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West Hempstead

West Hempstead

Neighborhood in Long Island, New York

Suffolk County 11552

Neighborhood Reviews
3.9
$784,357 Average Value
$460 Average Price per Sq Ft
26 Homes For Sale

Multi-generational suburb on the Long Island Rail Road

Named after its branch of the Long Island Rail Road, West Hempstead is a fixture on regional public transit maps laying out the suburbs east of the Five Boroughs. Beyond the commuter credentials of an established Long Island hamlet, West Hempstead enjoys the more localized connections forged by civic organizations and youth athletic leagues. “I’ve lived in West Hempstead for 92% of my life. I came back to buy my home, four generations of my family have lived here. My granddaughter wants to be president of the community support association, and she’s 11,” says Maureen Mahoney, the current president of the West Hempstead Community Support Association. “People living here stay here, and now the new people coming in get to decide if they want to raise families here, too.” Sidewalk and tree-lined streets tell the story of West Hempstead’s long-term appeal – signs for annual festivals, a community of century-spanning and newcomer family businesses, diverse houses of worship, waterfront parks and carefully maintained midcentury single-family homes are the backdrop to life just 4 miles from Queens.
Enjoy a walk through the gorgeous hamlet of West Hempstead.
Enjoy a walk through the gorgeous hamlet of West Hempstead.
Welcome to the beautiful neighborhood of West Hempstead.
Welcome to the beautiful neighborhood of West Hempstead.
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Midcentury homes and custom estates in West Hempstead

Regardless of the average housing style or cost on any given street, West Hempstead’s residential blocks are all lined by sidewalks and a blend of young and mature trees. Small single-family homes built in the 1920s through 1950s like Cape Cods, minimal traditional cottages and simple colonials sell for $550,000 to $900,000. “Over in West Hempstead, you have people who were living in the same house for 20 or 30 years and ran out of space but don’t want to leave the neighborhood. Instead, they’ll tear the house down and rebuild or add on a second floor,” says Femi Adebanjo, an associate broker at Keller Williams Legendary with 22 years of experience selling from Brooklyn and Queens to Nassau County. “There’s also Cathedral Gardens, a little pocket where Hempstead, West Hempstead and Garden City meet that’s named after a church there, with larger lots and sought after homes. Taxes for West Hempstead might be $18,000 to $22,000, but in the next town over, down the street, you’re paying over $30,000.” Rarer on the market, larger custom estates from the early 1900s, expanded midcentury homes and similarly large New Traditional built over the past 30 years sell for $830,000 to $1.5 million. West Hempstead has a CAP Index crime score of 2 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4.
Quaint Cape Cod style homes are abundant in West Hempstead.
Quaint Cape Cod style homes are abundant in West Hempstead.
West Hempstead has many contemporary colonial style homes.
West Hempstead has many contemporary colonial style homes.
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Pickleball and tennis at Hempstead Lake State Park

Hempstead Lake State Park sprawls to the south of West Hempstead, inviting athletes to play pick-up games on pickleball and tennis courts, bikers and joggers to explore miles of forested and waterfront trails, anglers to cast into a handful of stocked freshwater ponds and kayakers to share the water with swans. Nearby, The Hempstead Golf and Country Club opens an 18-hole course to members and guests. To avoid state park vehicle entry fees and membership dues, residents might head to Halls Pond Park to walk a shorter path around the central pond and take kids to the playground.

Thanks to a collection of outdoor and indoor pools, the Echo Park Swimming Complex is a hub for classes and casual recreation throughout the year. “It’s open to the town of Hempstead. There are times where the pool staff can’t let any more people in, it gets that busy,” Mahoney says. "Being in West Hempstead, you can get there early and grab your spot.” Basketball players on leagues ranging from the established Long Island Lightning youth teams to adult rec leagues hit the courts at Island Garden Basketball, an indoor facility named after the demolished Island Garden arena which was briefly home to the New York Nets before they became the Brooklyn Nets.
Bask in the peace and quiet of Hempstead Lake State Park.
Bask in the peace and quiet of Hempstead Lake State Park.
Enjoy a walk along the magnificent pond at Halls Pond Park in West Hempstead.
Enjoy a walk along the magnificent pond at Halls Pond Park in West Hempstead.
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Attending West Hempstead schools or HANC

