Great Neck: 11,068 residents, $975K median homes, inspired The Great Gatsby, celebrities and millionaires. Mt. Sinai: 13,000 residents, $625K median homes, Heritage Diner and Cedar Beach. Both are Long Island North Shore. That’s where the similarities end.

The Big Picture: Literary Fame & Wealth vs Modest Suburban Peace

Great Neck: Where “The Great Gatsby” Came to Life

Great Neck is a 1.35-square-mile peninsula on Long Island’s North Shore in Nassau County, with 11,068 residents living in nine incorporated villages. This is not a regular suburb—this is where F. Scott Fitzgerald lived in the 1920s and wrote “The Great Gatsby,” immortalizing Great Neck as “West Egg” (specifically Kings Point) and nearby Port Washington/Sands Point as “East Egg.”

With a median household income of $137,095 and median home values of $975,835, Great Neck is one of Long Island’s wealthiest communities. The largest share of households (29.7%+) earn over $200,000 annually. Property taxes average $10,001 per year.

This is where the Marx Brothers, Eddie Cantor, Sid Caesar, Andy Kaufman, W.C. Fields, and Francis Ford Coppola lived. This is where the Roaring Twenties came alive with lavish parties that would inspire American literature’s most iconic novel. This is where there’s a Frank Lloyd Wright house and estates that once rivaled Newport, Rhode Island.

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 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 literary masterpieces were written. This is where families go to Heritage Diner on Saturday mornings, kids ride bikes to their friends’ houses, and Little League games are the week’s biggest event.

Key Difference: Great Neck is famous, wealthy, historically significant, and 20 minutes from Manhattan. Mt. Sinai is anonymous, modest, historically quiet, and 90+ minutes from Manhattan.

The Great Gatsby Connection: Literary Immortality

F. Scott Fitzgerald in Great Neck (1922-1924)

October 1922: F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald moved to 6 Gateway Drive in Great Neck Estates after the birth of their daughter Frances “Scottie” Fitzgerald. They lived in a modest Mediterranean-style mansion (5,174 sq ft) for a year and a half.

The Setting:

“West Egg”: Based on Great Neck, specifically Kings Point—representing “new money” wealth
“East Egg”: Based on Port Washington/Sands Point—representing “old money” aristocracy
Nick Carraway’s modest house: Inspired by Fitzgerald’s own 6 Gateway Drive
Lavish parties: Inspired by real Great Neck soirées thrown by wealthy residents
Social atmosphere: The decadence, materialism, and social climbing of the Roaring Twenties

Real-Life Gatsby: Scholars believe Fitzgerald based Jay Gatsby partially on Max Gerlach, a WWI major who became a gentleman bootlegger living like a millionaire in New York. Gerlach threw lavish parties, never wore the same shirt twice, used the phrase “old sport,” and fostered myths about himself (including claims he was related to the German Kaiser).

Hall-Mills Murder Case: The highly publicized double-murder on September 14, 1922 (weeks before Fitzgerald arrived) likely influenced the novel’s ending and characterizations.

Fitzgerald’s Quote: “The whole idea of Gatsby is the unfairness of a poor young man not being able to marry a girl with money. This theme comes up again and again because I lived it.”

Published April 10, 1925 (turning 100 years old in April 2025), The Great Gatsby initially received mixed reviews and sold poorly. Fitzgerald earned only $2,000 from the book. He died in 1940 believing his work forgotten. The novel fell into near obscurity until after WWII when it was rediscovered and eventually became required reading in American schools.

Mt. Sinai’s Literary Legacy

Zero. Postmaster Charles Phillips allegedly pointed a needle at a Bible.

Comparison: Great Neck is where one of America’s greatest novels was written. Mt. Sinai is where that story remains unknown.

