Hempstead, NY
Census place 3633139 · pop 58,801
Home of Hofstra University, which has hosted multiple U.S. presidential debates.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$3,509/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
33 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
36.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
2.18% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
47.5% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
548 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
15.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.48 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$459,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
97/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
38.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
21.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
14.4% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
91.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
13.3% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
17.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
1122 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$90,420 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+6.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
2.9% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
31 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Frequently asked
- Is Hempstead, NY a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Hempstead scores 38/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is air quality (aqi) and its weakest is rent. New York overall ranks #48 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Hempstead, NY?
- Hempstead reports 548 violent crimes per 100k and 1122 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Hempstead, NY expensive to live in?
- Hempstead has a median home value of $459,500 and typical rent around $3,509/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Hempstead, NY?
- Its weakest measured area is rent ($3,509/mo) — 4/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Hempstead, NY best at?
- Its strongest measured area is air quality (aqi) (31 AQI) — 93/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Home of Hofstra University, which has hosted multiple U.S. presidential debates.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.