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 11978? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 11978 is 27.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 11978? ▼
In ZIP code 11978, approximately 88.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 11.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 11978? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 11978 is 10.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.