Southampton: 4,557 residents, $2 million median homes, Beyoncé & Jay-Z, Jerry Seinfeld, Howard Stern, helicopter commutes. Mt. Sinai: 13,000 residents, $625K median homes, Heritage Diner, Cedar Beach locals, car commutes. Both are Long Island beach communities. That’s where the similarities end.

The Big Picture: Ultra-Wealth Summer Playground vs Year-Round Family Suburb

Southampton: The Hamptons’ Crown Jewel

Southampton is the village and town on Long Island’s South Fork, the heart of “The Hamptons”—America’s most exclusive summer destination. With a village population of 4,557 (town: 69,036), this is where Beyoncé & Jay-Z paid $26 million for their Georgica Pond estate, where Jerry Seinfeld bought Billy Joel’s compound for $32 million, and where Calvin Klein’s estate sold for over $100 million to hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin.

Median home values: $2+ million (village), with recent sales at $3.1 million. Median household income: $177,045 (village), with average annual household income of $353,045. This isn’t just wealth—this is “Billionaires Row” on Meadow Lane, where a single street contains more net worth than most countries.

This is where celebrities helicopter in from Manhattan (35 minutes, $3,680+ one-way), where $400,000 buys one month’s rental in August, where Coopers Beach is consistently ranked among America’s top 10 beaches, and where “affordable housing” programs exist because even middle-class families can’t afford to live here.

Mt. Sinai: Classic Long Island Quiet

Mt. Sinai is a 6.4-square-mile hamlet in Brookhaven Town on Long Island’s North Shore, with about 13,000 year-round residents. Founded in 1664, it’s known for Cedar Beach on Long Island Sound, excellent schools, safe streets, and that peaceful suburban lifestyle where everyone knows everyone.

Median home values: $550K-$700K. This is not where celebrities live. This is not where helicopters land. This is not where homes sell for $3 million. This is where families go to Heritage Diner on Saturday mornings, kids ride bikes to their friends’ houses, and a $625K home feels expensive.

Key Difference: Southampton is for people who’ve “made it”—celebrities, hedge fund titans, old money families. Mt. Sinai is for people making a living—teachers, nurses, middle managers, retirees on fixed incomes.

The Wealth Gap: $2 Million vs $625K

Southampton: Where Millionaires Are Middle-Class

Village Statistics (4,557 residents):

Median household income: $177,045 (2.7x U.S. median)
Average annual household income: $353,045
Per capita income: $151,024
Median home value: $2+ million
Recent median sale: $3.1 million (December 2024)
Property taxes: $8,252-$9,969 median
Poverty rate: 5.22% (but even “poor” here is relative)
Homeownership rate: 84.6%
Median age: 57 years (wealthy retirees/second homes)

Town Statistics (69,036 residents across all hamlets):

Median household income: $123,263
Still 1.9x U.S. median

The Elite Streets:

Meadow Lane (“Billionaires Row”): 5-mile oceanfront stretch in Southampton Village with estates selling for $25M-$100M+
Georgica Pond (East Hampton adjacent): Beyoncé & Jay-Z’s $26M estate, Jerry Seinfeld’s $32M compound
Gin Lane: “La Dune” estate sold for $88.48 million (January 2024)
Further Lane: Traditional old-money aristocracy

Record Sales:

Calvin Klein estate (Meadow Lane): Sold to Ken Griffin for estimated $100M+ (2020)
Christopher Whittle estate (Georgica Pond): $64.67M (2024)
Tom Ford’s “Lasata” (Jackie Kennedy’s childhood summer home): $52M (2023)

Summer Rentals:

August rental prices: $70,000-$400,000 for the month
Beyoncé & Jay-Z: Paid $400,000 for August 2012 rental in Bridgehampton
Ramona Singer’s Southampton estate: $160,000/month summer rental

Mt. Sinai: Modest Middle-Class Reality

Median home value: $550K-$700K (3-4x less than Southampton)
Median household income: Estimated $90K-$110K (Suffolk County average)
Property taxes: $12K-$16K/year (Long Island rates)
Character: Working families, teachers, nurses, retirees on fixed incomes
No summer rentals: People live here year-round
No celebrities: Your neighbors are the Johnsons and the Millers

Comparison: Southampton homes cost 3-4x more than Mt. Sinai homes. Southampton household income is 1.6-2x higher. Southampton is where a $2M home is “normal.” Mt. Sinai is where a $625K home is a stretch.

