The Census puts the median gross rent in the Town of East Hampton at $2,578 a month and in the Town of Southampton at $2,363. That is what year-round renter households there pay now, utilities included, so it is a floor for planning, not a quote. To see what is on offer today, open year-round rentals on Hamptons Key.
| Place | Median gross rent | Renter share of households | Renter households |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southampton | $2,437 | 16% | 265 |
| East Hampton | $2,620 | 26% | 173 |
| Amagansett | Not published | 20% | 57 |
| Montauk | $2,313 | 21% | 344 |
| Sag Harbor | $3,501 | 17% | 191 |
| Bridgehampton | Not published | 7% | 43 |
| Sagaponack | Not published | 9% | 15 |
| Wainscott | Not published | 5% | 16 |
| Water Mill | $3,200 | 6% | 80 |
| Westhampton Beach | $2,154 | 14% | 140 |
| Quogue | $3,375 | 21% | 63 |
| Hampton Bays | $2,392 | 18% | 1,088 |
| East Quogue | $2,327 | 21% | 465 |
| Shelter Island | Not published | 5% | 73 |
| Springs | $3,332 | 25% | 916 |
| North Haven | Not published | 8% | 35 |
| Remsenburg | $2,134 | 16% | 107 |
| Westhampton | $1,833 | 7% | 97 |
| Southampton, whole town | $2,363 | 18% | 4,675 |
| East Hampton, whole town | $2,578 | 22% | 2,497 |
| Suffolk County | $2,255 | 18% | 91,419 |
Where the figures are firm
The most reliable rows are the large communities. Hampton Bays has the most renter households in the table, 1,088, with a median of $2,392. Springs has 916 and a median of $3,332. East Quogue shows $2,327 and Montauk $2,313.
Sag Harbor shows the highest median at $3,501 and Quogue follows at $3,375, but those rows rest on far fewer households: 191 in Sag Harbor and 63 in Quogue. Water Mill’s $3,200 rests on 80. Read those as “expensive”, not as exact.
Why the Census figure and a listing differ
Three things separate the two.
- Gross rent includes utilities. A listing usually quotes rent alone, and oil or propane can be extra.
- Existing leases lag the market. A household that renewed twice pays less than a newcomer.
- Housing type. A cottage behind a main house, a basement apartment and a four-bedroom house all land in the same median.
Six places show no median at all: Amagansett, Bridgehampton, Sagaponack, Wainscott, Shelter Island and North Haven. Renters there are between 5% and 20% of households, too few for the Census to publish a number. For those places, current listings are the only benchmark. The winter rental season page explains when new ones appear.
Using the numbers
Set your budget from the rows for the hamlets you are considering, then add the costs the Census figure folds in or leaves out: heating fuel on a house, a second car, and any storage. The utilities checklist lists what to ask the owner. When you are ready to browse, the rentals-by-town table links each town’s year-round listings.
Questions people ask
Is the Census median rent what a new year-round lease costs?
No. It is what current renter households pay, including utilities, averaged over five years of survey responses. Rent on a newly listed home can be higher or lower, and the live listings are the only reliable guide.
Why is there no rent figure for Amagansett or Bridgehampton?
The Census publishes no median gross rent when too few renter households answer the survey. In those places renters are a small slice of the year-round population.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5‑year estimates, tables B25064 and B25003 Retrieved through the Census Reporter API.
Checked October 2026. Rules, fees and hours change; confirm with the office or operator before you act.