Why More Buyers Are Putting Down Roots in Huntington, Dix Hills, Northport & Smithtown, NY
Long Island's North Shore towns are proving that "small town" and "smart investment" aren't mutually exclusive.
For decades, the well-worn path for ambitious young professionals ran straight into a big city high-rise. That script has been flipped. Since the pandemic reshuffled where and how Americans work, buyers in their 20s and 30s have been trading cramped city apartments for tree-lined streets, harbor views, and a mortgage payment that doesn't require a six-figure salary just to cover rent. And right here on Long Island's North Shore, in Huntington, Dix Hills, Northport, and Smithtown, that shift is showing up directly in the numbers.
As a Licensed Real Estate Salesperson with Douglas Elliman based in Huntington, I work these four communities every day. Below is an up-to-date look at what's actually happening in each local market, backed by current MLS and industry data, along with why this corner of Suffolk County has become one of the more compelling places to buy, or invest, on all of Long Island.
The Bigger Picture: Long Island Is One of the Toughest Markets to Buy In (In a Good Way, If You Own)
Long Island, Nassau and Suffolk counties combined, was named the strongest seller's market in the country for three straight months at the end of 2025, according to Redfin. In December 2025 alone, the brokerage tracked nearly 11,000 active buyers competing for roughly 7,300 available sellers, a gap wide enough to keep bidding wars alive even as many other U.S. metros tilted toward buyers. ¹ Limited inventory, top-rated schools, and a still-strong pull toward the New York City job market continue to draw buyers north and east into Suffolk County towns like ours, even with mortgage rates hovering in the mid-6% range as of mid-2026. ²
That regional tightness is exactly why local knowledge matters so much right now. Each of these four towns is telling a slightly different pricing story, and knowing the difference can save buyers real money, or help sellers price precisely instead of guessing.
Huntington, NY (11743): Steady Demand Near the Million-Dollar Mark
Huntington remains one of the most sought-after villages on the North Shore, and the data backs it up. Depending on the data source and the exact time frame measured, the median sale price in core Huntington (ZIP 11743) has been landing anywhere from roughly $917,000 to just over $1 million in 2026, with Realtor.com and RealtyTrac pricing the broader ZIP code even higher, closer to $1.03 million.³ ⁴ Zillow's home value index puts the typical Huntington home around $797,900 to $903,500 depending on how the boundary is drawn, still up modestly year-over-year. ⁵
Homes here are moving briskly, typically in the 20-to-30-day range on market, according to Redfin and One Key MLS data from early-to-mid 2026, though that pace has cooled somewhat compared to the frenzied days of 2024, when homes were routinely gone in under three weeks. ⁶ ⁷ Even with that longer runway, homes are still selling close to asking price, with a sale-to-list ratio hovering right around 100%. ⁷
The takeaway for buyers: Huntington's harbor, downtown restaurant scene, LIRR access, and top-tier schools keep it firmly in seller's market territory, but the slightly longer days-on-market window in 2026 means there's a bit more room to negotiate than there was a year or two ago.
Dix Hills, NY: Long Island's Luxury-Suburban Sweet Spot
Of the four towns, Dix Hills is commanding the highest price tag, and for good reason. Zillow's April 2026 data placed the typical home value at $1,112,431, up 8.4% year-over-year, while Redfin's three-month window ending June 2026 showed a median sale price of $1.4 million, up 8.5% from the same period a year earlier. ⁸ ⁹ New listings hitting the market carried a median asking price of roughly $1.5 million, and homes here are drawing serious buyer interest, with some listings reportedly fielding over a dozen offers.¹⁰
Part of the draw is the Half Hollow Hills school district, consistently one of the top-ranked in Suffolk County, paired with larger lot sizes, many properties here sit on a half-acre to a full acre. Homes are typically going under contract in about four to six weeks, which is longer than Huntington but reflects the higher price point rather than weaker demand.
Northport, NY (11768): Waterfront Character Driving Renewed Interest
Northport Village and the surrounding 11768 ZIP code continue to be a magnet for buyers drawn to the harbor, the historic downtown, and a walkable small-town feel that's increasingly rare on Long Island. Recent data shows a median sale price of roughly $936,000 for the broader ZIP code as of early 2026, with RealtyTrac's rolling twelve-month figure closer to $1.08 million, a gap that largely reflects the mix of village-adjacent homes versus the wider Northport/East Northport area.¹¹ ¹² New listings have carried asking prices as high as $1.45 million, and homes with premium features like private beach access or a pool routinely draw double-digit offer counts. ¹³
Days on market in Northport have been running higher than neighboring towns, often 45 to 60 days according to recent Redfin data, which is less about weakening demand and more about pricing precision. Waterfront and near-waterfront inventory here is genuinely limited, so well-priced homes still move quickly while overpriced ones can sit.