Celebrity Culture: A-List Paradise vs Anonymous Suburb

Southampton & The Hamptons Celebrities

Music Royalty:

Beyoncé & Jay-Z: $26M Georgica Pond “Pond House” (East Hampton), 17 acres of meadow preserve, infinity pool, hand-carved marble bathtubs; Beyoncé recorded her self-titled album here; spotted bicycling through villages, visiting farm stands
Billy Joel: Former Further Lane estate (sold to Seinfeld for $32M)
Paul Simon: Montauk property
Jon Bon Jovi: East Hampton home (over a decade)
Jimmy Buffett: Sag Harbor (neighbor to Richard Gere)
Jennifer Lopez: $10M Water Mill mansion (8,500 sq ft)
Madonna: Bridgehampton horse farm

Hollywood A-List:

Jerry Seinfeld: $32M Further Lane compound (bought from Billy Joel, 2000), 12 acres, pool, guest house, 22-car garage (Porsche collection), $17K espresso machine, private baseball diamond
Robert Downey Jr.: “Windmill Cottage” East Hampton (built 1885, featured in “Deathtrap” film)
Gwyneth Paltrow: Amagansett estate ($5.4M, 2008), 5 bed/7 bath, married current husband on property; second-generation Hamptonite (parents summered here)
Brooke Shields: Southampton home ($4M+, 2013), decorated with mother’s vintage furniture, secondhand store finds
Sarah Jessica Parker & Matthew Broderick: Two Hamptons houses (beachside cottage + home across street)
Alec Baldwin: Amagansett/East Hampton (since 1980s, purchased 1995)
Neil Patrick Harris: East Hampton ($5.5M, 2017), 13.5 acres, tennis court, pool, cabana, historic barn, rooftop hot tub
Robert De Niro: Montauk home (gifted by father 30 years ago)
Steven Spielberg: Georgica Pond estate
Richard Gere: Sag Harbor (next door to Jimmy Buffett)
Bobby Flay: Amagansett (retained after divorce)
Christie Brinkley: North Haven manor (sold after years on market); Hamptons presence spanned decades
Scarlett Johansson: Napeague property (bought 2013)

Media & Broadcasting:

Howard Stern: Southampton oceanfront mansion ($20M, 2005), 16,000 sq ft, 8 bed/12 bath, bowling alley, wine cellar with tasting room, 1,500 sq ft master bedroom; lives year-round (rare); broadcast SiriusXM show from here during 2020 pandemic; wife Beth decorated with coastal elegance
Kelly Ripa & Mark Consuelos: Southampton ($2.35M, 2004), stunning pool, heavily renovated; sold Hamptons-themed TV drama to Freeform; spotted at Round Swamp Farm
Anderson Cooper: Wainscott waterfront retreat (keeps incredibly low profile)
Jimmy Fallon: Sagaponack farmhouse

Fashion & Design:

Calvin Klein: Former Meadow Lane estate (built over 30 years, $45M invested), sold to Ken Griffin for $100M+ (2020)
Ralph Lauren: Montauk property ($16M, 2019), 200+ feet oceanfront, previously owned by playwright Edward Albee for 50+ years
Tory Burch: Southampton resident

Reality TV & Socialites:

Bethenny Frankel: Bridgehampton (sold for $2.28M, 2020)
Ramona Singer: Southampton waterfront ($875K in 1990s, now listed at $160K/month rental), 7,000 sq ft, 6 bed, tennis/bocce courts
Kourtney & Khloe Kardashian: Rented Southampton property ($70K/month, 2014) for “Kourtney & Khloe Take The Hamptons”

Historic Artists:

Andy Warhol: “Eothen” Montauk estate (purchased $225K, 1971), 5.7 acres, formerly Church family (Arm & Hammer fortune); now listed $85M
Jackson Pollock & Lee Krasner: East Hampton home/studio (1945), barn converted to art studio; now public museum with original possessions, paint supplies, jazz records
Thomas Moran & Mary Moran: East Hampton studio home (built 1884), lived until deaths; owned by East Hampton Historical Society

