Copiague

Copiague, an unincorporated area in the Town of Babylon, is a 2.4 square mile hamlet on the South Shore. Its name is derived from a Native American word meaning “place of shelter.” In the early 1900s, large numbers of Italian immigrants settled in Copiague, and today it still holds appeal for recent arrivals. Today, an influx of Hispanic and Eastern European immigrants has added to the cultural diversity of the area, which also includes African Americans. Twenty-three thousand people reside in Copiague.

Several main roads, including Sunrise Highway and Merrick Road, pass through Copiague. Target, Home Depot and Stop and Shop are a few of the area’s major retailers. Nearby, Sunrise Mall and South Shore Mall both offer a wide variety of retail choices.

Many leisure time and recreation options are available. The Copiague Chamber of Commerce promotes and supports local businesses, and organizes an annual Family Festival, which occurs each fall. The Family Festival is held at Tanner Park, a waterfront facility with playing fields, a marina, a playground and a senior center. The Festival includes carnival rides, live entertainment and food vendors. The Town of Babylon publishes an official Recreation Guide, which contains information on programs, camps and local facilities, which include three beaches, Gilgo Beach, Cedar Beach and Overlook Beach. Events organized by the town include the Halloween Haunted House and the Holiday Tree Lighting. Camping enthusiasts will be interested in the campsites at the Cedar Beach Marina.

The Copiague School District educates 4,600 public school students in three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. Kindergarten is a full day. Many parents in Copiague choose to send their children to area private and parochial schools. Though the schools have areas needing improvement, and contend with a 46% poverty rate, the dropout rate is less than one percent. The district has been cited by the state as needing improvement in English Language Arts. On recent exams, only half the middle school students met standards as measured by state exams. At the high school level, Regents results are satisfactory but could be better. The library is excellent, offering programs for children and adults, with a large collection of materials to borrow.

Copiague offers house-hunters affordability, with a lot of single-family homes below $200,000. Though many of those homes are smaller and need repair, they offer house-hunters with smaller budgets an opportunity to own. Buyers with budgets in the $300,000-$400,000 range will find they are able to get more for their money than they would in other towns, though school quality may be a concern. Co-ops and condos range between $200,000 and $500,000. Multi-family homes are an option, though in limited in number.