Historical Background

Great Neck’s Storied Past

Indigenous Roots:

Mattinecock Native Americans: Lived along Great Neck peninsula shores, called it “Menhaden-Ock” (many fish)
Used Long Island Sound for fishing and trading

Colonial Era:

1614: Captain Adriaen Block’s ship sank; crew built the “Onrust” and mapped Long Island
1630: King Charles I granted land to William Thorne (though Dutch possessed it)
1640s: European settlers arrived, changed name to “Madnan’s Neck”
1643: Land sold to Robert Fordham and John Carman
1644: Willem Kieft (Dutch Governor) gave community self-governance
1684: Mattinecock leader Tackapousha paid to settle land claims; buried near Lakeville AME Zion Church
1685: English Governor-General Thomas Dongan confirmed patent under English control

Early Development:

Founded as agricultural community—farmland and orchards
Late 1800s: Became train stop for New York and Flushing Railroad
Transformed from farming village to commuter community
Flushing Northside Railroad extended to Great Neck; Queens Boulevard widened/paved
Investors flooded in with improved access

Gold Coast Era (Late 1800s-1920s):

Wealthy elites built estates—English-style houses with fireplaces, ornate windows, elaborate gardens
Notable early residents: George Dodge, Walter Chrysler, J.P. Morgan
European immigrants and African American laborers brought in to maintain estates
Richard McKnight: English gentleman with real estate offices in Great Neck and Fifth Avenue; offered $10,000 international prize for best development plan
C.E. Bartlett: Won prize; his plan shaped Great Neck Estates’ current appearance
1911: Great Neck Estates incorporated (second oldest village on peninsula)
Thorne Mansion: Became Soundview Golf Course clubhouse

Roaring Twenties:

Great Neck became decadent playground for Manhattan elites
Rivaled Newport, Rhode Island as summer retreat
Show business personalities: Eddie Cantor, Sid Caesar, Marx Brothers bought homes
Established as haven for Jewish Americans from Brooklyn/Bronx
Famous visitors: Babe Ruth (played golf for Red Cross), W.C. Fields (golf/tennis champion)

Post-WWII:

1943: United States Merchant Marine Academy founded (former Walter P. Chrysler estate location)
1947-1952: United Nations temporarily located nearby at Lake Success (Eleanor Roosevelt led UN Commission on Human Rights)
Many Ashkenazi Jews moved to Great Neck, built synagogues, community groups
Worked to make public schools excellent (mission accomplished)

Modern Era:

1981: Plaque celebrating 70 years since Great Neck Estates incorporation
1982: First Long Island village to request “nuclear freeze”—residents petitioned U.S. and Soviet Union to stop making nuclear weapons
Continues as one of Long Island’s wealthiest, most educated communities

Mt. Sinai’s 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: Great Neck shaped American literature, hosted celebrities, and defined Gold Coast wealth. Mt. Sinai quietly existed as a farming community turned modest suburb.

Geography & Location

Great Neck

Size: 1.35 square miles (very compact)
Structure: Peninsula on North Shore of Long Island
Villages: 9 incorporated villages including Great Neck, Great Neck Estates, Great Neck Plaza, Kings Point, Russell Gardens
ZIP Codes: 5 (11020-11024)
Town: North Hempstead (Great Neck is northwestern quadrant)
County: Nassau County
Distance from NYC: ~20 miles, direct LIRR access
Waterfront: Long Island Sound
Population density: 8,200 people per square mile (very high)

Mt. Sinai

Size: 6.4 square miles (4.7x larger than Great Neck)
Structure: Hamlet on North Shore of Long Island
Villages: None—unincorporated hamlet
Town: Brookhaven
County: Suffolk County
Distance from NYC: ~60 miles, must drive 15 min to Port Jefferson LIRR
Waterfront: Long Island Sound (Cedar Beach)
Population density: Much lower—suburban sprawl

Comparison: Great Neck is a compact, densely populated peninsula 20 minutes from Manhattan. Mt. Sinai is a sprawling hamlet 90+ minutes from Manhattan.