Finance Titans (Meadow Lane):

Ken Griffin (Citadel CEO): Calvin Klein’s former estate ($100M+ estimated)
Daniel Och (Och-Ziff Capital): $26.5M estate
Jay Sugarman (iStar Financial): 170 Meadow Lane modernist mansion
Howard Marks (Gracie Capital): 930 Meadow Lane

Mt. Sinai Notable Figures

Charles Phillips: Postmaster who named the town with Bible needle
Your neighbors: Teachers, nurses, commuters
No celebrities: Zero
No billionaires: Zero
No summer estates: Only year-round homes

Comparison: Southampton has more A-list celebrities than some small countries. Mt. Sinai has Heritage Diner regulars.

Historical Background

Southampton’s Colonial Legacy

Pre-Colonial:

Shinnecock Indian Nation: Original inhabitants of the area
2005 lawsuit: Tribe sought return of 3,500 acres (including Shinnecock Hills Golf Club burial grounds) and billions in reparations; challenged 1859 sale that allegedly broke 1703 1,000-year lease

Colonial Settlement:

1640: Founded—one of New York State’s oldest towns
Settlers from Lynn, Massachusetts established residence on lands obtained from Shinnecock
First settlers: Eight men, one woman, one boy came ashore at Conscience Point (Thomas Halsey, Edward Howell, Edmond Farrington, Allen Bread, Edmund Needham, Abraham Pierson the Elder, Thomas Sayre, Josiah Stanborough, George Welbe, Henry Walton, Job Sayre)
July 7, 1640: Town boundaries determined
1640-1643: Gained 43 additional families

Whaling History:

1644: Colonists established organized whale fishery—first in New England
Significance: Historic milestone in American whaling industry
Method: Chased pilot whales (“blackfish”) onto shelving beaches for slaughter (dolphin drive hunting)

Evolution to Wealth:

Late 1800s-early 1900s: Began transformation from farming/fishing to summer resort
Gilded Age: Wealthy New Yorkers built grand “cottages” (mansions)
Post-WWII: Solidified as America’s premier summer playground
1960s-1980s: Artists colony developed (Warhol, Pollock, etc.)
1990s-present: Exploded as celebrity/billionaire destination

Mt. Sinai’s Quiet Timeline

Pre-1664: “Nonowatuck” (Seatocot Native Americans)
1664: European settlement founded
1750: First mill on Patchogue River
1780: Revolutionary War—Tallmadge Trail raid
1841-1842: Named “Mt. Sinai” by Bible needle method
1879: LIRR reaches nearby Port Jefferson
1895-1938: Train runs through Mt. Sinai
1917: Mt. Sinai Civic Association founded
1960s: Suburban development begins
2000s: Davis Peach Farm (404 acres) developed

Comparison: Southampton shaped American history (first New England whale fishery, colonial settlement, Shinnecock Nation legal battles). Mt. Sinai quietly existed as a farming community turned modest suburb.

Geography & Beaches

Southampton

Location:

South Fork of Long Island (Suffolk County)
Town size: 293.5 square miles (52.59% water)
Land area: 139.1 square miles
Boundaries: Atlantic Ocean (south), Peconic Bay (north), East Hampton (east), Brookhaven (west)
Distance from Manhattan: ~90 miles by car (2-5 hours traffic), 35 minutes by helicopter

Structure:

7 incorporated villages: Southampton Village (the main one), plus others
16 unincorporated hamlets: Water Mill, Bridgehampton, Sagaponack, Wainscott, Amagansett (technically East Hampton), etc.

Beaches (World-Class):

Coopers Beach (Southampton): Consistently ranked top 10 beaches in America, pristine sand, lifeguards, facilities
Main Beach (East Hampton): Iconic Hamptons beach
Gin Beach: Private, exclusive
Atlantic Ocean coastline: Miles of stunning beaches
Beach permits: Required, expensive for non-residents

Mt. Sinai

North Shore of Long Island (Suffolk County, Brookhaven Town)
Size: 6.4 square miles
Distance from Manhattan: ~60 miles, 90+ minutes by car
Beach: Cedar Beach on Long Island Sound (rocky/sandy, locals only atmosphere)
No Atlantic Ocean: Sound beach, calmer waters

Comparison: Southampton has world-class Atlantic Ocean beaches ranked among America’s best. Mt. Sinai has one modest Long Island Sound beach.

