Bohemia: Community spirit, horse country vibe, housing options draw buyers
A mural adorns the wall of a shopping center near Church Street and Smithtown Avenue in Bohemia. Credit: Barry Sloan
THE SCOOP Bohemia is an oasis sandwiched between two thoroughfares, said Islip Town Councilman James O'Connor.
"To the north you have Vets Highway and to the south: Sunrise Highway," O'Connor said. "In between is this really hidden gem."
Organizations such as the Bohemia Civic Association, American Legion and Bohemia Fire Department, which hosts the Christmas parade, bring a strong sense of community to Bohemia.
The hamlet was founded in 1855 by John Vavra, John Kratchovil and Joseph Koula. Along with their wives, they sought freedom from Hapsburg rule in Austria and Hungary, and encouraged friends and relatives in Europe to come over. Four years later, the growing settlement was called New Village of Tabor, the Czech word for "camp." Many new residents arrived from the central European area known since the Middle Ages as Bohemia, buying plots for about $10 an acre. In 1869, a one-room schoolhouse was built for $600 and by 1894, the area was officially renamed Bohemia.
Bohemia County Equestrian Center has rings and trails for horseriding year round. Credit: Barry Sloan
Cigar making — the first industry in the hamlet — went from a home-based business to a growing trade with roughly eight cigar factories in the area. The industry thrived until around 1930, when machine-made cigars in New York City quickly replaced most made by hand.
On Sept. 26, 1893, the community dedicated a statue to Jan Hus, a Czech priest who was burned at the stake in 1415 for preaching religious freedom a century before Martin Luther's reformation. The statue can still be found on the south side of Church Street in the Union Cemetery.
The Airport Diner is a staple in Bohemia and sits across from MacArthur Airport. Credit: Barry Sloan
Today, the community offers a great diversity of housing stock on lots that range from modest to massive.
"As you drive along Oakdale-Bohemia Road or Pond Place, you have some homes that back up to Connetquot State Park and they have stables and they have horses," O'Connor said. "It gives it that old flavor of a horse community."
Buyers will find mostly Colonials, Victorians and Capes, with prices starting at under $200,000 for a mobile home and going up to $2 million for a not-yet-completed 10,000-square-foot home.
Homes along Aron Drive, top, and Hubal Street in Bohemia. Credit: Barry Sloan
SALE PRICES Between Jan. 8, 2024, and Jan. 7, 2025, there were 79 home sales with a median sale price of $570,000, according to OneKey MLS. During that period a year earlier, there were 90 home sales with a median sale price of $578,750.
CONDOS AND CO-OPS There is one condo, priced at $559,900, on the market.
OTHER STATS
Population 9,306
Median age 42.7
Median home value $574,000
Monthly LIRR ticket from Ronkonkoma $378
School district, graduation rate Connetquot (94.7%)
Library Connetquot
Transit Suffolk County Transit Route 6
Sources: 2022 American Community Survey; OneKey MLS via InfoSparks by ShowingTime; LIRR, data.nysed.gov
ON THE MARKET
$1.2 million
This $1.2 million Bohemia home was custom built. Credit: Douglas Elliman Real Estate
This custom built 2,571-square-foot Colonial has three bedrooms, as well as three full and two half-baths. It features an expansive front porch, hardwood floors, cathedral ceilings, a kitchen with stainless steel appliances, primary bedroom with coffered ceiling and finished basement. The ½-acre fenced-in property has a large covered back deck, swimming pool and attached partial one-car garage that can be used for storage. Taxes are $15,757. Lisa Hendrickson, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, 631-589-8500.
$767,400
This $767,400 Bohemia home is 2,800 square feet. Credit: World Properties International
This renovated 2,800-square-foot Colonial home has five bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms, hardwood floors, a kitchen with stainless steel appliances and a finished basement. The 0.17-acre fenced-in property has an attached two-car garage. Taxes are $12,748. A sale is pending. Matthew Hart, World Properties International Sea to Sky, 631-961-4626.
$640,000
This $640,000 Bohemia home sits on a half-acre. Credit: EPM Real Estate Photography
This approximately 1,030-square-foot Cape has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, hardwood floors and a kitchen with stainless steel appliances. The half-acre fenced-in property has a large driveway, swimming pool and shed. Taxes are $10,098. Earnest Brown Downie and Kevin Iglesias, Signature Premier Properties, 631-512-9019.
RECENTLY SOLD
$1.35 million
Pond Road
Style Colonial
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 2½
Built 2024
Lot size 1.1 acre
Taxes TBD
+/- List price Sold for asking
Days on market 66
$830,000
8th Street
Style Split ranch
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 2
Built 1967
Lot size ¼ acre
Taxes $11,841
+/- List price +$105,000
Days on market 83
$466,000
Union Street
Style Ranch
Bedrooms 3
Bathrooms 1½
Built 1952
Lot size 0.74 acre
Taxes $8,900
+/- List price -$13,000
Days on market 182
ON ONEKEY MLS
Number of listings 20
Price range $115,000 to $2 million
Tax range $9,970 to $20,000
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