Wealth & Economics: The Great Divide

Great Neck: One of Long Island’s Wealthiest

Median Household Income: $137,095 (2023)

This is 2.1x the U.S. median
Grew from $76,645 in 2000 (78% increase)
Highest earning age group: 45-64 year-olds ($181,618)
42% of households earn over $150,000
29.7%+ of households earn over $200,000
Only 14% earn under $25,000

Per Capita Income: $56,271 to $76,987 (sources vary)

Median Home Value: $953,400 to $975,835 (2023)

3.14x the national average ($303,400)
Grew from $455,600 in 2000 (114% increase)
Mean prices: Over $1,000,000 for most housing units
Property taxes: $10,001 median

Rent: Median gross rent $2,195-$2,228

Homeownership rate: 70.8%

Poverty rate: 7.2% (below national average of 12.4%)

Cost of Living Index: 156.0 (very high; U.S. average is 100)

Neighborhoods by Wealth:

Kings Point/Sands Point area: Multi-million dollar estates
Great Neck Estates: Median income $211,875
Russell Gardens: Median income $208,500
Lake Success: Median income $248,750

Mt. Sinai: Modest Middle-Class Suburb

Median home value: $550K-$700K
Property taxes: $12K-$16K/year (Long Island rates)
Income: Likely $90K-$110K median household (Suffolk County average)
Character: Working/middle-class families, commuters, retirees

Comparison: Great Neck homes cost 40-75% more than Mt. Sinai homes. Great Neck median income is likely 25-50% higher. Great Neck is wealth. Mt. Sinai is comfort.

Demographics: Diversity vs Homogeneity

Great Neck Demographics

Population: 11,068 (2023)

Racial/Ethnic Composition:

White: 67.2-77.8%
Asian: 17.3% (significant Iranian/Persian population: 22.7% ancestry)
Hispanic/Latino: 9.1-10.8%
Black/African American: 1.5%
Other/Multiracial: Small percentages

Foreign-Born: 31.2% (3,454 residents)—significantly higher than U.S. average

Languages:

English only: 48.3%
Spanish only: 9.5%
Other languages: 42.2% (Persian/Farsi, Hebrew, Russian, Chinese)

Age:

Median age: 34.4 years
Under 15: 30.9%
15-24: 9.3%
25-44: 21.7%
45-64: 19.3%
65+: 18.8%

Education:

High school graduate: 90%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 58.4% (1.5x NY state average)

Religious/Cultural Community:

Large Jewish population: Multiple synagogues, cultural institutions
Iranian/Persian community: One of largest concentrations on Long Island
Asian communities: Chinese, Korean, South Asian
Some residents report feeling “left out” if not part of religious Jewish community

Notable Quote from Resident: “Great neighborhood if you are a religious Jew. If not you will feel left out… They all know each other from synagogues and never say Hello to others.”

Mt. Sinai Demographics

Population: ~13,000
Racial composition: Predominantly white, middle-class
Diversity: Minimal compared to Great Neck
Character: Multi-generational families, Long Island natives
Age: Family-oriented, many school-age children

Comparison: Great Neck is ethnically diverse (significant Asian, Hispanic, Iranian populations) with 31% foreign-born residents. Mt. Sinai is predominantly homogeneous white families.

Famous Residents: Celebrities vs Neighbors

Great Neck’s Star-Studded History

Authors & Historians:

F. Scott Fitzgerald: Lived at 6 Gateway Drive (1922-1924), wrote The Great Gatsby
Will Durant (1885-1981): Historian, wrote multi-volume “The Story of Civilization”

Comedians & Entertainers:

Marx Brothers (Groucho, Harpo, Chico): Moved to Great Neck in 1920s; Groucho’s home became gathering place for entertainers
Eddie Cantor: Comedian/singer, 1920s-40s
Sid Caesar: Comedy legend, moved in 1920s
Andy Kaufman (1949-1984): Comedian/actor
W.C. Fields: Comedian/actor, played golf/tennis in Great Neck
Alan King (1927-2004): Comedian/actor
George M. Cohan: Broadway legend
Sarah Sherman: Current Saturday Night Live cast member
Jon Taffer: “Bar Rescue” host, born in Great Neck