Lifestyle & Culture: Summer Colony vs Year-Round Community

Living in Southampton (The Hamptons)

The Summer Season (Memorial Day-Labor Day):

Population explosion: Village swells from 4,557 to tens of thousands
Celebrity sightings: Beyoncé at farm stands, Jay-Z bicycling, Jerry Seinfeld dining out
Traffic: LIE (Long Island Expressway) becomes parking lot (hence helicopter preference)
Social scene: Charity galas, club events, structured parties (Southampton especially)
Restaurant scene: Nick & Toni’s (East Hampton), 75 Main (Southampton), Topping Rose House (Bridgehampton), Le Bilboquet (Sag Harbor)
Fitness: Tracy Anderson studios (East Hampton, Water Mill), four SoulCycle locations

The Off-Season (Fall-Spring):

Ghost town: Most summer residents/celebrities leave
Year-round residents: Rare (Howard Stern is exception)
Businesses close: Many restaurants/shops shut until May
Quieter beauty: Beaches empty, villages peaceful

Transportation:

Helicopter: 35 minutes from Manhattan ($3,680+ one-way via Heli NY)
Private plane: Hampton’s airports available
Luxury bus: 2+ hours from NYC
Car (LIE): 2-5 hours depending on traffic (celebrities don’t do this)
Average commute (year-round residents): 21.9 minutes (local)

Social Hierarchy:

East Hampton: Prestige, legacy-building, old aristocracy, Georgica Pond
Southampton: Old money families + entertainment power players, formal atmosphere, “higher hedges”
Bridgehampton: Trendy, younger wealthy, art scene
Sag Harbor: Creative refuge, unpretentious (by Hamptons standards), walkable downtown
Montauk: Most casual, surfer vibe, less crowded

Who Lives There Year-Round:

Median age 57: Wealthy retirees
Service industry workers: Those who keep estates running
Old Long Island families: Multi-generational residents
Rare year-round celebrities: Howard Stern, Jerry Seinfeld (significant summer time)

Living in Mt. Sinai

Daily Life (Year-Round):

Drive kids to school
Saturday morning Heritage Diner tradition
Cedar Beach in summer (locals only)
Little League games where you know every family
Quiet residential streets, yard work, driveway basketball
Everyone knows everyone—tight-knit community

Transportation:

Car required: For everything
NYC commute: 90+ minutes (15 min drive to Port Jefferson LIRR + train)
No helicopters: Ever
No luxury buses: Personal car only

Who Lives There:

Middle-class families
Teachers, nurses, commuters
Retirees on fixed incomes
Multi-generational Long Island families
No celebrities: Zero
No summer influx: Same neighbors year-round

Comparison: Southampton is a summer colony that explodes with celebrities and then hibernates. Mt. Sinai is a year-round community that stays exactly the same 365 days.

Attractions & Things to Do

Southampton & The Hamptons

Beaches:

Coopers Beach: Top 10 U.S. beach, pristine
Main Beach: East Hampton icon
Gin Beach, Meadow Beach: Private/exclusive
Montauk beaches: Surfer-friendly

Historic Sites:

Grey Gardens: Famous East Hampton mansion (Beales family documentary), renovated by Ben Bradlee/Sally Quinn, sold $15.5M (2017)
Jackson Pollock-Lee Krasner House & Studio: Public museum, original art supplies preserved
Thomas Moran Studio: East Hampton Historical Society
Mulford Farm (1680): One of nation’s most critical intact English farmsteads, East Hampton Historical Society museum
“Lasata” (Jackie Kennedy childhood estate): Now owned by Tom Ford ($52M)
Conscience Point: Where first settlers landed (1640)

Golf:

Shinnecock Hills Golf Club: Elite, historic (disputed tribal burial grounds)
National Golf Links of America: Prestigious

Wineries & Farm Stands:

Round Swamp Farm: Gourmet farm stand (Kelly Ripa spotted here)
Wolffer Estate Vineyard: Wine tasting
Channing Daughters Winery: Local favorite