Chestnut Street School serves prekindergarten through kindergarten and earns an A-minus from Niche. Cornwell Avenue School serves first through third grades and earns a B-plus, and George Washington School serves fourth through sixth grades and earns a B. West Hempstead Secondary School serves seventh through 12th grades and earns an A-minus, formed in 2022 by merging the district’s middle and high schools. The Hebrew Academy of Nassau County, also called HANC, is a private school system that currently offers kindergarten through sixth grade education at two schools within West Hempstead, but groundbreaking on a new campus in 2024 will draw students from kindergarten through eighth grade once construction is complete.
West Hempstead Secondary School is a public high school.
West Hempstead Secondary School is a public high school.
The Hebrew Academy of Nassau County (HANC)- a coed yeshiva.
The Hebrew Academy of Nassau County (HANC)- a coed yeshiva.
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Indulge in some homemade Italian food at the Cellini Annual Italian Feast in West Hempstead.
Indulge in some homemade Italian food at the Cellini Annual Italian Feast in West Hempstead.

West Hempstead Community Support Association events

Throughout the year, the West Hempstead Community Support Association gathers locals at festivals and holiday celebrations. Each December, a menorah and tree lighting help families usher in the winter season at the annual Holiday at Halls Pond celebration. In the spring, the festivities spill over from the community park and onto the nearby road for the Nassau Boulevard Street Fair, an afternoon of carnival festivities, food trucks and vendors that spans three blocks.

Traveling on the Southern State Parkway and the LIRR

The Southern State Parkway makes up West Hempstead’s southern border, starting commuters on a 28-mile drive into Manhattan or a 9-mile drive to John F. Kennedy International Airport. From its northeastern most namesake station, the West Hempstead Branch of the Long Island Rail Road picks up passengers across three stops within the hamlet, offering a 50-minute train ride into Penn Station. Bus riders head to stops along Hempstead Turnpike, Hempstead Avenue and Woodfield Road to access a few Nassau Inter-County Express routes.
Take a drive from West Hempstead to New York City via the Southern State Parkway.
Take a drive from West Hempstead to New York City via the Southern State Parkway.
Catch the LIRR from West Hempstead to NYC.
Catch the LIRR from West Hempstead to NYC.
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Shopping and dining throughout West Hempstead

A handful of busier roads are lined with West Hempstead’s retail and dining establishments, most notably Hempstead Turnpike. At Witches Brew Coffee House, diners sit in creepy-cool old-fashioned furniture while browsing vegan and vegetarian menus down the street from gas stations and strip malls full of beauty salons, convenience stores and small medical offices. Away from the busy multi-lane highway, Riesterer’s Bakery has been the spot for kosher baked treats and special-occasion cakes since the 1930s. Shoppers pick up groceries at a handful of specialty stores as well as Stop & Shop. Houses of worship of multiple denominations are scattered across the hamlet, including several orthodox synagogues like Young Israel of West Hempstead which ensures most attendees are within easy walking distance of the nearest temple. Roosevelt Field Mall's hundreds of shops and restaurants are less than 4 miles away.
Head to Stop & Shop in West Hempstead for all your grocery needs.
Head to Stop & Shop in West Hempstead for all your grocery needs.
Enjoy a meal at Riesterer's Bakery in West Hempstead.
Enjoy a meal at Riesterer's Bakery in West Hempstead.
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Julia Szymanski
Written By
Julia Szymanski
Jake Gold
Photography Contributed By
Jake Gold
Chris Freeman
Video By
Chris Freeman

Agents Specializing in this Area

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Schools

Source:
GreatSchools: The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process. View GreatSchools Rating Methodology

Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to Philip Donnellan, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.

Parks in this Area

Transit

Airport

John F Kennedy International

19 min drive

Train

Lakeview Station

Train

Hempstead Gardens Station

Train

West Hempstead Station

Bus

Hempstead Ave & Spruce St.

Bus

Maplewood St & Hempstead

Bus

Hempstead Ave. & Johnson La.

Bus

Hempstead Ave Opp Elm St.

Bus

Hempstead Ave & Woodlawn Rd.