Musicians:

Percy Faith (1908-1976): Canadian bandleader/composer/conductor
Victor Young: Songwriter, lived on Myrtle Drive
Moogy Klingman (1950-2011): Musician/songwriter
Bobby Rosengarden (1924-2007): Jazz drummer/bandleader
Jordan Rudess: Keyboardist

Actors & Directors:

Francis Ford Coppola: Director of The Godfather trilogy, Apocalypse Now—spent childhood in Great Neck
Nikki Blonsky: Actress (Hairspray)
George Segal: Actor
Paulette Goddard: Actress (aunt/uncle lived at 2 Aspen Place)

Olympic Athletes:

Sarah Hughes: Gold medalist figure skating (2002 Winter Olympics)
Emily Hughes: U.S. figure skating team (2006 Winter Olympics)

Business Leaders & Innovators:

Jack Liebowitz: Co-founder of DC Comics
Ted Nierenberg (1923-2009): Founded Dansk International Designs in his Great Neck garage
Edward Keonjian (1909-1999): “Father of microelectronics”
Thomas DiNapoli: New York State Comptroller (current resident)

Scientists:

David Baltimore: Nobel Prize-winning biologist, former Caltech president

Other Notable Figures:

Babe Ruth: Visited friends at 1 Deepdale Drive, played golf for Red Cross during WWI
Nelson Rockefeller: Businessman, Governor of New York, U.S. Vice President
Robert Curr: Diamond broker with 60-pound pressure shower

Mt. Sinai Notable Figures

Charles Phillips: Postmaster who allegedly named town with Bible needle
Your neighbors: That’s it

Comparison: Great Neck is where legends lived. Mt. Sinai is where regular families live.

Schools & Education

Great Neck Schools

Great Neck Public Schools:

Highly rated—one of New York’s best school districts
Serves entire Great Neck peninsula area (~40,000 people across 9 villages/hamlets)
Academic excellence: 58.4% of residents hold bachelor’s degrees or higher
College prep focus: High percentage attend top universities
Resources: Well-funded with excellent facilities
Niche reviews: “Fantastic public school system,” “We do live in a ‘Great Neck Bubble'”

Great Neck Library System:

Operating income: $8,067,086
Holdings: 361,718 books, 1,517 e-books, 16,505 audio materials, 28,058 video materials
Databases: 98 local, 14 state, 5 other licensed databases
Excellent resource for education and community

Mt. Sinai Schools

Mt. Sinai School District: Top-rated Long Island schools
Elementary, Middle, High School: Strong academics
Main draw: Schools are primary reason families move here
Community size: Everyone knows everyone—tight K-12 experience

Comparison: Both have excellent schools. Great Neck’s are nationally recognized and serve a wealthier, more diverse population. Mt. Sinai’s are tight-knit and community-focused.

Attractions & Things to Do

Great Neck Attractions

Historic Sites:

F. Scott Fitzgerald House (6 Gateway Drive): Where The Great Gatsby was conceived—modest house similar to Nick Carraway’s
Frank Lloyd Wright House: Architectural landmark
Saddle Rock Grist Mill: Historic 18th-century tidal grist mill (only operating tidal mill on Long Island), National Register of Historic Places (1978), now local history museum
Gustav Stickley Craftsman House (Cedar Drive): American Craftsman Movement “Mission Style” architecture
Gold Coast estates: Some preserved, some repurposed

Museums & Culture:

American Merchant Marine Museum: At U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
SUS Gallery (42 Middle Neck Rd): Contemporary art by young artists (launched 2014)
Great Neck Historical Society: Heritage Recognition Program

Parks & Recreation:

Steppingstone Park: Former Walter Chrysler estate, Saturday night summer concerts
New York Tennis Academy (12 Shore Dr): Premier tennis center for all ages/skill levels
Andrew Stergiopoulos Ice Rink (65 Arrandale Ave): Great Neck Parkwood Sports Complex—public skating, hockey, figure skating
Great Neck Park District: Multiple parks and recreational facilities