Museums & Culture:

Parrish Art Museum (Water Mill): American art
Southampton Historical Museum: Local history
East Hampton Historical Society: Multiple properties

Shopping:

Main Street Southampton: High-end boutiques
Jobs Lane: Designer shops
Sag Harbor: Boutique shopping, walkable downtown

Dining (A-List Hotspots):

Nick & Toni’s (East Hampton): “Who’s who” celebrity favorite
75 Main (Southampton): Scene-y
Topping Rose House (Bridgehampton): Elegant
Le Bilboquet (Sag Harbor): French
Eleven Madison Park pop-up: NYC’s finest comes East

Mt. Sinai

Cedar Beach: Long Island Sound swimming
Heritage Diner: Community gathering spot
Community parks: Little League fields
School events: Sports, theater
For variety: Drive to Port Jefferson (15 min) or Patchogue (30 min)

Comparison: Southampton offers world-class beaches, celebrity restaurants, historic estates, wineries, and culture. Mt. Sinai offers Cedar Beach and Heritage Diner.

Demographics: Wealthy Retirees vs Working Families

Southampton Demographics

Village Population: 4,557

Racial composition: White 77.1%, Hispanic 9.9%, Black 7.8%, Asian 3.7%
Median age: 57 years (very old—wealthy retirees, second homes)
Age breakdown: Under 15 (14.6%), 15-24 (4.8%), 25-44 (12.2%), 45-64 (35.1%), 65+ (33.3%)
Foreign-born: 15.8%
U.S. citizens: 94.7%

Town Population: 69,036 (includes all hamlets)

Racial composition: White 67.5%, Hispanic 21.7%, Black 5.3%
Median age: 47.4 years

Mt. Sinai Demographics

Population: ~13,000
Racial composition: Predominantly white, middle-class
Median age: Family-oriented (30s-50s with kids)
Character: Multi-generational families, year-round residents

Comparison: Southampton is older (median age 57), wealthier, with significant Hispanic service workforce. Mt. Sinai is younger families living year-round.

Interesting & Quirky Facts

Southampton Fun Facts

Founded 1640: One of New York’s oldest towns
First New England whale fishery (1644): Historic milestone
$100M+ estate sale: Calvin Klein to Ken Griffin (Meadow Lane)
$400K August rental: Beyoncé & Jay-Z paid this in 2012
Helicopter commute: $3,680+ one-way, 35 minutes from Manhattan
Coopers Beach: Consistently top 10 U.S. beach
Median age 57: Oldest of any comparable community (wealthy retirees)
Georgica Pond: Freshwater lake surrounded by estates, most exclusive address
“Billionaires Row”: Meadow Lane’s 5-mile oceanfront stretch
Jerry Seinfeld’s 22-car garage: For Porsche collection
$17K espresso machine: Also Seinfeld’s (costs more than some cars)
Grey Gardens documentary: Iconic East Hampton mansion story
Andy Warhol’s “Eothen”: Bought $225K (1971), now listed $85M
Beyoncé recorded album here: Self-titled at Georgica Pond estate
Howard Stern lives year-round: Rare for celebrity (16,000 sq ft, bowling alley)
Shinnecock legal battle: Tribe seeking 3,500 acres + billions in reparations
“Affordable housing” programs: Exist because middle-class can’t afford to live here
Rogers Memorial Library: $3.76M budget, 120K+ books

Mt. Sinai Fun Facts

Bible needle naming: Postmaster pointed randomly
Four name changes: Nonowatuck → Old Mans → Mount Vernon → Mt. Sinai
404-acre peach farm: Davis Peach Farm
1664 common lands: Still in use 360 years later
Revolutionary War trail: Tallmadge Trail

YouTube Videos & Resources

Southampton/Hamptons Video Resources

Search YouTube for: “Hamptons lifestyle”
Search YouTube for: “Southampton New York tour”
Search YouTube for: “Hamptons celebrity homes”
Search YouTube for: “Coopers Beach Southampton”
Search YouTube for: “Hamptons summer”
Search YouTube for: “Georgica Pond”
Search YouTube for: “Grey Gardens documentary” (1975 Maysles brothers film)
Search YouTube for: “Hamptons real estate tour”
Search YouTube for: “East Hampton village”

Mt. Sinai Video Resources

Cedar Beach drone footage
Long Island history channels
Real estate neighborhood tours

The Verdict: Which Long Island Community Is Right for You?

