According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.8 square miles (17.5 km2), of which 6.3 square miles (16.4 km2) is land and 0.42 square miles (1.1 km2), or 6.46%, is water.[4]
The first people to settle in the area were the Secatogue Native Americans. The unearthing of a Native American burial ground north of West Islip beach enabled historians to reconstruct a village of these Native Americans who lived along the edges of the Great South Bay, Sampawams Creek, Trues Creek and Willetts Creek. [Citation needed.]
Farming and fishing were the main occupations. In the mid-19th century, the completion of the Long Island Rail Road brought travelers to West Islip.
Today West Islip has its own fire department, post office, public library and Good Samaritan Hospital. A short drive affords access to good fishing and swimming.
Demographics of the CDP
As of the census of 2020, there were 27,048 people in 8,107 households in the CDP. The racial makeup of the CDP was 85.9% Non-Hispanic White, 2.3% Asian, 0.7% Black, and 10.4% identifying as multiracial or “other race” on the US Census. Hispanic or Latino of any race made up 9.7% of the population, with Puerto Ricans making up 37.1% of the total Hispanic population.[7] Of the Non-Hispanic White population, West Islip residents claimed ancestries of Italian (43.7%), Irish (14.9%), German (5.9%), and Turkish (1.9%), among others.
There were 7,459 families, out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.2% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.5% were non-families. Nearly 11.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.09, and the average family size was 3.43.
In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $103,789,[8] and the median income for a family was $117,451.[8] Males had a median income of $75,868 versus $54,389 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $38,933. About 2.9% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
Al Oerter, Olympic discus thrower. Prior to Mexico City Olympics in 1968 he lived in West Islip and would frequently work out at the high school field.