Because it does well by almost any measure. North Hempstead earns an A+, 44th of 745 graded towns in New York. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 96% of the country, the median household earns $158K, and its schools rank ahead of 92% of New York towns. The exception is cost of living: homes are expensive, about $888K for a typical one and 9 times the New York metro’s $99K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 92% of U.S. towns, with 53 places on the National Register. North Hempstead’s median rent is $2,318 a month, above both New York’s towns ($1,098 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). North Hempstead is among the most walkable places in the country. Its National Register listings include John Philip Sousa House and Cedarmere-Clayton Estates.

StrongestA⁺Walkability A⁺Health AJobs & incomeWeakestD⁻Cost of living

What makes North Hempstead stand out

Where North Hempstead beats most towns.

John Philip Sousa House

HistoryA

Settled in 1643

A history going back 383 years.

WalkabilityA⁺

More walkable than 99% of U.S. towns

18.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

John Philip Sousa House · National Register of Historic Places

North Hempstead’s story

383 years in pictures

John Philip Sousa House is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1643, comes before those of 98% of the New York towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 2,696 in 1790, 237,639 in 2020. The archive holds 27 old photos and papers going back to 1737 and 6 maps from 1897 on.

53 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1643North Hempstead is settled

Explore the history →

How North Hempstead grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far North Hempstead is from typical.

How grading works

Its grades run from A+ for walkability (better than 99% of comparable towns) to D− for cost of living (better than 2%), so the A+ overall blends very different results.

WalkabilityEPA walkability 14.7 of 20; 7.1% of households have no carA⁺Open →Cost of livingD⁻Open →HealthSt. Francis Hospital - the Heart Center 0.5 miles awayA⁺Open →Jobs & income162,224 jobs based hereAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 9% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →SchoolsAOpen →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors5% conserved landB⁺Open →History4 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life6.3 library visits per resident; 4.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 43.1; 61% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Central Park and 521 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around North Hempstead. Close and well known come first.

All 608 attractions →

Big draw15 mi GardenCentral Park40.0M visitors a year

Big draw17 mi Stadium & arenaMadison Square Garden

Big draw15 mi MuseumMetropolitan Museum of Art2.0M visitors a year

Big draw16 mi TheatreStudio 54

Big draw13 mi Stadium & arenaYankee Stadium

Big draw21 mi Stadium & arenaMetLife Stadium

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Central Park: Ed Yourdon from New York City, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Madison Square Garden: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Metropolitan Museum of Art: Hugo Schneider, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Studio 54: Americasroof (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Yankee Stadium: Matt Boulton, CC BY-SA 2.0 · MetLife Stadium: babyknight, CC BY 2.0

Getting set up

Moving to North Hempstead: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in North Hempstead, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerPSEG Long Island26.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterManhasset Lakeville WD water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site

SchoolsSewanhaka Central High School District Great Neck Union Free School District2 districts serve North Hempstead; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn New York you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before and received 10 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereNassau County Board of ElectionsNassau County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019

ZIP codes11040, 11050, 11590, 1150111040 15% · 11050 13% · 11590 13% · 11501 9%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in North Hempstead.

North Hempstead has schools in the top 5% of New York, draws workers from New York City and beyond and has less tooth loss than most of New York.

HealthA⁺

Fewer of North Hempstead’s adults have been diagnosed with depression than in the typical New York or U.S. town

Its widest gap with New York is tooth loss: 6.1% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 12.8% statewide.

13% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in North Hempstead. North Hempstead beats the New York average on 24 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 25% of adults have obesity in North Hempstead.

96%healthier than U.S. townsA⁺Health Grade

	North Hempstead	New York towns	U.S. towns
Depression (CDC PLACES)	13%	21%	23%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)	12%	16%	17%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	6.8%	13%	14%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)	25%	33%	35%

32 measures vs. New York

24 better7 too close to call1 worse

What stands out	North Hempstead	NY
Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth	6.1%	12.8%
Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off	4.2%	8.2%
More adults who have had cancer	9%	7.7%

St. Francis Hospital - the Heart Center

0.5 mi away · emergency room

None

primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

93rd

percentile among NY towns

Full pageNorth Hempstead’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby0.5 miles to an ER · St. Francis Hospital - the Heart Center How adults are doingFewer adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than NY on 24 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

SchoolsA

North Hempstead earns an A for schools

Its A ranks #31 of the 755 New York towns we grade for schools. Its A for schools comes with a D− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $888K.

Three of its 72 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

92%of NY districts it outscoresASchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Carrie Palmer Weber Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	1,213	B
New Hyde Park Memorial High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12	Grades 7–12	1,711	A⁻
Great Neck South High SchoolTop results in townGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,362	A⁺

Full pageNorth Hempstead’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsGREAT NECK UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT Vs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 3 graded neighbors Every school72 schools · Munsey Park Elementary School Questions“Are North Hempstead’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation

Work & commuteJobs & income grade A

About half of North Hempstead’s working residents commute to New York City

162,224 jobs are based in North Hempstead, 1.6 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.

About one in 5 of North Hempstead’s working residents works in town. North Hempstead’s average trip to work is 36 minutes. The top destinations are New York (47%), Hempstead (11%) and Oyster Bay (6%).

