Hempstead, New York

Hempstead is the most populous town in the state of New York. It is the largest of the three towns within Nassau County, which also includes North Hempstead and Oyster Bay. Situated on Long Island, it lies just east of southern Queens.

According to the 2020 United States census, Hempstead had a population of 793,409, marking its highest recorded population in history. The town covers the southwestern part of Nassau County on western Long Island and contains 22 incorporated villages, one of which is named Hempstead.

Notable within the town is the campus of Hofstra University, an important educational center in the area.

History

The town of Hempstead was first settled around 1644 after English colonists made an agreement with the Lenape Indians. The settlers came from Connecticut, but they got permission from the government of New Netherland to live there.

Hempstead may have been named after a town or castle in the Netherlands, or after a place in England called Hemel Hempstead. In 1664, the area adopted strict rules called the Duke's Laws, which were called "Old Blue" for a while because of their color.

During the American Revolution, the town split into two parts: "North Hempstead" and "South Hempstead". In 1796, South Hempstead was renamed back to Hempstead.

In 1945, Hempstead gave some of its land to the nearby area of Queens so that the whole New York International Airport, now called John F. Kennedy International Airport, could be inside New York City.

Geography

The town of Hempstead covers a large area of 191.3 square miles (495.5 km²). Out of this, 120.0 square miles (310.7 km²) is land and 71.4 square miles (184.8 km²) is water.

The water tower at Jones Beach State Park centered over the Wantagh Parkway

Hempstead is located in Nassau County on Long Island, right next to Queens County in New York City. Its northern border is shared with the Town of North Hempstead and the town of Oyster Bay. To the south lies the Atlantic Ocean, with popular beaches such as Atlantic Beach, Lido Beach, Point Lookout, and Jones Beach. Jones Beach State Park is one of the most visited beaches on the east coast of the United States, welcoming about six million people each year.

The town includes 22 villages and 38 hamlets, such as Cedarhurst, East Rockaway, Freeport, and Garden City, among many others. There are also some special areas like Jones Beach Island and a small part containing Rockville Cemetery.

Demographics

The town of Hempstead is a big community with many people from different backgrounds. In 2019, about 759,793 people lived there. Most people were from non-Hispanic white backgrounds, but there were also many Black, Asian, and Hispanic or Latin American residents.

In 2010, the town had 759,757 people living in about 246,828 households. Many families lived together, and about a third of households had children under 18. The average household had just over three people. The town had a mix of age groups, with many young adults and middle-aged people. The median age was 38 years.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	3,828	—
1800	4,141	8.2%
1810	5,084	22.8%
1830	6,215	—
1840	7,609	22.4%
1850	8,811	15.8%
1860	12,376	40.5%
1870	13,999	13.1%
1880	18,164	29.8%
1890	23,756	30.8%
1900	27,066	13.9%
1910	44,297	63.7%
1920	70,790	59.8%
1930	186,735	163.8%
1940	259,318	38.9%
1950	432,506	66.8%
1960	740,738	71.3%
1970	801,592	8.2%
1980	738,517	−7.9%
1990	725,639	−1.7%
2000	755,924	4.2%
2010	759,757	0.5%
2020	793,409	4.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

**Hempstead town, New York – Racial and ethnic composition**
*Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	521,352	454,883	402,466	68.97%	59.87%	50.73%
Black or African American alone (NH)	107,929	119,480	125,839	14.28%	15.73%	15.86%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	929	913	1,139	0.12%	0.12%	0.14%
Asian alone (NH)	26,427	39,084	59,525	3.50%	5.14%	7.50%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)	160	117	172	0.02%	0.02%	0.02%
Other race alone (NH)	2,075	3,308	8,273	0.27%	0.44%	1.04%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	10,395	9,818	21,112	1.38%	1.29%	2.66%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	86,657	132,154	174,883	11.46%	17.39%	22.04%
Total	755,924	759,757	793,409	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

Economy

Some big companies used to have their main offices in Hempstead. For example, Lufthansa United States had its headquarters in East Meadow starting in the 1970s, but moved to Uniondale in 2019. Swiss International Air Lines also had an office in Uniondale before moving from Melville, Suffolk County around 2002. Snapple used to be based in East Meadow before relocating, and now the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island uses that space.

