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Staten Island

As Gilligan or Robinson Crusoe could attest, the isolation of island living profoundly impacts your sense of identity. While not an uncharted isle, Staten Island similarly affected its residents when it was accessible only by boat. Then, in 1964, the Verranzano-Narrows Bridge connected the island with Brooklyn. Three more island-to-mainland bridges followed, effectively ending the island's relative isolation. And commuters continue to surge through those open floodgates toward more affordable housing.

Comprising the bulk of Richmond County, Staten Island ranks as the state's fastest-growing county and the city's fastest-growing borough. A demographic snapshot of the only solidly Republican borough reveals that about 80 percent of these Islanders are white (mostly Italian-American). Resident Wall Street managers, who often drive to Manhattan rather than crowd onto the ferry, are among those who prefer the island's rural-suburban feel. But without judicious stewardship, overdevelopment and pollution could easily eradicate Staten Island's forests, pastures, marshlands, and beaches. After all, this also is home to the world's largest garbage dump, the 2,100-acre Fresh Kills Landfill.

Staten Island's neighborhoods are contained within the following regions:

Mid Staten Island | North Staten Island | South Staten Island