South Shore (Long Island)

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The South Shore of Long Island, in the U.S. state of New York, is the area along Long Island's Atlantic Ocean shoreline. Though some consider the South Shore to include parts of Queens, particularly the beach communities in the Rockaways such as Belle Harbor, the term is generally used to refer to the Long Island coastline in Nassau County and Suffolk County. It is often used as a generic name for the entire southern half of Long Island rather than just the area immediately adjacent to the coastline.

In contrast to the North Shore's reputation of "old money" and nobility, the South Shore is perceived as middle class, with most of its material wealth and high real estate values coming from "new money." People from the South Shore have a much higher tendency to speak with the iconic New York accent than those from the North Shore. Despite the thought that the North Shore is the wealthiest part of the island with exception of the Hamptons, the most affluent town is located on the South Shore; Hewlett Bay Park is the richest place in New York State, a tiny village of 484 residents located in the Five Towns, which ranks number 18 on the list of highest-income places in the United States, based upon per capita income.

Though the western stretch of the North Shore is considered by most locals to be the more fashionable of Long Island's coasts, once the island splits into two forks at its east end, the South Fork and its tony Hamptons is much more affluent and contains some of the most expensive properties in the world.

[edit] South Shore communities

[edit] Affluent South Shore communities

[edit] Beaches

In approximate west to east order:

With its waterfront location, beaches can be found along the entire South Shore, offering a mix of beaches open to the public and others that offer limited public access, requiring beach passes or limited parking availability. The sands of the South Shore beaches are exceptionally pristine, with finer, white sand and somewhat clearer waters than those of the North Shore beaches. Beaches on the North Shore tend to be extremely rocky and met with murky water.