Living in Lattingtown, NY: Zoning, Locust Valley Schools, Taxes and Rail

Lattingtown is a 2,400-acre village. The Matinecock sold the area in 1660 to Richard Latting and his son, Josiah. The village runs on a two-person administration and a code with separate chapters for wetlands, waterways and stormwater. It sits among the North Shore towns, next to Locust Valley.

Is Lattingtown wealthy? Home values, income and tenure

Lattingtown’s median owner-occupied home value is $1,633,900 in the Census Bureau’s ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, with a margin of error of $200,790. The median household income estimate is at the survey’s top reported value of $250,001, so it gives no exact figure. The median gross rent estimate is $3,501, the survey’s top reported value for rent, so it gives no exact figure either.

Of 723 occupied homes, 628 are owner-occupied and 95 are rented. The median home was built in 1958. The ACS estimates 1,962 residents; the 2020 census counted 1,881. Older figures show the scale of household income in 2000: a median of $136,807 and per capita income of $76,260. The 2000 census counted 627 households, 37.2% of them with children under 18.

Village code, zoning and wetlands

The village code on eCode360 shows how the village manages land. Zoning has its own chapter, running from section 315-1 to 315-119. Environmental rules sit beside it.

The village administration consists of two paid people, a Clerk-Treasurer and a deputy, who handle finances, building matters and general administration. The village also has 3 highway employees for road maintenance, street cleaning and plowing, and one Building Consultant who supervises its building codes. The speed limit has been reduced to 30 MPH throughout the village unless posted signage says otherwise.

Schools: Locust Valley Central School District

Locust Valley Central School District is a K-12 public system that covers the Incorporated Village of Lattingtown. It has four campuses: Ann MacArthur Primary, Locust Valley Intermediate, Bayville Primary and Intermediate, and a shared Middle-High School in Lattingtown. In May 2012, Newsweek, The Washington Post and U.S. News & World Report each identified Locust Valley High School as one of the best high schools in the country. Newsweek ranked it #2 on Long Island, #6 in New York State and #55 in the nation, and U.S. News ranked it #4 on Long Island, #20 in the state and #99 in the nation.

The state’s 2024-25 profile lists 1,754 K-12 public school students and 81 English Language Learner students. The district’s attendance rate is 94% and its suspension rate is 3%. The NYSED report card profile is the primary source, and the North Shore school districts guide compares the neighboring systems.

Property taxes in Lattingtown

The Town of Oyster Bay Receiver of Taxes bills property taxes on more than 100,000 parcels and collects for the State, County, Town, special districts and school districts.

The Town allows a 40-day penalty-free period after each due date, then charges 1% per month retroactive to the original due date. Grievances go to the Nassau County Assessment Review Commission. The 2026 window closed March 31, 2026, after the County extended it. The Town’s page gives the usual grievance period as January 2 to March 1. The next opportunity to file follows the County’s next tentative assessment roll. Register for STAR school tax relief as soon as the home becomes your primary residence. Basic STAR is based on the first $30,000 of a home’s full value, with a $250,000 income limit for the exemption. Enhanced STAR for owners 65 and older has a $110,750 income limit for 2026-2027. County-wide mechanics are in Nassau County property taxes.

Rail: the Oyster Bay Branch

The Oyster Bay Branch splits from the Main Line just east of Mineola and runs north and east to Oyster Bay. It was extended to Locust Valley on April 19, 1869. West of Mineola most trains originate or terminate at Jamaica, with some rush-hour trips ending at Penn Station. A temporary alternate plan for the branch ran weekdays from September 2 to November 9, 2025; that schedule is past and is not the current timetable. Use the TrainTime app for current schedules.

History, Bailey Arboretum and notable names

The marsh along the coast was occupied by a band of Lenape known as the Matinecock. They sold the area in 1660 to Richard Latting and his son, Josiah Latting, who sold marsh reeds for use in thatched-roof houses. The village incorporated in 1931.

Bailey Arboretum in Lattingtown is named after longtime residents Frank and Marie Louise Bailey. Soong Meiling, the former First Lady of China, spent the latter years of her life in America and died at her house in Lattingtown. The 1986 film The Money Pit was partly filmed at a run-down house in the village.

Village government

The village is in the Town of Oyster Bay and is one of 64 villages in Nassau County. Village Hall is at 299 Lattingtown Road, Locust Valley, with posted hours of Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon. Trustees, Planning Board members and Zoning Board members are not paid by the village. Five Trustees, one of whom is the Mayor, govern it and are elected every four years. As of August 2021, the mayor was Robert W. Fagiola.