Modest home prices and easy commute draws buyers to East Meadow
One of several playgrounds at the 930-acre Eisenhower Park, a standout feature of the community, with athletic fields, an aquatic center and summer concerts. Credit: Danielle Silverman
THE SCOOP There are no longer meadows in East Meadow — the hamlet is instead touted for its central location close to the Meadowbrook and Southern State parkways and Hempstead Turnpike. The nearest railroad stops are Merrick and Westbury, but it has county buses, “making it very easy to get around,” said Lisa Rosenblatt, an agent with Century 21 AA Realty who lived in East Meadow for 20 years. “It’s also a very diverse area, and we find that a lot of people who live here stay here, moving around to different-size houses or to apartments.”
Part of the draw is the cost of houses and options, said Francheska Gomez, a salesperson with Fave Realty. “The home pricing is modest for your middle-income people where you could find a home at $500,000 to $600,000. But you can also find homes at $1.4 million. So there’s a nice range.”
Homes along Byrd Drive. Credit: Danielle Silverman
While there is a mix of home styles, Rosenblatt said there are more Capes and ranches than Colonials, as well as some homes built as long ago as the early 1900s mixed with new construction. Houses east of Newbridge Road tend not to have basements because they were originally used as bungalows. There are also condominiums and cooperatives starting around $539,000, most of which are for over-55 living, and there’s new condo construction on Merrick Avenue.
While there’s no downtown, Hempstead Turnpike serves as the main road where there are plenty of restaurants and stores. Roosevelt Field mall is just 10 minutes away.
East Meadow got its name from the area’s vast meadows of the Hempstead Plains. They were used for sheep grazing, becoming the source of about half the nation’s wool supply before the 1800s. After World War II it transformed into a modern suburb as farmers sold their land. Since 1935, the public Nassau University Medical Center, which now has 19 stories, has been a part of the skyline.
Stores along East Meadow Avenue. Credit: Danielle Silverman
A standout feature is the 930-acre Eisenhower Park, run by Nassau County. It has three golf courses, 24 athletic fields and courts, 16 lighted tennis courts, a batting cage, aquatic center and a 55-yard swimming pool built in 1998 for the Goodwill Games. There’s also an ice center, playgrounds, including one with a sprinkler pool and another called Let All the Children Play, which has equipment for both abled and disabled children, picnic areas, fitness trails, a miniature golf course and a boccie court and tables with inlaid chess and checker boards. There’s also a 9/11 memorial, an outdoor theater that hosts a full schedule of concerts and movies throughout the summer, and a restaurant.
The Northwell Health Ice Center at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow. Credit: Danielle Silverman
CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are seven condos on the market, ranging from $419,000 to $615,000.
SALE PRICES Between Jan 1, 2022, and Jan. 31, 2023, there were 309 home sales with a median sale price of $678,500, according to OneKey MLS. The low price for that period was $350,000 and the high was $1.4 million. During that period a year earlier there were 401 home sales with a median sale price of $645,000. The price range was $225,000 to $1.06 million.
OTHER STATS
Town Hempstead
Area 6.3 square miles
ZIP code 11554
Population 37,796
Median age 42.3
Median household income $126,079
Median home value $666,250
Monthly LIRR ticket from Westbury $277
School district, graduation rate East Meadow, 97%
Parks Eisenhower Park, Sen. Speno Memorial Park
Library East Meadow
Hospital Nassau University Medical Center
Transit NICE Bus Routes 48, 49
Sources: 2020 Census; 2020 American Community Survey; OneKey MLS; LIRR, data.nysed.gov
NOW ON THE MARKET
Priced at $1.5 million, this Colonial on Hoover Street features a finished basement with media room. Credit: EPM Real Estate Photography
$1.5 million
This 3,000-square-foot Colonial was built in 2014 on 0.17 acre with four bedrooms and two full and two half-baths. The primary bedroom has a spa tub and stand-up shower. The home features built-in speakers and a custom full finished basement with glass walls, a wine/cigar room, movie room and outside entrance. The fully paved backyard has an outdoor kitchen and basketball court. Taxes are $20,088. Francheska Gomez, Fave Realty, 516-670-2914.
Priced at $899,999, this expanded Cape on Woods Avenue has a three-car detached garage. Credit: Paul Barron
$899,999
With four bedrooms (one on the main level) and two baths, this renovated, expanded and dormered Cape built in 1956 sits on a ¼-acre fenced-in lot. It has a paver patio, built-in fire pit and a three-car detached garage plus an attached garage, both with attic storage, as well as a 10-car driveway. There’s also a full finished basement with laundry. Taxes are $12,727. Laura Barron, HomeSmart Premier Living Realty, 516-669-2224.
Priced at $639,000, this Cape on Dorothy Drive features a renovated kitchen. Credit: Jackie Buys Photo
$639,000
Built in 1952, this renovated Cape on 0.14 acre has four bedrooms, including a first-floor primary, two updated bathrooms and an open concept with an eat-in-kitchen and sliders to a deck and fenced-in yard. It also has a finished basement and one-car attached garage. Taxes are $12,097; a sale is pending. Lisa Rosenblatt, Century 21 AA Realty, 516-637-4041.
RECENTLY SOLD
$850,000
Park Ave.
Style Split level
Bedrooms 3
Bathrooms 3
Built 1957
Lot size 0.3 acre
Taxes $12,914
+/- List price +$1,000
Days on market 98
$642,000
Clearmeadow Dr.
Style Colonial
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 2
Built 1951
Lot size 0.17 acre
Taxes $10,934
+/- List price -$5,000
Days on market 133
$430,000
Cypress Ave.
Style Ranch
Bedrooms 3
Bathrooms 1
Built 1950
Lot size 0.14 acre
Taxes $10,161
+/- List price -$49,990
Days on market 84
ON ONEKEY MLS
Number of listings 37
Price range $419,000 to $1.5 million
Tax range $7,810 to $20,088
