But did you know that depending on what part of the island you’re on, it’s a called either a neighborhood or a town?

In fact, in many South Shore areas, people will say they’re, “going into town” when they travel to the old town center, usually featuring old brick buildings, a Post Office, and a Staten Island Railroad stop nearby. Some towns and neighborhoods have changed names over time. This is the present list of Staten Island neighborhoods and towns.

Grymes Hill: The island’s only significantly high hill north of the Staten Island Expressway. Many older upscale homes on fairly steep blocks. Wagner College is located here, as is St. John’s University and Notre Dame Girls Catholic School. The view from Howard Avenue of Brooklyn and the Verrazzano Bridge is unbeatable. Houses and apartment buildings are living choices.
Hamilton Park: This hilly North Shore development adjacent to New Brighton was chartered in 1860 by Charles K. Hamilton, a Manhattan merchant broker. Christ Church New Brighton, the neo-Gothic house of worship featuring real Tiffany stained glass, may be explored in this area. Italianate brick buildings, Stick-style Victorian, and diverse styles of architecture.
Heartland Village: Some of the earliest strip malls were built here, best known for Heartland Bagels, the Classic Staten Island Bagel, if you’re interested in the benchmark. This residential neighborhood boasts a high number of shopping choices.
Huguenot: A South Shore town once called “Bloomingview,’ Huguenot was named after French Protestants fleeing Catholic persecution. The South Shore Country Club is nearby. The homes are mostly newer, many mini-mansions, bricked-out houses that are artful, but not ridiculously large. More modest housing options exist as well. Our Lady Star of the Sea, a large parish, is located here. There is a railroad stop in town.
Lighthouse Hill: This hilly mid-island/ East Shore neighborhood is situated on a hill with the same name. Homes are sometimes quite luxurious, though older structures are more spartan. A Frank Lloyd Wright house can be found here, and views of the Atlantic Ocean are notable. The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art draws visitors from around the globe. The Staten Island Lighthouse is still in use, and an even earlier lighthouse is still standing, part of a private home at this point.
Manor Heights: Many neatly-manicured lawns and older large homes with front and back balconies and finished attics. Views of Northern New Jersey are spectacular. Another thriving commercial area, you can find great dining options here.
Mariners Harbor: A North Shore neighborhood, on the West side of the island. The Mariners Harbor Houses sit in the middle of this neighborhood, along with the Big Park, recently remodeled.
Meiers Corners: Here you my find the Alba House and St. Paul’s Press. There was also the Judaica store and Dairy Palace, a Kosher lunch spot with good knishes. A thriving commercial zone, Victory Boulevard has a small town vibe, but a more upscale small town. Housing options include apartments and private homes.
Midland Beach: An East Shore neighborhood that runs all the way down to the water and Midland Beach and boardwalk. Many vacation bungalows remain lived-in. A former resort area, train service to Midland beach ended ages ago. Several large fires ended its popularity when 5,000 bungalows and the entertainment pier burned down.
New Brighton: New Brighton is a North shore area with some history: he village of New Brighton was incorporated in 1866 out of six wards of the town of Castleton. St. Peter’s Church is located here, Staten island’s oldest Catholic church. The Cassidy-Laffayette Houses and the Richmond Terrace Houses on Jersey Street are sandwiched into a neighborhood stocked with 19th century homes. The Adobe Blues is a spot people flock to, the New Brighton Village Hall across the street, built in 1871, was torn down only recently. Abutting the Kill van Kull, industry was a staple, though in recent decades not so much.
New Dorp: An East Shore town. New Dorp Lane, as well as the streets surrounding the train right-of-way, are flush with stores and businesses, on the first, second, and sometimes third, floors. This is the top shopping spot on the East Shore. There are even more stores down on Hylan Boulevard, including supermarkets and fast food options. One of the more interesting neighborhoods, in terms of architectural diversity.
New Dorp Heights: The hills of New Dorp. An East Shore gem of a neighborhood. Nestled along High Rock Park, this is living. Mostly older homes, worth the visit.
New Springville: A high and hilly area with views of New Jersey and the Wachung Mountains.Once farmland and an airport, this area is the central prime shopping district on the island. The Staten Island mall, build in 1973, replaced Port Richmond Avenue as the island’s prime shopping spot. There are many options for living here: spacious two-family homes, apartments, and condos are the choices, with some upscale options hidden among the streets. The William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge offers a look at nature, but Springville Park has since been built upon, beginning in the early ’70s, when NYC sold the parkland due to the city’s looming bankruptcy.
Oakwood: This residential East Shore neighborhood abuts the water and you can find Oakwood Beach here, as well as Farrell High School. The Frederick Douglass Memorial Park, an African-American burial ground is also located here, though the neighborhood’s population has never been Black. The homes here offer the convenience of the train and Hylan Blvd and Richmond Road buses.
