Brookhaven is a large suburban town in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. With a population of 488,497 as of 2022,[2] it is the second most populous town in New York (after Hempstead, in the adjacent Nassau County) and the third most populous community in the state.[3]

The first settlement in what is now Brookhaven was known as Setauket. Founded as a group of agricultural hamlets in the mid-17th century, Brookhaven first expanded as a major center of shipbuilding in the 19th century. Its proximity to New York City facilitated the establishment of resort communities, followed by a post-war population boom. In the 2020 census record, Brookhaven contained 485,773 people.[4]

The township is home to two renowned research centers, Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Laboratory. Combined these two research centers are approximately 50% of the Town's top ten employer's employee count. Tourism is also a major part of the local economy. The largest traditional downtowns are located in Port Jefferson, a regional transportation hub for the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry, and Patchogue. The area has long been serviced by the Long Island Rail Road.

PICTURE: By Town of Brookhaven, detailed and uploaded by Hayden Soloviev - https://www.brookhavenny.gov/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=165320239