Hamlet between Rockville Centre and the Southern State Parkway
Across the Southern State Parkway from its namesake, South Hempstead doesn’t take up nearly as much space on the map. “We’re a very small town in comparison to most of the area, somewhere around 10 by five blocks,” says Laura Mallay, president of the South Hempstead Civic Association. “We’ve got a small community feeling, but we also have proximity to the parkway and all the surrounding towns.” Destinations ranging from the vast restaurant district in Rockville Centre to the grounds of Molloy University sit just outside of the hamlet, but South Hempstead is not only defined by its relationship to what’s down the road. Highly rated public schools, an 18-hole golf course and engaged volunteer fire department are even closer to home.
Nearly 3,500 residents have found their forever home in the small hamlet of South Hempstead.
Pickleball fans enjoy the pristine courts in Lakeview's Hempstead Lake State Park.
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South Hempstead single-family homes from $560,000
South Hempstead is a classic, if condensed, example of a Long Island suburb, full of neat blocks of single-family homes built largely in the 1930s through 1950s. Small homes, including Cape Cods and homes with minimal traditional or ranch-style designs, sell for $560,000 to $800,000. Larger homes like Colonial Revivals, expanded Capes and rare New Traditional new construction, sell for $900,000 to $1.2 million. The hallmarks of midcentury suburban development give South Hempstead’s residential blocks a classic look, full of pocket-sized front lawns, narrow sidewalks and plenty of shady trees. South Hempstead has a CAP Index crime score of 2 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4.
Contemporary colonial style homes often feature expansive front yards with green space.
Newer constructed center colonial style homes are popular among families in South Hempstead.
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IB college credit from Molloy University at South Side High School
Most of South Hempstead falls within the Rockville Centre Union Free School District. William S. Covert Elementary School sits at the center of the hamlet surrounded by sidewalks, crosswalks and pedestrian-friendly signage and earns an A-plus from Niche. South Side Middle School earns an A. A-rated South Side High School offers diverse academic opportunities, including International Baccalaureate courses through which students can earn college credit at Molloy University. Students from a small northeastern section of South Hempstead attend the Uniondale Union Free School District, which earns a B. Even smaller block-or-two sections of the hamlet are zoned for Baldwin Union Free School District which earns an A and Hempstead Union Free School District which earns a C-minus.
Molloy University is ranked the third safest campus in America on Niche.
South Side High School in Rockville Centre is an excellent high school on Long Island.
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Commuting on the Southern State Parkway
The Southern State Parkway makes up the northern border of South Hempstead, starting commuters on a roughly 30-mile drive to Manhattan. Nassau Inter-County Express buses make stops on Hempstead and Grand avenues to either side of the hamlet. The Rockville Centre and Baldwin Long Island Rail Road stations are each about 2 miles away, offering a 40-minute train ride to Penn Station. “You can get a pass to park near the Baldwin Station, not in Rockville Centre,” says Mallay. The Catholic Health Mercy Hospital is just west of the hamlet, and commercial flights take off from John F. Kennedy International Airport about 12 miles away in the same direction.
Shopping and dining locally and in Rockville Centre
A couple of restaurants and the Congregational Church of South Hempstead break up the strictly residential blocks lining Long Beach Road. Radigan’s Pub and Casual Dining is a favorite for bar fare and Irish decor, and a colorful sugar skull mural covers the walls at Curbside Mexican Grill. Thanks to Southern State Parkway access ramps, Grand Avenue is more commercialized, home to gas stations, fast food joints and the Fruit Tree Farm supermarket. The communities surrounding South Hempstead offer further options for shopping and dining, most notably Rockville Centre which is widely known for packing a stretch of Sunrise Highway with dozens of global cuisines.
The Fruit Tree Farm in nearby Baldwin offers a one stop shop for groceries for residents.
Curbside Mexican Grill in South Hempstead features authentic Mexican food.
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Rockville Links Club and Hempstead Lake State Park
Beyond the ballfield and playground at William S. Covert Elementary, South Hempstead isn’t home to typical public park facilities. The Rockville Links Club stretches along North Long Beach Road, giving members access to an 18-hole golf course and amenities like a swimming pool. Hempstead Lake State Park is a few miles away, popular for kayaking and fishing on the water or land-based activities like time on the playground, pickleball courts or hiking trails.
Nearby Hempstead Lake State Park offers expansive green spaces with miles of trails.
Go for a hole in one at the Rockville Links course in South Hempstead.
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Holidays with the South Hempstead Volunteer Fire Department
When members aren’t fighting fires or dominating drill team competitions as the South Hempstead Rascals, the South Hempstead Volunteer Fire Department helps the community celebrate holidays throughout the year. "The firehouse is kind of like a village hall for a community without one. A lot of events happen there,” Mallay says. “There’s a holiday tree lighting in December, and we’re very well known for our Christmas tree sale. It’s a lot of work for the guys, but people come from all around. They’re able to sell out in a couple of weeks.” Following their weekslong Christmas tree fundraiser, the SHVFD hosts Saint Nick himself, escorting him to kids waiting throughout the hamlet during the annual Operation Caroling with Santa. The South Hempstead Civic Association keeps residents up to date on current events on its Facebook page, including posting resident-exclusive offers of discounted tickets to shows at Molloy University.
Noise from the Southern State Parkway
While the Southern State Parkway is great for New York City commuting, it can also be a source of noise at rush hour. "I have some friends who live on the block nearby. It’s the kind of noise you just get used to. Once in a while you’ll hear a motorcycle fly by, but people aren’t honking,” Mallay says.
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