Ronkonkoma

History

The name "Ronkonkoma" comes from the nearby Lake Ronkonkoma, which in turn comes from an Algonquian expression meaning "boundary fishing-lake", also earlier written as "Raconkumake" and "Raconkamuck." Ronkonkoma was the terminus of the first road in the United States designed exclusively for automobiles, the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway, constructed by a consortium of investors called the Long Island Motor Parkway, Inc.; the consortium was led by William Kissam Vanderbilt II. In May 1943, Long Island MacArthur Airport – located within the hamlet – was activated. The Town of Islip announced plans in 2025 to construct a new passenger terminal on the north side of the town-owned airport, adjacent – and connected – to the Ronkonkoma LIRR station. In 1982, the Town of Islip Foreign Trade Zone – located adjacent to MacArthur Airport – opened. It is a magnet site for Foreign Trade Zone 52 and, as of 2026, is the only designated foreign trade zone on Long Island outside of New York City. Since 1988, the community has been the end of electrification along the Long Island Rail Road's Main Line. The portion of the Main Line between the Hicksville and Ronkonkoma stations is known as the Ronkonkoma Branch. This development project, known as also known as Station Yards, would spur economic development on both sides of the tracks, in Ronkonkoma and Lake Ronkonkoma. As of 2026, the total cost of the project is expected to be approximately $1.2 billion.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which , or 4.07%, is covered by water. Under the Köppen climate classification, Ronkonkoma has a humid continental climate (Dfa), with some maritime influence, or under the threshold a humid subtropical climate (Cfa); it is part of USDA hardiness zone 7a. The normal average monthly temperature ranges from in January to in July; on average, there are 16.3 afternoons where the temperature remains at or below freezing and 8.3 afternoons with a high at or above annually; the last year to not reach the latter mark was 2014. Temperatures below or above are rare, and were last seen respectively on January 7, 2018, at and July 22, 2011, at . The record low is , set on February 13, 1967, while the record high is , set on July 3, 1966. Precipitation averages annually, and is somewhat evenly distributed throughout the year, though March and April are the wettest months in terms of total precipitation. Snowfall averages per year, falling almost entirely from November to April. | date = August 2010 | source = }} Lake Hills is north of the Long Island Expressway and south of Long Island Motor Parkway, roughly bounded by Rosevale Avenue and Ocean Avenue to the east, and Terry Road to the west. Lakeland is south of the Long Island Expressway and north of Veterans Memorial Highway, bounded on the west by Lakeland County Park & Connetquot River State Park Preserve, and on the east by Ronkonkoma Avenue & Lakeland Avenue.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  28,001
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  26,327
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  25,668
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  24,690
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  23,083
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  22,198
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  21,402
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  21,049

Largest nearby schools

• BRENTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
  High · BRENTWOOD · 4,641 students · 14.1:1 ratio
• CENTRAL ISLIP SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
  High · CENTRAL ISLIP · 2,576 students · 17.5:1 ratio
• PATCHOGUE-MEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL
  High · MEDFORD · 2,443 students · 12.9:1 ratio
• SACHEM HIGH SCHOOL EAST
  High · FARMINGVILLE · 2,082 students · 11.9:1 ratio
• SACHEM HIGH SCHOOL NORTH
  High · LAKE RONKONKOMA · 1,923 students · 11.5:1 ratio
• BAY SHORE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
  High · BAY SHORE · 1,910 students · 11.5:1 ratio
• COMMACK HIGH SCHOOL
  High · COMMACK · 1,861 students · 12.7:1 ratio
• CONNETQUOT HIGH SCHOOL
  High · BOHEMIA · 1,757 students · 11.1:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.8 — 2025-08-05
  1 km N of Hillsdale, New Jersey
• M 3 — 2025-08-03
  0 km W of Little Ferry, New Jersey
• M 2.66 — 2014-08-14
  6 km SW of Deep River Center, Connecticut
• M 2.6 — 2001-10-27
  1 km NNW of Manhattan, New York