Moving to
Hempstead.

All Hempstead data Compare Hempstead

58,801people live here $90,420median household income▲ 12% above US $1,622median rent per month▲ 15% above US $459,500median home value▲ 38% above US

What it's like to live in Hempstead

Hempstead is a smaller city in New York with household incomes running above the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, schools with class sizes near the national average, and public transit that many commuters actually use. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Hempstead deals with home prices well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and college degree attainment below the national average.

The good

Higher-than-average incomes
Clean air
Average class sizes
Public transit that many commuters use

The not so good

High home prices
Crime above national average
Above-average commute times
Low college degree attainment
High rent burden for renters

How Hempstead compares

Median household income

Hempstead$90,420

New York avg$85,974

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Hempstead$1,622

New York avg$1,621

US$1,413

Median home value

Hempstead$459,500

New York avg$423,800

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Hempstead

Based on Hempstead's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$3,244

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $64,880 a year
54% of Hempstead renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$91,900

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $45,950
Homes cost 5.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of living▲ 15% above US

$1,622/mo median rent

Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,622 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $459,500. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.

Median home value $459,500 · 54% of renters cost-burdened

Job marketNear US average

4.2% unemployment

Unemployment here is 4.2%, close to the national average of 4.3%.

City-level (BLS)

Safety▲ 30% above US

429 violent crimes per 100k

Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.

Property crime 989/100k · Hempstead Village Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▲ 28% above US

33 min average commute

Traffic is a real factor here. The 33.3 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 19% take public transit; 7% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

56%

Public transit

19%

Carpool

13%

Work from home

7.3%

Other

2.8%

Walk

1.7%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 84°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 29°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Education & workforce▼ 40% below US

22% bachelor's degree or higher

College degree attainment runs below average at 22%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.

Schools

11 public schools inside the boundary

There are 11 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (14 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Hempstead's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,622/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people who would rather not drive. It may be a harder fit for people who dread long commutes.

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