Shopping & Dining:

Great Neck Plaza Shopping District: Downtown area with many shops
Middle Neck Road: Historic “village” commercial center
Bond Street: Modern commerce district
Restaurants: Diverse international cuisine (Persian, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, American)
Muse Paintbar (34 Middle Neck Rd): Painting instruction with wine/drinks

Events:

Great Neck Plaza Promenade Nights: Summer street closings, outdoor dining, live music
Summer concerts: Steppingstone Park Saturday nights

Public Art:

“Handful of Keys”: Trompe l’oeil mural by William Cochran in Great Neck Plaza

Mt. Sinai Attractions

Cedar Beach: Main attraction—Long Island Sound beach
Heritage Diner: Community gathering spot
Community parks: Little League fields, playgrounds
School events: Sports, theater, graduations

Comparison: Great Neck has nationally significant historic sites, cultural venues, diverse dining, and recreation options. Mt. Sinai has a beach and a diner.

Transportation & Access

Great Neck Transportation

Long Island Rail Road (LIRR):

Great Neck Station: Direct service to Penn Station NYC
Commute time to Manhattan: ~30 minutes
Frequency: Multiple trains per hour during rush hour
This is KEY: Direct NYC access without needing a car

Average Commute Time: 38.2 minutes (mostly to Manhattan)

Roads:

Queens Boulevard: Widened/paved for access
Long Island Expressway (I-495): Quick access
Northern State Parkway: Easy connection
~20 miles from Manhattan

Walkability: Great Neck Village/Plaza areas very walkable

Car Ownership: Average 2 cars per household, but not strictly necessary due to LIRR access

Mt. Sinai Transportation

No LIRR station: Must drive 15 minutes to Port Jefferson Station
NYC commute: 90+ minutes door-to-door (15 min drive + train + NYC subway)
Car ownership: Absolutely required for everything
Roads: Route 25A, Northern State Parkway
Distance from NYC: ~60 miles

Comparison: Great Neck is 30 minutes from Manhattan by direct train. Mt. Sinai is 90+ minutes requiring a car. This is massive for commuters.

Lifestyle & Community Character

Living in Great Neck

Daily Life:

LIRR to Manhattan for work (30 min)
Walk to shops, restaurants, parks in village
Diverse international restaurants (Persian, Chinese, Japanese, Italian)
Synagogue/temple community events
Cultural activities—concerts, art galleries, museums
Tennis academy, ice rink, parks
Living in literary history—Fitzgerald walked these streets

Community Vibe:

Wealthy: Median $975K homes, $137K income
Educated: 58% hold bachelor’s degrees+
Diverse: Asian (17%), Hispanic (9%), Iranian/Persian significant presence
Religious community: Strong Jewish presence (some feel “left out” if not part of it)
Commuter-oriented: Many work in Manhattan
“Great Neck Bubble”: Residents aware it’s somewhat insular/sheltered
Pride in heritage: Fitzgerald, celebrities, literary fame

Weekend Activities:

Shopping in Great Neck Plaza
Summer concerts at Steppingstone Park
Tennis at NY Tennis Academy
Ice skating/hockey
Dining at diverse restaurants
Quick train to Manhattan for Broadway, museums, nightlife

Who Thrives: Wealthy professionals, dual-income families, those who value excellent schools and NYC access, culturally diverse families, people comfortable with high cost of living

Living in Mt. Sinai

Daily Life:

Drive kids to school
Quiet residential streets
Everyone knows everyone
Saturday morning Heritage Diner tradition
Little League games where you know every family
Yard work, driveway basketball, neighborhood barbecues
Cedar Beach in summer

Community Vibe:

Modest: Median $625K homes (vs Great Neck $975K)
Homogeneous: Predominantly white families
Tight-knit: Multi-generational, everyone knows everyone
Family-focused: Schools are priority
Quiet: No nightlife, no cultural venues, no celebrities
Anonymous: No fame, no history books, just peaceful living

Weekend Activities:

