Sea Cliff, New York

Sea Cliff is a village located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the village population was 4,995. It is considered part of the greater Glen Cove area, which is anchored by the City of Glen Cove.

Sea Cliff, New York
Village
Incorporated Village of Sea Cliff
The Sea Cliff Village Hall, Library, and Museum Complex in 2015
Motto(s):  1 Square Mile, 16 Parks
Location of Sea Cliff in Nassau County, New York (right) and of Nassau County in New York state (left)
Location of Sea Cliff in New York state Show map of Long Island Sea Cliff, New York (New York) Show map of New York Sea Cliff, New York (the United States) Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 40°50′47″N 73°38′40″W
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Nassau County, New York
Town	Oyster Bay
Incorporated	1883[1]
Area [2]
• Total	1.96 sq mi (5.08 km2)
• Land	1.11 sq mi (2.89 km2)
• Water	0.85 sq mi (2.19 km2)
Elevation	187 ft (57 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,062
• Density	4,539.91/sq mi (1,753.13/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	11579
Area code	516
FIPS code	36-66047
GNIS feature ID	0964716
Website	www.seacliff-ny.gov

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²), of which 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) (44.67%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	554		—
1900	1,558		—
1910	1,694		8.7%
1920	2,108		24.4%
1930	3,456		63.9%
1940	0		−100.0%
1950	4,868		—
1960	5,669		16.5%
1970	5,890		3.9%
1980	5,364		−8.9%
1990	5,054		−5.8%
2000	5,066		0.2%
2010	4,995		−1.4%
2020	5,062		1.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[3]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census^[4] the population was 92.8% White, 88% Non-Hispanic white, 2.4% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.8% of the population.

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 5,066 people, 2,013 households, and 1,356 families in the village. The population density was 4,655.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,797.3/km²). There were 2,082 housing units at an average density of 1,913.1 per square mile (738.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 94.83% White, 1.68% African American, 0.10% Native American, 1.22% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.76%.^[5]

Of the 2,013 households 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 26.6% of households were one person and 9.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.06.

The age distribution was 24.1% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.

The median household income was $78,501 and the median family income was $100,576. Males had a median income of $65,469 versus $41,146 for females. The per capita income for the village was $41,707. About 2.1% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.7% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

Government

As of April 5, 2021, the Mayor of Sea Cliff was Elena Villafane.^[6][7]

In the 2024 U.S. presidential election, the majority of Sea Cliff voters voted for Kamala D. Harris (D).^[8][9]

In March 2025, Robert Ehrlich, the founder of Pirate's Booty, falsely claimed to be the mayor of Sea Cliff during a "tense standoff at Village Hall", making reference to the Citizen Empowerment Act.^[10] Village officials refuted Ehrlich's claim.^[10] Ehrlich ran for mayor as a write-in candidate, but lost to Villafane by a vote of 1,064-62.^[11]

Education

The village is part of the North Shore School District.^[12][13]

Landmarks

Several buildings in Sea Cliff, mostly Victorian houses, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[14][15][16] Many of them were built as summer homes as part of Sea Cliff's late nineteenth century role as a resort town, and they have been collectively called "one of the best collections of late Victorian era architecture in Nassau County."^[17]

Properties in Sea Cliff listed on the National Register of Historic Places include:^[14]

• Central Hall
• Christ Building
• Crowell House
• House at 9 Locust Place
• House at 18 Seventeenth Avenue
• House at 19 Locust Place
• House at 58 Eighteenth Avenue
• House at 65 Twentieth Avenue
• House at 103 Roslyn Avenue
• House at 112 Sea Cliff Avenue
• House at 115 Central Avenue
• House at 137 Prospect Avenue
• House at 173 Sixteenth Avenue
• House at 176 Prospect Avenue
• House at 195 Prospect Avenue
• House at 199 Prospect Avenue
• House at 207 Carpenter Avenue
• House at 240 Sea Cliff Avenue
• House at 285 Sea Cliff Avenue
• House at 332 Franklin Avenue
• House at 362 Sea Cliff Avenue
• House at 378 Glen Avenue
• Sea Cliff Firehouse
• Sea Cliff Village Hall, Library, and Museum Complex
• St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal Church
• Stephen Harding House

WPA Poster advertising Sea Cliff (c. 1939)

Notable people

• LaMarcus Adna Thompson – Inventor and businessman^[18]
• Alfred Lansing – Author of Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage^[19]
• Robert Olen Butler – Writer^[20]
• Dan Fagin – Writer^[21]
• Natalie Portman – Actress^[22]
• Kate McKinnon – Comedian^[23]
• John Rzeznik – Frontman of the rock band Goo Goo Dolls^[24]
• Michael McKean – actor, comedian, screenwriter, and musician
• Arnold Levin – Cartoonist^[25]
• Robert Ehrlich – Businessman^[26]
• Rose Elizabeth Bird – First female Chief Justice of California^[27]
• Amanda Sobhy – Professional squash player
• Nini Camps – Lead singer of rock band Antigone Rising^[24]
• Mac Ayres – Singer, songwriter^[28]
• Kristen Henderson – Drummer of rock band Antigone Rising^[29]
• Linda Yaccarino - X Corp. and Twitter CEO^[30][31]