Old Place: A tiny neighborhood on the North Shore, just south of Arlington. There is a trailer park with beautifully maintained homes, the only trailer park in NYC. There is also a Home Depot and a defunct multi-screen movie theater here. The surrounding woodlands have recently been razed, to community disapproval, for the construction of a B.J.’s store; the land was once a city park but was sold when NYC faced fiscal instability in the 1970.
Old Town: This East Shore town was a Dutch settlement dating to 1661 called “Oude Dorpe”. There is a train stop. The Staten Island Advance, the island’s longest-running daily newspaper, once printed its paper here at a sprawling factory site. many people live here; homes are carefully maintained.
area is recognized for its historic district, the South Beach boardwalk, and the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex.
Pleasant Plains: The Mission of The Immaculate Virgin at Mount Loretto, or simply “Mt. Loretto,” the famed orphanage started by Father Drumgoole for orphaned homeless newsboys. This residential South Shore neighborhood is notable for the Mount Loretto Unique Area, amazing hiking right on the water. Also, the Lemon Creek Park fishing pier.
Port Ivory: Howland Hook, now the New York Container Port, was built on this reedy area. The Proctor and Gamble factory once employed thousands, and the air was often thick with the scent of Ivory soap. No one really lives here; it’s solely an industrial area with a train yard and a port. Located on the uppermost North-Western corner of the island, Port Ivory also features an operating train bridge used solely for freight.
Port Richmond: Until the mid-1970s, this was where islanders flocked to for shopping. Now Staten Island’s most urban scene, Port Richmond Avenue is THE spot for Mexican shopping options, with hundreds of small businesses, and it’s kicking until 11 PM. Port Richmond is bordered by Kill van Kull and is a North Shore neighborhood. Settled in the 1600s, a centuries-old hotel that Aaron Burr lived in still stands, though now serving a different purpose. Port Richmond resembles a Northern New Jersey urban city’s center.
Port Richmond Center: Best known for Forest Avenue Shopper’s Town, once better known as “the plaza,” before the island was covered in strip malls. Brother’s Pizzeria is the area’s most famed spot. This area has a Target store and tons of shopping options, including a vinyl record store on Barrett Avenue. The homes here range from old to new, and housing can be apartments, large homes, or townhouses.
Prince’s Bay: Once a fishing village on Raritan Bay, “Prince’s Bay Oysters” were a staple on upscale Manhattan restaurants. This area is recognized for its historic homes, like the Seguine Mansion and the Abraham Manee House. Notable parks include Lemon Creek Park and Wolfe’s Pond Park.
Randall Manor: Snug Harbor is located in this North Shore neighborhood, and the affluent neighborhood gets its name from Snug Harbor’s founder, sea Captain Robert Richard Randall. This area is notable for its historic homes. The disused North Shore Rail Line has an ornate train stop for Snug Harbor.
Richmond Valley: A small South Shore neighborhood with its own Staten Island Railway stop and post office. The Richmond Valley Animal Hospital is its most famed business. Cornelius Disosway’s grist mill was built prior to 1772, but today Richmond Valley is all about strip malls.
Richmond Town: Richmondtown is a lot like Historic Williamsburg. Many structures have been preserved, among them Voorlezer’s House, the oldest schoolhouse in the Americas, dating from the 1600s. 17th through 19th century buildings dot the landscape. There is also the Staten Island Historical Society, a gift shop, and the Richmondtown Museum. Many people also live here, enjoying the woodlands and quiet life. Homes range from townhouses to upscale mini-mansions.
Rosebank: This area is recognized for its historic homes, the Alice Austen House, and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
Rossville: Rossville is where you will find the South Shore Country Club and South Shore Golf Course. Rossville features many commercial businesses, including car repair places. There are also many residents, living in homes ranging from medium-sized to larger. Rossville is also the home of the Historic Old Bermuda Inn.
St. George: Literally “downtown Staten Island,” here you will find the Borough President’s Office. There’s also the Staten Island Ferryhawks minor league baseball team, the ferry ride that is free and passes right by the Statue of Liberty, the Lighthouse Museum, and some of the hilliest streets this side of San Fransisco! The notable St. George Theater is also here, offering patrons shows with amazing notables in a venue that was literally preserved from the ravages of time, among the most impressive town music halls you will encounter. There are homes up in the hills, as well as apartments and condos. This is an urban area and there are some low-income residents.
Sandy Ground: Free African Americans settled this town. The Sandy Ground Historical Museum is a place you can visit to learn more. Located on the South Shore.
Shore Acres: This upscale East Shore residential neighborhood offers staggering views of the Verrazzano Bridge and Narrows. Choose condo, apartment living, or own an upscale home right on the water. Easy access to Brooklyn or the Staten Island Expressway. Bay Street nightlife is right there.
Silver Lake: Silver Lake is home many residential homes, as well as urban-living apartment buildings.Silver Lake Park offers great walking paths, a view of Northern New Jersey in the distance, and a cool breeze blowing off the water. The Silver lake Golf Course is also here.
South Beach: The most famous beach and boardwalk on the island, South Beach and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk are destinations for islanders, and people from the city and Northern New jersey. People also do live here. The homes are modest and the neighborhood offers all the amenities of suburban life.