Smithtown, NY (11787): The Relative Value Play on the North Shore
For buyers priced out of Huntington or Dix Hills, Smithtown has become the go-to alternative, and it's still a competitive market in its own right. Redfin data from early-to-mid 2026 shows a median sale price around $795,000 to $850,000 depending on the month, with the broader annual figure from RealtyTrac closer to $845,000. ¹⁴ ¹⁵ One recent local market snapshot put the June 2026 median at $807,500, with homes selling at roughly 105% of asking price in a median of just 23 days , squarely a seller's market, with under three months of housing inventory available. ¹⁶
Smithtown's appeal is straightforward: strong schools, a lower price point than its North Shore neighbors, and easy access to both the LIE and the LIRR. It's increasingly popular with first-time buyers and young families who want proximity to Huntington and Northport's amenities without the premium price tag.
Why This North Shore Migration Story Matters
The national trend that's been reshaping real estate since 2020, younger buyers moving toward smaller, more affordable communities as remote and hybrid work loosened the requirement to live near a big-city office , has a distinctly local flavor here on Long Island. Interestingly, Suffolk County spent years watching younger residents leave for more affordable metros; one 2025 report noted the county lost over 11,000 residents to other parts of the country in a recent year, with many citing high taxes, long commutes, and housing costs.¹⁷ At the same time, hybrid work arrangements have made a two- or three-day-a-week commute into Manhattan far more tolerable, and that's kept demand for North Shore towns like Huntington, Northport, Dix Hills, and Smithtown resilient even as affordability challenges persist.
The result is a market that rewards buyers and sellers who move with accurate, current information rather than guesswork, whether that means understanding which Huntington sub-market justifies a higher offer, knowing that Dix Hills' Half Hollow Hills schools carry a real price premium, recognizing that a well-priced Northport waterfront listing won't last, or seeing Smithtown as the value entry point it currently is.
Thinking About Buying or Selling on the North Shore?
Whether you're relocating from the city, upsizing within Huntington, or exploring Smithtown as a more affordable alternative to its North Shore neighbors, having someone who tracks these micro-markets week to week makes a real difference. I'd be glad to walk you through current listings, recent comparable sales, and what your home could realistically sell for in today's market.
Sources
- Redfin, December 2025 U.S. Housing Market Report , Long Island / Nassau County Metro seller's market data
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, 2026
- Redfin, "2026 Huntington Housing Market" and "11743, NY Housing Market" reports
- RealtyTrac, "11743 New York Real Estate Market Trends & Home Values"
- Zillow Home Value Index, Huntington, NY and ZIP 11743, 2026
- Redfin, "2026 Huntington Housing Market: House Prices & Trends as of July"
- Educators Realty, "Huntington NY Real Estate Market Report | April 2026," sourced from RPR / OneKey MLS
- Zillow Home Value Index, Dix Hills, NY, April 2026
- Redfin, "2026 Dix Hills Housing Market: House Prices & Trends as of July"
- Redfin, "New Dix Hills, NY Real Estate Listings & Latest MLS Home Listings"
- Redfin, "11768 Housing Market: House Prices & Trends"
- RealtyTrac, "11768 New York Real Estate Market Trends & Home Values"
- Redfin, "New 11768, NY Real Estate Listings & Latest MLS Home Listings"
- Redfin, "11787 Housing Market: House Prices & Trends"
- RealtyTrac, "11787 New York Real Estate Market Trends & Home Values"
- Hello Muds, "Smithtown, NY real estate market," June 2026 data
- CBS News New York, "Citing High Costs & Long Commutes, Suffolk County Residents Flock to Warmer Climates"
Market data is sourced from OneKey MLS, Redfin, Zillow, and RealtyTrac and reflects figures reported between early and mid-2026. Real estate values shift frequently based on inventory, seasonality, and individual property conditions , contact me directly for the most current pricing on a specific home or neighborhood.
VALERIE LABIANCA Licensed Real Estate Salesperson Douglas Elliman Real Estate 📱 Mobile: 631.793.2255 ✉️ [email protected] 📍 1772 E. Jericho Turnpike, Huntington, NY 11743
Serving Huntington, Dix Hills, Northport, Smithtown, and the greater Long Island North Shore community.
