Hempstead vs Smithtown
Hempstead, New York versus Smithtown, New York: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Hempstead and Smithtown score about the same overall (43 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hempstead | Smithtown |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $80k | $147k |
| Cost of Living | $76k | $76k |
| Home Value | $421k | $634k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.37% | 1.58% |
| Income Tax | 10.90% | 10.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.53% | 8.53% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 26.16% | 20.54% |
| Unemployment | 8.4% | 3.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 33°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.3 in | 48.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 18.5 in | 31.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 233 days | 237 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 89 days | 99 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 26.1 | 13.4 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 499/100k | 499/100k |
| Property Crime | 1001/100k | 1001/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 58,557 | 25,588 |
| Median Age | 35.6 | 46.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.67 | 0.24 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 5.0% | 81.1% |
| Black (%) | 45.2% | 0.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 45.4% | 9.4% |
| Asian (%) | 2.0% | 5.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.5% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 33 min | 33 min |
| Walkability | 14.9/20 | 7.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 9 mi | 33 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.5% | 92.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 151.99 | 61.36 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hempstead or Smithtown more affordable?
- Smithtown has the lower cost of living: its index is $76k, compared with Hempstead's $76k and Smithtown's $76k. Median rent is $2k in Hempstead versus $2k in Smithtown.
- Is Hempstead or Smithtown safer?
- Smithtown has the lower violent crime rate. Hempstead reports 499/100k and Smithtown reports 499/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hempstead or Smithtown?
- The median home value is $421k in Hempstead and $634k in Smithtown, so homes are more affordable in Hempstead.