20%work in town

	North Hempstead	New York towns	U.S. towns
Median household income	$158,000	$82,000	$80,000
Average trip to work	36 minutes	25 minutes	25 minutes
Working residents who work in town	20%	10%	8%
Work from home	17%	12%	11%

Where working residents work

In North Hempstead20%

New York47%

Hempstead11%

Oyster Bay6%

Huntington2%

12 mi

median commute distance

162,224

jobs based in North Hempstead

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

A+

Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns

Full pageNorth Hempstead’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here162,224 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work20% work in North Hempstead Commute times36 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 12 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A

North Hempstead faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

189 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 24 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 91% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 189 flood insurance claims have been paid out in North Hempstead.

9risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingEarthquakesHurricanes

189

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageNorth Hempstead’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesVery low risk Flood claims189 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters7 federal disasters · Paid out in North Hempstead Get ready3.3 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

OutdoorsB⁺

Conserved land covers 5.1% of North Hempstead

25 miles of trail in 116 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Greentree Foundation, at 412 acres.

#336for trails in NY

	North Hempstead	New York towns	U.S. towns
Conserved land	5.1%	5.2%	4.3%
Miles of trail per square mile	0.4 miles per square mile	0.4	0.4

5.1%

conserved · 2,249 of 44,020 acres

25 mi

of trails · 0.4 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Kings Point Park	3.2 mi	179
2. Sands Point Preserve	2.5 mi	244
3. William Cullen Bryant Preserve	1.9 mi	147

Full pageNorth Hempstead’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map25 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk3.2 miles of trail · Kings Point Park Conserved land5.1% conserved · 2,249 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in North Hempstead?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Climate

In North Hempstead, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

North Hempstead has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 26° and about 19 inches of snow falls in a winter.

19″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter28–42°

Spring43–60°

Summer66–83°

Fall50–65°

Nov 12

typical first frost

Apr 2

typical last frost

+2.2°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageNorth Hempstead’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 85°, January lows 26°Rain & snow19″ of snow a winter · 47 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+2.2° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Keep exploring

Everything we know about North Hempstead

19pages on North Hempstead

The big questions

SchoolsABeat 92% of NY districts · 72 schools HealthA⁺Better than NY on 24 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingD⁻Work & commuteA$158K median household income · 162,224 jobs here Natural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 9% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsB⁺25 mi of trails · 5% conserved land PlacesAttractions608 nearby · Old Westbury Gardens under 1 mi LibraryB⁻6.3 library visits per resident CollegesElmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, in town

The story

HistoryASettled 1643 · 53 on the National Register Famous people4 born in North Hempstead Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 480 residents Climate85° summer highs · 19″ of snow

Day to day

News1 recent stories about North Hempstead WeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

59 within 15 miles of the center of North Hempstead

Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular MedicineUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · North HempsteadIn town United States Merchant Marine AcademyUniversity or college · Public · Kings Point4.5 mi$895 in-state tuition CUNY Queensborough Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Bayside5.3 mi$5,210 in-state tuition

About 6 of every 100 North Hempstead residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New York.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A job hub

Every workday, about 140,959 people come to North Hempstead for work

Where North Hempstead’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

162,224jobs based in North Hempstead

20%of working residents work in town

12 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

Landmarks

53 places in North Hempstead on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

John Philip Sousa HouseNational Historic Landmark

Main Street Historic District

Old Westbury Gardens

Toll Gate House

Famous people from North Hempstead

4 notable people were born in North Hempstead.

See all 4 →

John A. SearingAmerican politician · 1805–1876

Larry LawtonAmerican writer and motivational speaker · born 1961

James MottAmerican activist · 1788–1868

Dino KlapijaCroatian-American soccer player · born 2007

About North Hempstead

Town in New York, United States

Official town website ↗

North Hempstead (officially known as the Town of North Hempstead) is one of three towns in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 237,639 at the time of the 2020 census, making it the 7th most populous city or town in New York.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area: 69 sq mi
Elevation: 102 ft
Area code: 516, 363

North Hempstead’s neighbors

10 towns share a border with North Hempstead.

Explore the map →

How the neighbors grade

Town	NY rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
North Hempstead	#44	A⁺	D⁻	—	A	A⁺
Oyster Bay	—	—	D⁻	—	—	A⁺
Hempstead	#118	A	D⁻	—	A	A
New York	#651	C⁻	D⁻	D	—	B⁺
University Gardens	—	—	—	—	—	—
New Cassel	—	—	—	—	—	—
Garden City	#17	A⁺	D⁻	A⁻	A⁺	A⁺
Jericho	—	—	—	—	—	—

North Hempstead, Oyster Bay and Hempstead report no FBI crime data of their own. Oyster Bay, University Gardens, New Cassel and Jericho aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare North Hempstead with a neighbor →

Questions about North Hempstead

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is North Hempstead, NY a good place to live?

Yes, by almost any measure. North Hempstead grades A+ overall, better than 96% of U.S. towns and #44 of 745 in New York. It grades A+ for health and A for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is North Hempstead, NY expensive?

Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.

What is North Hempstead, NY known for?

4 notable people were born here, including John A. Searing and Larry Lawton.

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Why does North Hempstead grade so well?