East Norwich: Tiny community near Gold Coast beaches, highways draws all generations
Rothmann's Steakhouse is a longtime fixture at the intersection of routes 106 and 25A in East Norwich. Credit: Barry Sloan
THE SCOOP With fewer than 3,000 residents living within one square mile, East Norwich is a close-knit community with a small town feel, Town of Oyster Bay Councilwoman Vicki Walsh said.
"East Norwich is the gateway to historic Oyster Bay," said Walsh, who's called the hamlet home for over two decades.
And its petite size "makes it easy to navigate," she added, touting its shopping areas with everything from pizza and bagels to a dry cleaner and barber shop.
East Norwich is surrounded by preserves and is close to Teddy Roosevelt Memorial Park and beachfront. Its main thoroughfare — Route 106 — leads to major highways one mile to the south.
"East Norwich is a charming community," Walsh said. "It's a place where kids can grow up feeling independent and the elderly can age in place longer since everything is close by."
Shoppers mill about the East Norwich Shopping Center, home to restaurants and small businesses, on Route 106. Credit: Barry Sloan
Matinecock Indians were the first people to live in the area. In 1644, white settlers arrived in Oyster Bay and gradually moved south to the area, congregating around the intersection of what is now routes 106 and 25A. By 1680, James and George Townsend owned land there that they named Norwich after the family's ancestral home in England.
Norwich developed slowly after the Revolutionary War, getting its own post office in 1846. Due to confusion with the upstate Norwich, the name was changed to East Norwich in 1862.
East Norwich Commons makes up the rest of the area's small business district on Route 25A. Credit: Barry Sloan
By the turn of the 20th century, many of the old family farms were bought up and converted into estates. In 1905, William K. Vanderbilt II helped put East Norwich on the map when he routed his second Vanderbilt Cup Race through the hamlet.
East Norwich was home to William Pynchon, a surveyor and civil engineer famous for surveying the site that would become Jones Beach. His son, Thomas R. Pynchon, served as Oyster Bay Town supervisor and his grandson, Thomas R. Pynchon Jr., is an acclaimed novelist.
"Much of the development began to build before the 1950s," Walsh said. "The homes may have changed, but the vibe remains the same."
Houses along Floyd Place, top, and Radcliffe Drive North in East Norwich. Credit: Barry Sloan
SALE PRICES Between March 3, 2025, and March 2, 2026, there were 14 home sales with a median sale price of $960,000, according to OneKey MLS. During that period a year earlier, there were 24 home sales with a median sale price of $760,000.
CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are no condos or co-ops on the market.
OTHER STATS
Population 2,697
Median age 43.7
Median home value $940,000
Monthly LIRR ticket from Oyster Bay or Syosset $299.75
School district, graduation rate Oyster Bay-East Norwich (95%)
Library Oyster Bay-East Norwich
Transit N/A
Sources: 2024 American Community Survey; OneKey MLS via InfoSparks by ShowingTime; LIRR; data.nysed.gov; Nassau Inter-County Express
ON THE MARKET
$3.5 million
This $3.5 million East Norwich home sits on 0.89 acre. Credit: Kelly J. Vargas
At 6,000 square feet, this 2025 California split ranch has five bedrooms and 5½ bathrooms. Features include hardwood floors, chef's kitchen, primary suite and rear bedroom with private patio. A full, finished basement has a bar and kitchen. The home has an elevator connecting every level. The 0.89-acre property includes a hilltop swimming pool and attached one-car garage. An offer is pending. Taxes are $9,590. Kelly J. Vargas, 631-416-7703.
$859,000
This $859,000 East Norwich home is 1,863 square feet. Credit: Barry Axelrod
This four-bedroom, 1½-bathroom high ranch at the end of a cul-de-sac is 1,863 square feet. It features an open floor plan, eat-in kitchen and living room with wood-burning fireplace. The 0.2-acre property includes a backyard patio and an attached one-car garage. An offer is pending. Taxes are $10,350. Lori Arav, Coldwell Banker American Homes, 516-446-6101.
RECENTLY SOLD
$990,000
Radcliff Drive
Style Cape Cod
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 2
Built 1954
Lot size 0.15 acre
Taxes $11,445
+/- List price -$109,000
Days on market 137
$885,000
Radcliff Drive
Style Cape Cod
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 2
Built 1954
Lot size 0.15 acre
Taxes $9,611
+/- List price -$14,000
Days on market 59
$750,000
Lew Place
Style Cape Cod
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 2
Built 1954
Lot size 0.15 acre
Taxes $10,661
+/- List price +$51,000
ON ONEKEY MLS
Number of listings 4
Price range $799,000 to $3.5 million
Tax range $9,591 to $11,374
