Southold is a somewhat small coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of New York. With a population of 6,040 people and two associated neighborhoods, Southold is the 275th largest community in New York.

Southold home prices are not only among the most expensive in New York, but Southold real estate also consistently ranks among the most expensive in America.

Of important note, Southold is also a town of artists. Southold has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Southold’s character.

One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their home: 9.19% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Another notable thing is that Southold is an extremely popular destination for tourists and seasonal residents. So much of the population is seasonal such that the town’s population swells significantly during the vacation season, and drops again when the season ends. Because of this, much of the local economy is centered around tourism; some businesses may be operated only during the high season. During the low season, year-round residents will notice that the city is a substantially quieter place to live.

Southold is a good choice for families with children because of several factors. Many other families with children live here, making it a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families. The town’s good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic success. Many people own their own single-family homes, providing areas for children to play and stability in the community. Finally, Southold’s overall crime rate is lower than average for the country.

Southold is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Such areas are often places that visitors and locals go for waterfront activities or taking in the scenery.

Even though Southold is a smaller town, it has many people who hop on public transportation – mostly taxis for their daily commute to work. Typically, these people are commuting to good jobs in the surrounding cities.

The education level of Southold ranks among the highest in the nation. Of the 25-and-older adult population in Southold, 46.66% have at least a bachelor's degree. The typical US community has just 21.84% of its adults holding a bachelor's degree or graduate degree.

The per capita income in Southold in 2022 was $72,072, which is wealthy relative to New York and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $288,288 for a family of four.

Southold is a very ethnically-diverse town. The people who call Southold home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Southold residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Southold also has a sizeable Hispanic population (people of Hispanic origin can be of any race). People of Hispanic or Latino origin account for 14.14% of the town’s residents. Important ancestries of people in Southold include German, Irish, Italian, English, and Polish.

Southold also has a high percentage of its population that was born in another country: 15.24%.

The most common language spoken in Southold is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Polish.