North Hempstead (officially known as the Town of North Hempstead) is one of three townsinNassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 237,639 at the time of the 2020 census.[2] It is the 7th largest city or town in New York by population.
The area was first settled by Europeans around 1643 and became part of the town of Hempstead. During the American Revolution the southern part of Hempstead was primarily Tory, while the northern part, having been settled by Yankees, supported the revolution.[3] Following the war, the Town of North Hempstead was split off from Hempstead in 1784.[3]
North Hempstead became more affluent with the opening of the Long Island Rail Road through to Great Neck, and the inauguration of steamboat service from Manhattan in 1836.[3]
The Town of North Hempstead is made up of 30 incorporated villages that claimed the right to set zoning restrictions to protect their rights and resources.[4] No new villages have been created in the Town of North Hempstead since 1932, and prospective villages were further discouraged from incorporating when the county charter was revised in 1936, which denied zoning powers to future villages in the county.[5][6]
There are also some unincorporated areas in the Town of North Hempstead which are not part of villages; these areas are instead governed by the Town of North Hempstead.[7]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 69.2 square miles (179 km2), of which 53.5 square miles (139 km2) is land and 15.7 square miles (41 km2), or 22.62%, is water.
As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 222,611 people, 76,820 households, and 58,460 families residing in the town. The population density was 4,154.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,604.2/km2). There were 78,927 housing units at an average density of 1,473.1 per square mile (568.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 78.98% White, 6.40% African American, 0.14% Native American, 9.11% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.90% from other races, and 2.45% from two or more races. HispanicorLatino of any race were 9.83% of the population.
There were 76,820 households, out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the town was $96,517, and the median income for a family was $115,697.[10] Males had a median income of $60,094 versus $41,331 for females. The per capita income for the town was $41,621. About 3.1% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.
Between the 1990 census and the 2000 census, North Hempstead lost some population growth to Queens.[11]
The Town of North Hempstead is governed by a seven-member board composed of six council members and the Town Supervisor. Council members are each elected by and represent a single district within the Town. The Supervisor is elected at-large and represents the entirety of the Town. In addition to Supervisor, there are two other town-wide positions elected at-large: Town Clerk and Receiver of Taxes.[14]
In the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the majority of voters residing within the Town of North Hempstead and cast a vote in the election voted for Joseph R. Biden (D).[31][32]
The North American headquarters of Sabena were located in a 36,000 square feet (3,300 m2) office building in Manhasset in North Hempstead. In April 2002 Knightsbridge Properties Corp. bought the building for $4.9 million. Due to the bankruptcies of Sabena and Swissair, the real estate deal took over a year to finish. During that month, the building was 30% occupied. Sabena was scheduled to move out of the building on May 10, 2002. The buyer planned to spend an additional $2 million to convert the building into a multi-tenant, Class A office and medical facility.[34] At one time, Servisair's Americas offices were in Great Neck.[35]
Interstate 495 is the Long Island Expressway, and the sole interstate highway in the Town of North Hempstead, with interchanges from Exit 33 in Lake Success to Exit 39 in Old Westbury.
Northern State Parkway is a suburban continuation of the Grand Central Parkway that has interchanges from Exit 25 in Lake Success to Exit 34 in Westbury. The route runs along the south side of the Long Island Expressway. As a parkway, no trucks are allowed.
^"CHARTER VOTE BAN SOUGHT IN NASSAU: Lone Beach Brings Suit to Keep Proposition Off the November Ballot. HOME RULE THREAT SEEN Republican Control of Democratic Areas Feared by Proposal, Which Is Called Invalid". The New York Times. September 17, 1936 – via ProQuest.
^"Contact Details". Archived from the original on March 27, 2006. Retrieved March 27, 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Penauille Servisair. Retrieved on September 13, 2011. "Americas Penauille Servisair, 111 Great Neck Road, Suite 600 P.O. Box 355, Great Neck, NY 11022-0355 USA"