Shelter Island is located between North and South Forks of Long Island. The island is surrounded on three sides Shelter Island Sound.The island is around 8,000 acres (32 km2) in size.
According to U.S. Census Bureau, housing the island with total area of 27.1 square miles (70.2 km2), of which 12.1 square miles (31.4 km2) of it is land and 15.0 square miles (38.7 km 2 ) of them (55,20%) is water.
There were 996 households out of which 20.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% had no family. 28,8% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.8% of them someone living alone who was 65 years and older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.75.
The median income for a household in the city was $ 53,011, and the median income for a family is $ 63,750. Males have a median income of $ 41,508 versus $ 36,316 for women. Per capita income in the city was $ 30,346. About 4.7% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those aged 65 and older.
In 1652 Sylvester built a house on the island during his 16-year-old bride, Grissel Brinley. The manor house was rebuilt by his descendants to 1733. Sylvester Manor is today, not far from the New York State Route 114. Sylvesters gave shelter to many persecuted Quakers.
Shelter Island was known as a center of political conservatism, on Long Island. Residents have repeatedly voted for Republicans. In 1996, presidential election, it was the only town on Long Island, to vote for Bob Dole. Nevertheless, in 2004, John Kerry became the first Democrat in recent history to win Shelter Island, although he did not get as many votes as Al Gore did four years ago in Long Island. In 2008, Democrat Barack Obama won the home islands.
There is a Methodist camp, Camp Quinipet, on the northwestern tip of the island. It is used as a camp in the summer and as a retreat center for churches throughout the year.
