If you're thinking of buying in Hicksville

Streetscape of RT 107 in Hicksville. Credit: Newsday/Photo by Danielle Finkelstein
THE SCOOP: One thing many people like about Hicksville is its central location. The Long Island Rail Road says the train station is its second-busiest suburban station (Ronkonkoma recently eclipsed it). And by spring, after some controversy, construction will be starting on a new 1,400-car garage at the intersection of Duffy Avenue and Newbridge Road.
There are more than 68 acres of parkland and open space in the community. Phyllis Barry, Town of Oyster Bay spokeswoman, says this includes football fields, basketball courts, soccer fields, children's playgrounds and parks.
The Hicksville community is ethnically diverse, and with that comes restaurants with diverse cuisines. Lionel Chitty, president of the Hicksville Chamber of Commerce, says Hicksville is also known as "Little India" and has significant representations of South Asians, Asians and Hispanics.
"Hicksville is a meat-and-potatoes community. Folks go to work, come home and pay their bills," says Patricia Gambino of Coldwell Banker in Syosset, who has been selling real estate in the Hicksville area for more than 25 years.
CONDOS AND TOWN HOUSES: There are no condo or co-op communities in Hicksville.
SALES PRICE: There were 262 sales in 2009, according to Multiple Listing Services of Long Island data. The median price was $355,000 with a low of $160,000 and a high of $660,000. From January 2008 to December 2008, there were 235 sales with a median price of $415,000. The low was $195,500, and the high was $810,000.
ATTRACTIONS: The Hicksville Gregory Museum, which houses the largest rock and mineral collection on L.I. and more than 5,000 specimens of butterflies and moths; Indian restaurants; shopping at Ikea and the Broadway Mall; and Cantiague Park, which has facilities for skating, hockey, golf, miniature golf, tennis, swimming and playing fields for softball, soccer, football, lacrosse and rugby.
OTHER STATS
Town: Oyster Bay
Area: 6.8 square miles
ZIP code: 11801
Population: 40,113
Median age: 42.3
Median household income: $86,564
Median home value: $380,630
Median age of homes: 51 years
Percent owning home: 84.3%
Percent renting home: 14.9%
Percent homes vacant: 1.5%
LIRR time to NYC: 40-48 minutes at peak
Monthly ticket: $232
School districts: Hicksville, Bethpage, Syosset
SOURCES: Claritas 2009; www.mlsli.com; LIRR