Elwood is the birthplace of Long Island's chain of Dairy Barn drive-thru convenience stores, notable for their distinctive barn-shaped buildings and red silos.
Located just 35 miles east of New York City in Suffolk County on Long Island, Elwood's 4.8 square miles is home to 11,177 residents, over 140 acres of parks and nature trails, and plenty of shopping and dining along Larkfield Road and East Jericho Turnpike. With easy access into the city by road or the Long Island Rail (with a stop conveniently located just north of the hamlet's border), and minutes from the beaches and marinas in Northport and Huntington Bay, Elwood is the perfect place to call home if you're looking to enjoy the best Long Island has to offer.
Moving to Elwood
Outside of the acres of gorgeous parks and the commercial districts to the south and east, the majority of space in Elwood is devoted to street after street of detached single-family homes. Because the real estate is almost exclusively these types of homes, if you want to find an apartment in Elwood, you are going to need to understand the market and how it works.
The Housing Menu
With a scant 6 percent of housing occupied by renters, Elwood is a homeowner's paradise, and a tough market for renters to get into. Most homes are large, featuring an average of four bedrooms, with many having more than that. With the large sizes and this being Long Island, rent is not going to be cheap, but you'll find that it is reasonable for the location. If an entire large house is not on your personal menu, you can find apartments in the area if you have plenty of time to look and cross off the notion that your new apartment will be in an actual apartment building. It will not.
Rather, the 1 bedroom apartments you will find will either be attached as a wing to a larger home, in the attic or basement of a home, or as part of an outbuilding (such as a garage or guest house) on a larger property. These are rare finds and come on the market sporadically, but if you have plenty of time between beginning your search and needing to move, the chances of you lucking into one of these rentals improves.
Also be aware that most homes in this area were built between 1950 and 1970, but have been well maintained and updated as needed. Unless there are any obvious issues with a property, though, you don't need to be concerned.
What You'll Need
Three month's rent before you even move in. Yes, you read that right. Most property owners in Elwood require not one, but two month's rent as a security deposit in addition to the first month's payment. If you rent a house, you will need to figure in your utilities into your monthly housing expenses, but if you find one of the apartments within another house discussed above, chances are the cost of your electric, water, gas, cable, and trash pick-up has already been factored into your monthly payment. Be sure to check when you speak to the homeowner.
Elwood Neighborhoods
Since Elwood is essentially a neighborhood itself within the town of Huntington, it is not divided into smaller neighborhood sections, although there are distinctly different parts of town.
Elwood Road: Elwood Road to the edge of town along Larkfield Road is the most densely populated area of Elwood. Many of the town's restaurants, shops, and businesses are along Larkfield, and to the south on E. Jericho Turnpike, so as you get closer to these roadways you are more able to walk from home to places such as a bank or a pharmacy or your friendly neighborhood Applebee's. Even so, having a car is not only a necessity for Elwood residents, but also a passion. You'll find that many people have a commuter car and an additional fun car or two.
Manor Road: Manor Road and west to Broadway is another well-populated area of town, although not quite as densely as the east side. Also more car-dependent for practically everything, except getting to the delicious middle section of town.
In Between: You'll find some housing here in the midsection of Elwood, but mostly what you'll find is acres of green space, walking trails, and parks with softball and soccer fields along with tennis, basketball, and hardball courts. Berkeley Jackson County Park takes up a whopping 130 acres and has a 1.8 mile walking trail. Adjacent Manor Farm Park adds another 5 acres, and additional parks in this area add dozens more.
Living in Elwood
If you want to rent an apartment in Elwood, it will be tough, but it is possible for the vigilant and adaptable. The rest of you will be stuck with a big, beautiful home in one of Long Island's best areas. The crime rate for Elwood is lower than 90 percent of other cities, and 60 percent below the New York average. Commuters spend an average of 15 to 30 minutes getting to work. One out of every two of your neighbors will hold at least a bachelor's degree, and two out of ten will have an advanced degree. But fuggetabout having any snooty or high-brow neighbors; this is Long Island, where people are as breezy as the summer wind coming across the sound.
