Photo: Joe Mabel · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Hempstead is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns
Hempstead differs from New York on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 20 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Hempstead. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hempstead
Making ends meet is harder in Hempstead
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (30.9%), vs 17.2% across New York. Housing insecurity (27% vs 14.5%) and utility shut-off threats (15% vs 8.2%) are higher too. 25.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Hempstead adults get no exercise
36.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.9% across New York. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Hempstead
51.7% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.5% across New York. Among those 65 and older, 19.5% have lost all their teeth (New York 12.8%). Checkups ↓
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; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Hempstead’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hempstead is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns, #699 of 755 in New York. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 64% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 6%).
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 $90,420; among the 9,896 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($68K–$113K), it’s healthier than 12%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Most New York towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Hempstead is healthier than 7% of graded towns, against 28% nationally.
Where Hempstead compares well: arthritis, 21.5% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 4.7% (U.S. 7.9%); ever told they have depression, 13.2% (U.S. 20.6%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
25.7% of Hempstead adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Everyday habits, side by side with New York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
0.6 miles of trails across 7 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.
Out of every 100 Hempstead adults…
Hempstead runs below NY on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Hempstead
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.
How Hempstead adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Hempstead runs above New York.
2 in 5 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
How health changes across the town line.
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 | C | 38.9% | 14.1% | 13.3% | CDC place |
| Uniondale | — | — | — | — | |
| Garden City | A+ | 24.5% | 7.4% | 5.9% | CDC place |
| West Hempstead | — | — | — | — | |
| South Hempstead | — | — | — | — | |
| Baldwin | — | — | — | — |
Uniondale, West Hempstead, South Hempstead and Baldwin: 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 4 and worse on 20; 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 | 25.7%23.3–28.1 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.5–16.5 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.4–18.9 | 15% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.9%34.8–43 | 28.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14.1%12.6–15.6 | 11.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 35.4%32.8–37.9 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36%33.3–38.6 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.5%19.6–23.5 | 24% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.2%10–12.3 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.7%4.3–5.1 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5.1–6.2 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.6–4.2 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.5%16.4–22.9 | 12.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3%11.6–14.9 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 36.1%32.6–39.5 | 25.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.8%12–15.8 | 16.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 50.1%46.4–53.7 | 37.9% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.9%13.9–18 | 7.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80%77.5–82.2 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.7%48.5–54.6 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.1%85.5–88.5 | 89.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%75.2–79.6 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61%57.1–64.7 | 66.8% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.8%68.1–78.9 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 13.2%11.5–15 | 17.5% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 37.7%33.8–41.3 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 33.8%30.3–37.1 | 26.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 30.9%27.8–34 | 17.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 27%24.2–29.8 | 14.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15%13.2–16.7 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.8%13.2–16.3 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 25.7%23–28.3 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.7%29.6–35.7 | 27.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.2%14.6–17.9 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.2%13.7–16.8 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 8.1%7.5–8.7 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.9%9–10.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%5.1–6 | 3.8% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 28% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #699 of 755 in New York. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 12%. 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 38.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.8% and 43%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hempstead?
Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre, 3.0 miles in a straight line from Hempstead’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Hempstead have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.9–18%), 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 D to B−.
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.