Government

Town government

As of 2025, the Town of Hempstead is led by John R. Ferretti, Jr. (R–Levittown). He oversees meetings of the Town Council and helps manage the town's budget and activities. A well-known former leader was Republican Alfonse D'Amato, who later served in the United States Senate from 1981 to 1999.

Before 1994, the town also had a Presiding Supervisor. This role was part of Nassau County's main government group, along with leaders from North Hempstead and Oyster Bay, and the cities of Long Beach and Glen Cove. In 1993–94, a court decided that this group did not follow fair voting rules, so it was replaced by a larger county legislature. The last Presiding Supervisor was Gregory P. Peterson. The current Tax Collector is Jeanine Driscoll.

Hempstead Town Council

The Hempstead Town Council has six members, each elected from a different area. They help create the town's budget, rules, and traffic laws. As of 2026, the council members are:

Dorothy L. Goosby (D–Hempstead)
Thomas E. Muscarella (R–Garden City)
Melissa Miller (R–Atlantic Beach)
Laura A. Ryder (R–Lynbrook)
Chris Schneider (R–Seaford)
Dennis Dunne, Sr. (R–Levittown)

Hempstead Town Hall

Other elected town officials

The town also elects a clerk and a receiver of taxes. The clerk keeps important town records, such as birth and marriage documents. The current clerk is Kate Murray (R). The Receiver of Taxes is Jeanine C. Driscoll (R).

County legislators

Hempstead has 12 county areas represented by legislators. These include districts 1–8, 13–15, and 19. Some of the current legislators are Kevan Abrahams, Olena Nicks, and Carrie Solages, among others.

State and federal representation

Hempstead is part of New York's 2nd and 4th Congressional Districts. The 2nd District, represented by Andrew Garbarino (R-Sayville), includes parts of Seaford. The 4th District, represented since 2025 by Laura Gillen (D), covers most of the town.

Hempstead is also in parts of New York's 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th Senatorial Districts, represented by Siela Bynoe (D), Jack Martins (R), Steven Rhoads (R), and Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (R).

Nine assembly districts include parts of Hempstead. These districts are 12, 14–15, and 17–22, with representatives such as Joseph Saladino (R) and Michaelle Solages (D).

Sister city

In 2016, Hempstead made a friendship agreement with the Shomron Regional Council in the West Bank. This group represents 35 areas in that region. The agreement was signed by local leaders and a leader from Shomron named Yossi Dagan.

Town of Hempstead Supervisors
Name	Party	Term
Position Established		1993
Gregory Peterson	Republican	1993–1998 (Resigned)
Richard Guardino	Republican	1998–2003 (Resigned)
Kate Murray	Republican	2003–2015
Anthony Santino	Republican	2016–2017
Laura Gillen	Democratic	2018–2019
Donald X. Clavin	Republican	2020–2025
John Ferretti	Republican	2025–present

Transportation

Railroad lines

A train at the New Hyde Park LIRR station in 2022

The Long Island Rail Road has a line called the Main Line that goes through the northwest part of Hempstead. There are stops from Bellerose to Merillon Avenue in Garden City. Another line, the Hempstead Branch, starts from the Main Line in Floral Park and has stops from Bellerose to Hempstead. The West Hempstead Branch runs from Valley Stream to West Hempstead. Further south, the Babylon Branch starts from New York City and goes to parts of Oyster Bay, with stops from Valley Stream to Seaford. The Far Rockaway Branch starts from Valley Stream and heads southwest through Inwood and then back into New York City. The Long Beach Branch starts at Lynbrook and heads southeast to Long Beach.

Bus service

Nassau Inter-County Express buses at the Roosevelt Field Mall Bus Terminal, located within the Town of Hempstead

Buses in Hempstead are mostly run by Nassau Inter-County Express, but some buses from MTA also come into Hempstead from Queens. The city of Long Beach has its own bus service that also goes to Lido Beach and Point Lookout on Long Beach Barrier Island.

Major roads

Big roads in Hempstead include:

State parks

Hempstead has several beautiful state parks. These include Hempstead Lake State Park, Jones Beach State Park, and Valley Stream State Park. These parks offer many places to explore and enjoy the outdoors.