Bus

Peninsula Blvd Opp W Marshall St

Bus

Westminster Rd & Hempstead

Reviews

Niche Reviews
3.9 47 Reviews
5.0 Current Resident
1/26/2021 Niche Review
West Hempstead is a great suburban town. It's a boring town in a good way. Not much happens in West Hempstead.
5.0 Current Resident
5/24/2020 Niche Review
Hands down a great town to grow up in! It is a relatively small town, but it large enough to be so diverse. The town is safe and beautiful, I would recommend living here.
5.0 Former Resident
11/29/2016 Niche Review
West Hempstead is an ideal location in Long Island heart, 10 min to Queens and 40 min to the City, still have a mixture of city living with the suburb lifestyle. A diverse are with plenty of activity for family as well single people.
4.0 Current Resident
7/6/2022 Niche Review
West Hempstead is nice to live in. People are friendly, schools are all close by, there is convenient access to the train, and there are many stores within walking distance.
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Crime and Safety

1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime West Hempstead US
Homicide 2 4
Sexual Assault 1 4
Assault with Weapon 2 4
Robbery 3 4
Burglary 2 4
Motor Vehicle Theft 3 4
Larceny 2 4
Crime Score 2 4

Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com

West Hempstead Demographics and Home Trends

Housing Trends

Median List Price
$779,000
Median Sale Price
$750,000
Median Single Family Sale Price
$775,000
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$810,000
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$310,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
1%
Last 12 months Home Sales
115
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
11%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$460

Neighborhood Facts

Number of Homes in Neighborhood
5,294
Number of Homes for Sale
26
Median Year Built
1949
Months of Supply
2.70
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
3,071
Significantly above the national average
1,933
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
946
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,600
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
6,098

Open Houses

  • Saturday, Jun 14
    1 - 3pm

    557 Western Park Dr, West Hempstead, NY 11552

    $925,000

    • 3 Beds
    • 2 Baths
    • 1,708 Sq Ft
    • 557 Western Park Dr
    • New 4 days ago

    Welcome to this spacious Ranch featuring 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths in the Franklin Square School District. Perfect mid-block location on a quiet street in desirable West Hempstead neighborhood. Beautifully maintained and recent upgrades include new paver patio and driveway, installation of French drain, gas conversion, inground sprinklers, new windows and fully finished basement. Primary

    Jennifer Mahoney Daniel Gale Sothebys Intl Rlty

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  • Saturday, Jun 14
    2 - 4pm

    74 Buckingham Rd, West Hempstead, NY 11552

    $1,150,000

    • 4 Beds
    • 4 Baths
    • 2,451 Sq Ft
    • 74 Buckingham Rd
    • New 16 days ago

    Welcome to 74 Buckingham Road, West Hempstead, NY! Nestled on a beautiful tree-lined street in a desirable mid-block location in the coveted cathedral Gardens section of West Hempstead, this immaculate Center Hall Colonial perfectly combines timeless charm with luxurious modern upgrades.Step into the heart of the home: a gourmet kitchen featuring granite countertops, radiant heated floors, a

    Agustina DeLaCruz BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY

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  • Saturday, Jun 14
    12 - 2pm

    119 Stratford Rd, West Hempstead, NY 11552

    $850,000

    • 3 Beds
    • 1.5 Baths
    • 2,020 Sq Ft
    • 119 Stratford Rd

    Charming Fully Renovated Bright Tudor located in very desirable Neiborhood; This Open layout home features 3 bedrooms 1.5bath, a full basement and walk-up stairs attic. New Pella/American craftsman windows, New Hard wood flooring throughout. New Stainless Appliances in Kitchen and New Bathrooms; The walkup stairs attic is a GREAT bonus, perfect for home office, storage, or entertaining Playroom.

    Heidi Liu B Square Realty

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Distribution of Home Values

Source: Public Records

Homes for Sale

Homes for Rent

Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to Philip Donnellan, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.

Average Home Value




Source: Public Records

Property Mix - Square Feet

This Neighborhood Has More Owners

Demographics

Total Population
19,300
Median Age
40
Population Density
12 ppl/acre
Population under 18
24.3%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
18.8%
On par with the national average
19.1%

Finances

Median Household Income
$138,556
Significantly above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$160,351

Education and Workforce

High School Graduates
91.5%
College Graduates
45.8%
Above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
21.8%
Above the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
68.8%

Weather

Annual Precipitation
43''
Average Winter Low Temperature
26°F
Average Summer High Temperature
83°F
Annual Snowfall
21''

Area Factors

Bikeable

Bike Score®

56 / 100

Very Walkable

Walk Score®

80 / 100

Some Transit

Transit Score®

41 / 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score

Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.

Nearby Neighborhoods

Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
NEIGHBORHOOD
West Hempstead