Roosevelt: Suburban feel, lower-priced houses, quick commutes draw buyers
Rev. Arthur Mackey Park in Roosevelt has sports courts, playgrounds and paths around Smith Pond. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
THE SCOOP With a suburban feel and close to highways and a short trip to the city, Roosevelt is known for its relatively low-priced homes, proximity to shopping and transportation and its famous former residents.
"Right now, Roosevelt is the cheapest town in Nassau for taxes," said Evelyn Rivera, an agent with Handsome Real Estate. She said she had a house listed at $629,999 with taxes under $10,000, adding, "Most in Nassau are $12,000 plus."
Most homes in Roosevelt are older-style Capes, with some ranches. Because prices are relatively low for Nassau County, they tend to sell quickly.
Many residents of Roosevelt have lived there for generations, Rivera said.
"It is a town known for its small community," she said. "Everyone knows everyone."
Abbigail Rios, owner of Ozzie’s Ice Cream & Things on Nassau Road, gives an ice cream cone to 1-year-old Ester Contreras, of Elmont. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
Many celebrities, musicians and sports stars have called Roosevelt home. Among them are Flavor Flav from the legendary rap group Public Enemy, basketball great Julius "Dr. J" Erving, jazz drummer Roy Haynes, actor and comedian Eddie Murphy and DJ personality Howard Stern.
A short drive from Roosevelt Field, the community has its own shopping on Nassau Boulevard, as well as nearby Freeport, said Morena Morales, an associate broker with Coldwell Banker.
"It’s so close and easy to get to," said Morales, who grew up in Roosevelt.
The community has easy access to both the Southern State and Meadowbrook parkways, and is a roughly 45-minute commute to Manhattan from the Freeport Long Island Road Road station.
Centennial Park in Roosevelt was recently renovated with sports courts and play areas. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
Centennial Park, on Centennial Avenue, was recently renovated, with walking paths, playgrounds and basketball courts.
The area was originally called Rum Point for its stagecoach stop for travelers and was later called Greenwich. The establishment of a post office in 1902 gave the area the name Roosevelt in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt.
As Nassau's median prices reached $890,000 in May, Roosevelt's median price remains in the high $600,000s, according to OneKey MLS. The priciest home on the market is a six-bedroom, three-bathroom home for $979,000.
SALE PRICES Between May 13, 2025, and May 12, 2026, there were 84 home sales with a median sale price of $676,170, according to OneKey MLS. During the same period a year earlier, there were 82 home sales with a median sale price of $610,000.
CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are no condos or co-ops on the market.
OTHER STATS
Population 18,885
Median age 35.7
Median home value $670,000
Monthly LIRR ticket from Freeport $299.75
School district, graduation rate Roosevelt (80.5%)
Library Roosevelt
Transit NICE Bus Routes 41, 43
RECENTLY SOLD
$850,000
Bainbridge Street
Style Colonial
Bedrooms 6
Bathrooms 4
Built 1954
Lot size 0.14 acre
Taxes $10,966
+/- List price +$20,001
Days on market 84
$735,000
Lincoln Avenue
Style Colonial
Bedrooms 5
Bathrooms 3
Built 1927
Lot size 0.11 acre
Taxes $13,868
+/- List price -$24,000
Days on market 106
$510,000
E. Roosevelt Avenue
Style Colonial
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 3
Built 1923
Lot size 0.17 acre
Taxes $11,047
+/- List price -$124,900
Days on market 161 days
ON ONEKEY MLS
Number of listings 25
Price range $345,000 to $975,000
Tax range $8,078 to $18,615