Stapleton: Once a German town with many notable breweries, including Bechtel, a Historical District ‘hood that now has residential buildings like Urby and copycats, drawing Brooklyn and Manhattan urbanites to the island, as well as homes for islanders of modest means. The former Navy Home Port is now the site of a city park where concerts are held in the summer. The part of Stapleton running along Bay Street is about as vibrant as life gets on the island. This is the top spot to hit for nightlife. Increasingly, new residential apartment buildings are going up. This is also hip-hop and NYC street art’s home, one of the centers of graffiti and spray-can art.
Southeast Annadale: Ultra-luxurious waterfront homes with a view, Southeast Annadale is home to Arbutus Lake and the beach is only a few blocks walk down the hill to the water. The 18-acre Spanish Camp was here, founded as a summer colony ’20s by the Spanish Naturopath Society, until razed decades ago.
Sunnyside: Sunnyside is a hilly enclave South of Clove Lakes Park, with larger, upscale homes on quiet blocks. The Norwegian Society once operated a retirement home in this neighborhood. It also includes the former site of the College of Staten Island CUNY Sunnyside campus, which is now both the Petrides School and Staten Island Educational District offices, as well as a Police Command Unit. This residential neighborhood is notable for the Clove Lakes Park and the Staten Island Greenbelt. (What remains of) the Abandoned Highways is fun to explore.
Todt Hill: This area on a hill with the same name; it’s the highest hill on the Eastern seaboard, at over 450 feet. This exclusive upscale area features homes ranging from modest ranches to giant mansions. Staten Island Academy is located on Todt Hill, as was the Franciscan Friary, recently sold to the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church. There is also the Richmond County Country Club and golf course , with hilly woodlands beyond that, part of the sprawling center-island Greenbelt.
Tompkinsville: Tompkinsville, Staten Island, is a neighborhood (located in the former town of Castleton) considered both the North Shore and the East Shore, and has a train station that requires a fare. There are many yummy Ski Lankan restaurants to eat at, with veg choices. (Warning: Tompkinsville Park and the surrounding town center has undergone revitalization numerous times. Right now, the park is again a hangout for drunk and drugged people, many of whom spend all day there. During festivals, however, the city does provide ample police, so that the park in those cases is safe for even kids.)
Tottenville: Another town with a main street and a train stop, some of the original buildings still stand, including a Masonic Temple. This is an area with larger homes, many on hills with views of the water. The southernmost tip of New York State is Conference House Park, site of a conference that ultimately was a failed attempt to end the Revolutionary War. Tottenville Pool is a quiet public wading pool nestled in the woods. The Biddle House and other historic structures are also in this town.
Travis: The Travis 4th of July Parade is always a hit. This town has a literal main street,but not too many stores. Now home to many East Asian residents, in the century past there were many Polish immigrants settling here. The site of the former United Artist movie theater. Showplace Bowling is still here, as is the Pool Hall. Schmul Park is expansive, Travis Veterans Memorial Park is memorable, and the William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge is part of the Greenbelt. This area also boasts industry and commercial businesses, as well as a power plant and a paper recycling mill.
Ward Hill: Another hilly area, with views of NYC and the Verazzanno Bridge. This tony neighborhood is quiet and has many memorable and classy homes, many of which are historical buildings. Right down the hilly blocks lies Victory Boulevard and Bay Street, so the rawness of city life is right there as well, not to mention a quick train ride or walk to the ferry.
West Brighton (Formerly West New Brighton): Chrck out the Staten Island Zoo, and the city’s largest tree across the street at Clove Lakes Park! This area includes some incredible nineteenth-century homes set on spacious lots, as well as apartment buildings and city projects. Richmond University Hospital is sited here, known as St. Vincent’s Hospital until the 21st Century. Many doctors live here. There is also a thriving industrial area along the waterfront and beyond.
Westerleigh: This neighborhood was once the town of Prohibition Park, hence the street names referencing teetotaler public figures and dry states. Situated on hilly land, this area has some historic homes and buildings, including a former school that was among the island’s first. Westerleigh is also home to the first tennis club in the United States, the Westerleigh Tennis Club. Home to the largest contingent of NYPD/NYFD personnel of any neighborhood in the city.
Willowbrook: This area includes the College of Staten Island campus and SIDDSO campus, both once part of the sprawling Willowbrook state School facility, repurposed in the nineties. The homes are specious, ranging from high ranches to mini-mansions with a view. This area is one of the centers of Jewish Life on the island, and the Young Israel temple is on Willowbrook Road, and other temples dot the area as well.
Woodrow: In 1771 the very first Methodist Church opened in this area, and historic homes can be located still. Until a few decades ago, Woodrow was (relatively) recently still mostly swampy woodlands. It’s the South Shore, for sure. You can get there via the West Shore Expressway, the Richmond Parkway, or via Hylan Boulevard. Bloomingdale Park and the Woodrow Plaza draw visitors from all over the South Shore.