This NY town ranked among best places for families in the U.S.
One Long Island town has been named one of the best places for families to live in the country, according to a newly released ranking. Fortune Well, a subsidiary of Fortune Magazine, has place North Hempstead as No. 15 on its third annual list of the 50 Best Places to Live for Families.
Here’s what you need to know about North Hempstead's ranking.
How 'best places' were ranked
In an analysis of over 2,000 cities, towns, suburbs, exurbs, villages and townships across the U.S. — each with around 20,000 residents or more — Fortune Well chose the best city in each state for multiple generations to live happily and healthily, based on data relating to five main categories: general wellness, livability, education, financial health and resources for aging adults.
Locations with home sale prices more than twice as high as the state median and/or more than 2.75 times as high as the national median were eliminated and racial breakdowns of each place were compared against state benchmarks, according to Fortune. Any location 75% less diverse than the state median wasn't included and socioeconomic and religious and ethnic diversity were included in the data collection process.
"With a growing portion of Americans caring for both children and aging parents, more people want to live in cities where multigenerational families can thrive," the report said. "And as the retirement dream is unraveling for many older adults who don’t want to leave the workforce or can’t afford to, finding a place to live that provides a strong job market has never been more critical."
Is it affordable to live in North Hempstead, NY?
North Hempstead scored 66 out of 100 on Sharecare's financial well-being index, which measures stress based on economic life and financial security — the highest ranking on the list.
According to Fortune, the Nassau County town of over 236,000 has a median household income of $144,003, while single family residences had a median sale point of $1,156,728 as of 2022.
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How are North Hempstead schools?
North Hempstead is "home to some of the best school districts in New York," according to Fortune, and has a high school graduation rate of 94.62%.
Is North Hempstead good for seniors?
North Hempstead has 21 above-average nursing homes within 50 miles, per 100,000 households. The town also ranked the highest on the list for hospitals within 25 miles that are recommended by over 50% of patients with 50.
What does North Hempstead have to offer?
North Hempstead is "a peaceful escape from the Big Apple with tree-filled enclaves and tranquil harbors dotted with sailboats," Fortune said. Its villages' walkable downtowns are also a plus and with more than 25 museums and historical sites — like the Cradle of Aviation Museum and Rock Hall Museum — it's packed with history.
You can also visit the Old Westbury Gardens, a historic mansion-turned-museum completed in 1906 and the Clark Botanic Garden, which features 12 acres of gardens, ponds and streams. And North Hempstead's proximity to New York City is an added perk for work commutes and nightlife opportunities as you can get there in under an hour on the Long Island Rail Road.
North Hempstead scored an 89 out of 100 on Sharecare's community well-being index, which measures the number of people that like where they live and take pride in their community.
Here's why: Rochester's 14609 ZIP code is one of the hottest in the U.S.
Top 15 cities on Fortune Well's 2024 list:
Silver Spring, Maryland
Upper Merion, Pennsylvania
Chantilly, Virginia
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Mason, Ohio
Franklin, Tennessee
Lafayette, Colorado
Overland Park, Kansas
Morristown, New Jersey
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Somerville, Massachusetts
Woodbury, Minnesota
Frisco, Texas
San Jose, California
North Hempstead, New York
Emily Barnes is the New York State Team consumer advocate reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Fortune Well names North Hempstead NY one of best places for families
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