Choose Southampton (The Hamptons) If You:

Are wealthy—genuinely wealthy ($2M+ homes are your norm)
Earn $200K+ annually (or much more)
Want summer home/investment property
Can helicopter from Manhattan (or don’t mind 2-5 hour LIE traffic)
Value world-class beaches (Coopers Beach)
Want to be near celebrities (or be one)
Appreciate fine dining, high-end shopping, cultural scene
Are comfortable with summer influx (population explosion May-Sept)
Don’t need year-round community (most homes empty in winter)
Value social status and prestige
Can afford $400K August rentals or $20M+ estates
Want Georgica Pond, Meadow Lane, or Further Lane address
Are okay with “affordable housing” programs for middle-class

Choose Mt. Sinai If You:

Are middle-class ($90K-$110K household income)
Want affordable Long Island beach access ($550K-$700K homes)
Need year-round community where neighbors don’t disappear
Work remotely or can handle 90+ minute NYC commute
Prioritize tight-knit community over celebrity culture
Want kids to grow up with same classmates K-12
Value Cedar Beach (sound, not ocean) over Coopers Beach (exclusive)
Prefer Heritage Diner over Nick & Toni’s
Can’t/won’t spend $2M+ on a home
Don’t care about helicopters, private estates, or summer colonies
Want anonymity—no paparazzi, no social hierarchy
Seek stable, quiet suburban life without seasonal chaos

A Final Word From Heritage Diner

Look, Southampton is spectacular if you’re a billionaire. Coopers Beach is ranked top 10 in America. Beyoncé & Jay-Z’s $26M estate sits on Georgica Pond. Jerry Seinfeld has a 22-car garage. Howard Stern broadcasts from his 16,000-square-foot Southampton mansion with a bowling alley. Celebrities helicopter in for $3,680+ one-way from Manhattan in 35 minutes. Summer rentals go for $400,000 for August.

It’s the most exclusive summer destination in America. Where $2 million homes are “affordable.” Where the median household income is $177,045 but the average is $353,045. Where Calvin Klein’s estate sold for over $100 million. Where you need helicopter access because the LIE traffic is unbearable.

But here’s what Southampton can’t give you unless you’re worth tens of millions: Affordability. Year-round community. Neighbors who stay put. A beach you can actually afford to access. A Saturday morning where you’re not navigating celebrity traffic but sitting in the same diner booth for 20 years. A home under $2 million.

Southampton is where you summer. Mt. Sinai is where you live.

Southampton is where Beyoncé recorded an album, where Jerry Seinfeld keeps 22 Porsches, where Andy Warhol hosted legendary parties, where the world’s wealthiest summer every year. Where “Billionaires Row” stretches for 5 miles of oceanfront estates. Where hedge fund titans pay $100 million for homes.

Mt. Sinai is where the Johnsons, the Millers, and the Garcias have lived for three generations without anyone flying in on a helicopter. Where your home costs $625K instead of $2.5M. Where you commute 90 minutes instead of helicoptering 35. Where everyone shows up to Heritage Diner on Saturday morning because that’s just what you do.

These aren’t competing visions of Long Island beach living—they’re completely different economic universes.

If you have $2M+ for a home, $177K+ household income, and want to summer where Beyoncé and Jerry Seinfeld are your neighbors, move to Southampton.

If you’re a normal middle-class person who wants a $625K home near a beach with year-round neighbors and Saturday breakfast traditions, move to Mt. Sinai.

Both are Long Island beach communities. Both are beautiful. The similarities end there.

Southampton: Where billionaires helicopter in.
Mt. Sinai: Where families drive to Heritage Diner.

Resources & Links

Southampton/Hamptons Links:

Mt. Sinai Links:

Whether you choose Southampton’s billionaire playground or Mt. Sinai’s middle-class beach haven, you’re choosing a Long Island coastal community. Just from completely different economic universes. And if you pick Mt. Sinai, we’ll be at Heritage Diner with a fresh pot of coffee and a booth waiting for you. No helicopter required. Welcome home.