Cedar Beach
Little League games
Heritage Diner
Drive to Port Jefferson for variety (15 min)

Who Thrives: Families prioritizing schools/safety over culture/access, people okay with longer commutes, those seeking anonymity and peace

Housing & Architecture

Great Neck Housing

Housing Stock:

Total units: 3,724
Single-family detached: 67.2%
Attached options (duplexes/townhouses): 0.8%
Median construction year: 1952
Pre-1940s: 27.3%
By 1949: 17.5%

Architectural Styles:

Gold Coast estates: English-style mansions, elaborate gardens
Colonial style: Gabled roofs, red brick, showroom windows (e.g., 8 Bond Street)
Mediterranean: Fitzgerald’s house, others
Frank Lloyd Wright: Notable architectural landmark
Craftsman/Mission Style: Gustav Stickley designs
Mid-century modern: Post-WWII development

Notable Buildings:

8 Bond Street: Colonial style landmark
Old New York Telephone Company building: Historic architecture
Thorne Mansion: Former golf course clubhouse
Historic estates: Some preserved with landmark status, tax breaks

Mt. Sinai Housing

Type: Predominantly single-family suburban homes
Size: 3-4 bed, 1,800-2,500 sq ft
Lots: 0.25-0.5 acres
Style: Ranch, colonial, split-level—typical suburban Long Island
Era: Mostly 1960s-2000s development

Comparison: Great Neck has architectural diversity, historic landmarks, and Gold Coast heritage. Mt. Sinai has standard suburban homes.

Interesting & Quirky Facts

Great Neck Fun Facts

The Great Gatsby setting: Kings Point = West Egg (new money); Port Washington/Sands Point = East Egg (old money)
Fitzgerald earned only $2,000 from The Great Gatsby during his lifetime
100th anniversary: April 10, 2025
1.35 square miles: One of Long Island’s smallest, densest communities
9 incorporated villages: Unusual structure
Population density: 8,200 per square mile
Median home $975K: Among most expensive Long Island suburbs
First nuclear freeze request: 1982, first LI village to petition U.S./Soviet Union
UN at Lake Success: 1947-1952, Eleanor Roosevelt led Human Rights Commission
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy: Founded 1943 on Walter Chrysler’s former estate
Saddle Rock Grist Mill: Only operating tidal mill on Long Island, National Register (1978)
Iranian/Persian community: 22.7% ancestry—one of largest LI concentrations
58% college degrees: 1.5x NY state average
31% foreign-born: Highly international
Max Gerlach: Real-life “Gatsby”—bootlegger who never wore same shirt twice
Babe Ruth golfed here: For Red Cross during WWI
W.C. Fields won all his matches: Golf and tennis champion in Great Neck
DC Comics co-founder lived here: Jack Liebowitz in Saddle Rock
Dansk International Designs: Founded in Ted Nierenberg’s Great Neck garage
“Father of microelectronics”: Edward Keonjian lived here
Frank Lloyd Wright house: Residents proudly maintain

Mt. Sinai Fun Facts

Bible needle naming: Postmaster allegedly pointed needle randomly
Four name changes: Nonowatuck → Old Mans → Mount Vernon → Mt. Sinai
Revolutionary War trail: Tallmadge Trail
404-acre peach farm: Davis Peach Farm developed 2000s
1664 common lands: Still in use 360 years later

YouTube Videos & Virtual Tours

Great Neck Video Resources

Search YouTube for: “Great Neck New York tour”
Search YouTube for: “Great Gatsby Great Neck”
Search YouTube for: “F. Scott Fitzgerald Great Neck”
Search YouTube for: “Great Neck Long Island”
Search YouTube for: “Saddle Rock Grist Mill”
Search YouTube for: “Great Neck Plaza”
Documentary: “Gatsby in Connecticut: The Untold Story” (2020, award-winning)

Mt. Sinai Video Resources

Cedar Beach drone footage
Long Island history channels
Real estate tours

The Verdict: Which North Shore Community Is Right for You?

