ORIENT, LONG ISLAND

Orient, Long Island

Orient is a hamlet and census-designated place located in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. It is within the Town of Southold. Orient is just a short drive from Manhattan; the area continues to resist urban sprawl making property in the area quite desirable. As of the 2000 census, there were 709 people, 330 households, and 205 families residing in the area. The median income for a household in the community was $45,461, and the median income for a family was $50,833. Males had a median income of $43,571 and only $31,111 for females. The latitude of Orient is 41.138N. The longitude is -72.303W. It is in the Eastern Standard time zone. Elevation is 13 feet.

The community was named after Indian tribe named Poquatuck that resided along the inland waterways. Then, it was changed into Oyster Ponds because of the abundance of shellfish in the area. The hamlet was originally settled by five families given a land grant by the King of England in the 1600s, and their names King, Terry, Latham, and Vail still resonate to this day in stories and legends. It was Orient known as Lower Neck while East Marion was called Upper Neck. In 1836, the communities were separated and the name Orient was chosen to reflect the area's easternmost position on the North Fork. East Marion was named for Revolutionary War General Francis Marion, known as the Swamp Fox. "East" was tacked on to Marion because of an existing Marion upstate.

The racial-makeup of Orient comprises of 97.32% White, 0.56% African American, 0.99% Asian, 0.28% Pacific Islander, 0.56% from other races, and 0.28% from two or more races. The community is served by Oysterponds Union Free School District encloses a public school with grade levels Kindergarten through Sixth Grade. The district offers high standards in terms of their educational programs and help students achieving their goals. There are also closest important colleges in the district such as Suny at Stony Brook, Wesleyan University, Eastern Connecticut State University, University Of Connecticut, Gateway Community College, Quinnipiac University, and the Yale University.

The hamlet has many attractions one of whcih being the Orient State Park that has recreational activities like swimming, boating, golfing, and fishing activities. Orient is one of the most beautiful places on Long Island to own a home. It has a mix of various types of housing. Recently 84% of the livable housing units were owner-occupied. The town sports a large amount of seasonal housing, typically for vacation or part-time use. Orient has an average home price value which starts at $500,000 up to $3M on high-end houses.