West Hempstead, New York Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
West Hempstead, NY Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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A
Income Above average
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A
Education Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | West Hempstead | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,645 | 19,748,855 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 7567.3 | 362.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.92% | 0.05% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.1 | 38.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 6,120 | 7,694,043 | 130,235,071 |
Population in West Hempstead grew by 9.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 20,645 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in West Hempstead is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 22.2% of residents. That is 1.4 points above New York as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 4,465 21.6% +1.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 3,959 19.2% -3.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,589 22.2% +1.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,117 15.1% -2.3 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below New York, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.8% of the people living in West Hempstead and men 49.2%.
- Women 50.8% New York 51.3%
- Men 49.2% New York 48.7%
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Economy
West Hempstead has a the economy index of A, which means it is very prosperous.
| Metric | West Hempstead | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $161,495 | $86,556 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 6.26% | 4.51% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 6.4% | 5.2% |
The median household income in West Hempstead is about 87% higher than in New York.
Housing
| Metric | West Hempstead | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $600,928 | $471,885 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $2,966 | $1,621 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 90.6% | 54.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in West Hempstead is about 16.9 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $2,966 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in West Hempstead spend about 63 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 262 hours, about 10.9 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | West Hempstead | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 31.4 | 28.7 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 62.9 | 57.4 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 262 | 239 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $8,121 | $7,414 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 15.6% | 15.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 41,170 | 9,257 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 5,246 | 1,586 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in West Hempstead is 31 minutes, longer than the 29 minutes in New York.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
West Hempstead has a education index of A, which means it is very educated.
| Metric | West Hempstead | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.8% | 36.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 3.36 | 2.49 | 2.53 |
Health
West Hempstead has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | West Hempstead | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 82.6 | 80.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 10.2% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 11.9% | 17.4% | 19.0% |
West Hempstead, NY Compared With Nearby Cities
How West Hempstead, NY compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Hempstead, NY | 20,645 | $161,495 #1/2 | $600,928 #2/2 | 31.4 min #2/2 |
| Franklin Square, NY | 30,917 | $137,510 | $731,555 | 30.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about West Hempstead, New York.
How many people live in West Hempstead, New York?
About 20,645 people live in West Hempstead, New York, in 6,120 households of 3.4 people on average. The median age is 38.1, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is West Hempstead, New York mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, West Hempstead, New York has 7,567 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 88 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in West Hempstead, New York?
The median home costs 3.7 times the median household income ($600,928 against $161,495), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $2,966 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How common is a college degree in West Hempstead, New York?
45.8% of adults in West Hempstead, New York hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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