Choose Great Neck If You:

Work in Manhattan and want 30-minute LIRR commute
Can afford $975K+ homes and $10K property taxes
Value direct NYC access without needing a car
Want excellent schools in wealthy, educated community
Appreciate cultural diversity (Asian, Iranian, Hispanic communities)
Love literary history—living where The Great Gatsby was written
Want walkable village with shops, restaurants, cultural venues
Prefer compact living (1.35 sq miles) with urban convenience
Value being close to celebrities, famous neighbors, historic sites
Are comfortable in wealthy, somewhat insular environment
Want recreation options (tennis academy, ice rink, summer concerts)
Don’t mind “Great Neck Bubble”—sheltered but excellent quality

Choose Mt. Sinai If You:

Want more space—larger homes on bigger lots at lower prices ($550K-$700K)
Work remotely or can handle 90+ minute NYC commute
Prefer homogeneous, tight-knit community over diversity
Value anonymity—no celebrities, no fame, just peace
Want Cedar Beach access without Great Neck’s price tag
Seek quiet suburban life with everyone knowing everyone
Don’t need cultural venues, diverse dining, or walkability
Prioritize yard space, suburban comfort, and simplicity
Want kids to grow up with same classmates K-12
Love Saturday morning Heritage Diner traditions
Don’t care about literary significance or historic importance

A Final Word From Heritage Diner

Look, Great Neck is impressive. It’s where F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby. Where the Marx Brothers, Eddie Cantor, and Francis Ford Coppola lived. Where $975K homes are the median and 30% of households earn over $200,000. Where you can walk to the train and be in Manhattan in 30 minutes. Where 58% of residents have college degrees and 31% were born in other countries. Where there’s a Frank Lloyd Wright house and a historic tidal grist mill.

It’s literary fame, Gold Coast wealth, cultural diversity, and direct NYC access all packed into 1.35 square miles.

But here’s what Great Neck can’t give you: Space. Affordability. Anonymity. The quiet peace of knowing your neighbors for 30 years not because you’re in the same synagogue but because your kids grew up together. A beach that’s just for locals. A Saturday morning where you’re not commuting to Manhattan but sitting in the same diner booth you’ve been sitting in for a decade.

Great Neck is where you achieve. Mt. Sinai is where you live.

Great Neck is where F. Scott Fitzgerald immortalized the American Dream and the decadence of wealth. Where celebrities walk the same streets you do. Where your kids go to schools ranked among the nation’s best. Where your home is worth a million dollars and you’re still middle-class for the neighborhood.

Mt. Sinai is where the Johnsons, the Millers, and the Garcias have lived for three generations without anyone writing a novel about them. Where your home costs $625K instead of $975K. Where you commute 90 minutes instead of 30 but you get a yard and a driveway. 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’s North Shore—they’re completely different philosophies of suburban living.

If you want to live where American literature’s greatest novel was written, where you can walk to diverse restaurants and take a 30-minute train to Manhattan, where your neighbors include celebrities and wealthy professionals from around the world, move to Great Neck.

If you want to raise kids in a safe suburb where the biggest excitement is the Little League championship and the most consistent pleasure is Saturday breakfast at the same diner booth, move to Mt. Sinai.

Both are Long Island North Shore. Both have beaches. Both have excellent schools. The similarities end there.

Great Neck: Where Gatsby threw his parties.
Mt. Sinai: Where nobody knows what that means.

Resources & Links

Great Neck Links:

Mt. Sinai Links:

Gatsby Resources:

WSHU: Great Gatsby, Great Neck, and Westport (99 years later)
Documentary: “Gatsby in Connecticut: The Untold Story” (2020)
Book: “Boats Against the Current: The Honeymoon Summer of Scott and Zelda: Westport, Connecticut 1920”

Whether you choose Great Neck’s literary fame and Gold Coast wealth or Mt. Sinai’s peaceful anonymity, you’re choosing a Long Island North Shore community. Just radically different ones. 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 Gatsby novel required. Welcome home.