Photo: Joe Mabel · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Hempstead as a whole is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns
Hempstead beats New York on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 11793, 11530, 11554, 11756. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hempstead
Against towns with similar incomes, Hempstead’s lead shrinks
Hempstead is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns, but 58% of the 3,461 towns with similar household incomes ($106K–$177K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Hempstead has three hospitals within its borders
3 hospitals and 1 community health center are inside Hempstead. Mercy Medical Center is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Fewer Hempstead adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below New York. 1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
COPD and depression are less common in Hempstead
Hempstead runs below New York on four chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.8% vs 6%), depression (14.1% vs 17.5%) and stroke (2.8% vs 3.4%). Conditions ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the New York figure falls outside Hempstead’s likely range; Hempstead’s figures come from ZIP codes 11793, 11530, 11554, 11756, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Hempstead’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hempstead is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns, #151 of 755 in New York. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 93% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 67%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Hempstead’s median household income is $141,243; among the 3,461 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($106K–$177K), it’s healthier than 58%, about where its income would put it.
At 795,734 residents, Hempstead is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Care in and near Hempstead
3 hospitals and 1 community health center in Hempstead, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Hempstead; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.9% of Hempstead adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Out of every 100 Hempstead adults…
Hempstead runs below NY on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with New York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
75 miles of trails across 186 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Hempstead adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
How Hempstead adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Hempstead does better than New York.
1 in 3 Hempstead adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Hempstead and the towns around it
Hempstead’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 4 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hempstead | A | 29.3% | 9.7% | 8.8% | ZIP codes |
| Oyster Bay | A+ | 26% | 9.1% | 7.5% | ZIP codes |
| New York | B+ | 25.1% | 11.9% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| Levittown | — | — | — | — | |
| North Hempstead | A+ | 24.8% | 9.2% | 6.8% | ZIP codes |
| Massapequa | — | — | — | — | |
| Bethpage | — | — | — | — | |
| Seaford | — | — | — | — |
Levittown, Massapequa, Bethpage and Seaford: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Hempstead adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hempstead
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hempstead is better than New York on 16 and worse on 0; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Hempstead’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hempstead | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.8%13.1–16.6 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.4%10.1–12.7 | 12.8% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.4–15.4 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.3%25.8–32.8 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.7%8.6–10.9 | 11.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.3%28.7–33.8 | 32.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.5%35.7–41.2 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.1%21–25.2 | 24% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%9–11.1 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.4%7.7–9.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.7–5.8 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.8%4.2–5.4 | 6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.6–3.1 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.2%6.8–9.9 | 12.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.8%7.5–10.1 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 23.1%20.3–25.9 | 25.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%13.7–17.9 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41%37.5–44.5 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.5%5.6–7.6 | 7.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.8%79.4–83.9 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.5%65.8–71 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91%89.8–92 | 89.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.4%77–81.6 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.2%66.7–73.4 | 66.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.1%70.6–80.9 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 14.1%12.3–16 | 17.5% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 31.9%28.3–35.3 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.1%22.2–28 | 26.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.3%10.5–14 | 17.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.6%10.1–13.2 | 14.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.2%5.4–7 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.6%5.8–7.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.9%7.6–10.3 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24%21.4–26.7 | 27.2% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.9%9.5–12.3 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.1%8.9–11.3 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 5.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.6–4.4 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.2%5.5–6.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.7–3.3 | 3.8% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the New York figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Hempstead
Is Hempstead a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hempstead is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns: A for health, #151 of 755 in New York. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 58%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Hempstead?
CDC estimates 29.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.8% and 32.8%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hempstead?
Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside, 1.5 miles in a straight line from Hempstead’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Hempstead have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–7.6%), against 7.9% across New York.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Hempstead more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Hempstead.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New York figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.