55-and-over rentals: What you pay, what you get on Long Island

Joseph Garcia, of Weichert Realtors in Farmingdale, often reminds his clients looking to downsize that when you no longer have to worry about things like landscaping or shoveling snow, the world opens up a little bit.

"A lot of people find it gives them a lot of freedom, to be able to move into one of these communities," Garcia said.

Life in Long Island's 55-and-over communities "can be as private or as communal as you want," Garcia said, which can be appealing for longtime homeowners looking to make a change. With many options to choose from, here are the amenities and costs at five senior communities, with units currently available on Long Island.

Community:

The Carlyle in Farmingdale

Monthly rent range:

$3,300 to $3,500

"This building was designed to have a little bit more of a homey feel," said Crystal Condos, of EXIT Realty Premier. She handles leasing for The Carlyle in Farmingdale and has been involved in the community since its construction.

The Carlyle, which is pet-friendly, includes a gym, community room, assigned parking and intercom systems for tenants. There are 24 units, which average 1,100 square feet each. There are two bedrooms per unit, Condos said.

The units, on Fulton Street, range from $3,300 to $3,500, with a two-bed, one-bath available now for $3,400, according to its website.

"We've found that the majority of people who come to look at the building wanted or needed that second bedroom, but the ones who didn't need it just appreciate that extra space," she said.

Tenants can opt for additional space by purchasing a storage unit in the lower level of the building. The lockers are 15-by-15 feet and cost $50 per month, Condos said, adding that this feature could be especially helpful for downsizers. The storage could be used for seasonal decorations or extra furniture. Slightly smaller but similarly sized storage units in the area range from $175 to $379 per month.

"When you're packing up from anywhere, you don't realize how much stuff you accumulate and don't want to get rid of," she said.

Community:

Great South Bay Villas in West Babylon

Monthly rent range:

$2,900 to $3,100

Great South Bay Villas in West Babylon includes 44 two-bed, one-bath units. There is a first-floor unit available now for $3,000 a month, totaling 1,000 square feet. The units range in price from $2,900 to $3,100 per month, said listing agent Jacqueline Cardarelli, of Ramsay Realtors.

"What I love the most about the community over there is how active they are, and how close they are with each other," Cardarelli said.

The building is conveniently located: "It's in the same parking lot as CVS," the agent said. "That's such a nice added bonus, since you can get just about anything there."

Each unit has an open floor plan and a full-size washer and dryer. The property has a community room, where tenants gather weekly to play mah-jongg, Cardarelli said.

"It's such a lovely group of tenants," she added.

Community:

Rocky Point

Monthly rent:

$2,300

This Rocky Point community has upper- and lower-level one-bed, one-bath units for seniors to lease, with one recently hitting the market for $2,300 a month.

"They all look like Colonial-style houses," said listing agent Linda Stowell, of Howard Hanna Coach. "They are tastefully done."

On Price Road, each building contains four units with an entrance foyer, Stowell said, and video intercom systems in each so tenants can see and buzz in their guests. The units are about 650 square feet, with accessible bathrooms, walk-in closets and laundry units.

The upper units have balconies and the lower ones have patios, Stowell said. The property also features a pickleball court.

"The grounds are meticulously maintained," Stowell added.

Community:

Hidden Harbor Estates in Copiague

Monthly rent on available unit:

$4,995

One amenity of the waterfront Hidden Harbor Estates in Copiague: Each tenant gets their own dock space.

"It's a true Long Island marina community," Garcia said.

The Nicole Court community offers a mix of first- and second-floor units, all with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Other offerings include a clubhouse, fitness area, outdoor grill and lounge area and ample parking.

"It's almost like going to one of the town parks on the water, but it's right outside your front door," Garcia said.

An available unit, listed for $4,995 per month, totals 1,450 square feet and features a Miele coffee machine built into the kitchen, Garcia said. He describes the community as a lively bunch, taking in resort-style surroundings.

"They're outside talking to each other; making social plans with people who live a door or two away," he said.

Community:

Greenview Estate House in Oakdale

Monthly rent range:

$2,725 to $3,950

This 158-unit senior community in Oakdale was completed in July 2025, said Larry Gargano, president of Greenview Properties.

"It's all contained in one building," he said. "It was built hotel-style, with everything under one roof."

One-bedroom units start at $2,725 per month, with the price going up to $3,950 for two bedrooms, and sizes ranging from 581 to 1,241 square feet, according to the Greenview Estate House website.

Amenities include a golf simulator, grand ballroom, library, fitness center, swimming pool, outdoor grill, pickleball court and dog park. The building is on Sunrise Highway.

These pet-friendly units have an open floor plan, with appliances including washers, dryers and dishwashers.

Rather than garden-style or assisted living housing, this building is "somewhat unique for the Long Island landscape," Gargano said.

"We plan on building three more communities just like this," he said, with one of those buildings slated to open in Bay Shore.

By the numbers

The 2026 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends report, released Wednesday and compiled by the National Association of Realtors, shows that 17% of buyers over 60 years old purchased a home in senior-related housing this year. Out of the surveyed buyer pool, 76% of Americans between the ages of 61 and 70 bought a detached, single-family home in a senior community.

The median percentage of income that Long Islanders put toward their monthly gross rent is 33.1%, according to the 2024 one-year estimates from the American Community Survey. (The U.S. Census Bureau defines monthly gross rent as rent plus the average costs of utilities and fuels, such as oil.)

Also, 2024 census data shows that the median household income in the Nassau-Suffolk metro division is $96,388 for householders 65 and up. So, with these numbers, a Long Islander in this age group would be paying about $2,659 per month for their rent.

Newsday's Arielle Martinez contributed to this story.