Census-designated place · New York
East Meadow, New York
East Meadow, census-designated place, in Nassau County, New York. East Meadow had 36,821 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±2,310). GEOID 3622502.
Residents, 2020-2024
36,821
±2,310 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 37,796
Median household income
$133,971
±$7,325 (90% margin)
New York: $85,974
Median home value
$631,800
±$9,516 (90% margin)
New York: $423,800
Median gross rent
$2,890
±$360 (90% margin)
New York: $1,621
Where is East Meadow and what county is it in?
East Meadow is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Nassau County, New York. It covers 6.3 square miles of land, 5,997 residents per square mile in 2020.
East Meadow is in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 22 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
East Meadow lies entirely within the Town of Hempstead, a town with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in East Meadow, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts East Meadow's population at 36,821 (±2,310). The 2020 Census counted 37,796 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; East Meadow is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | East Meadow | Nassau County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 36,821 ±2,310 | 1,389,591 | no clear change |
| Households | 11,796 ±593 | 458,166 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.02 ±0.13 | 2.99 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 12,240 ±540 | 479,044 | −606 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in East Meadow?
The median resident of East Meadow is 43.1 years old; 19.6% are under 18 and 21.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 57.6%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 19.2%. 19.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | East Meadow | Nassau County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.1 ±1.7 | 42.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.6% ±1.7 pts | 21.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.8% ±2.1 pts | 18.7% | – |
| Male | 46.8% ±2.0 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 15.9% ±2.0 pts | 18.7% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 57.6% ±3.4 pts | 54.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.5% ±1.3 pts | 10.8% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 19.2% ±3.0 pts | 12.2% | +6.3 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.9% ±1.2 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±0.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 19.9% ±2.1 pts | 23.3% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 32.8% ±3.1 pts | 30.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.1% ±0.8 pts | 3.0% | – |
| With a disability | 11.5% ±1.7 pts | 9.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.4% ±2.2 pts | 3.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.6% ±1.3 pts | 92.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 48.6% ±3.4 pts | 49.7% | +10.3 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 22.0% ±2.7 pts | 22.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.8% ±2.0 pts | 93.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.8% ±0.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in East Meadow earn?
Half of East Meadow's 11,796 households earn less than $133,971 a year (±$7,325), against $146,202 in Nassau County and $85,974 in New York. In 2015-2019 it was $130,957 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 6.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | East Meadow | Nassau County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $133,971 ±$7,325 | $146,202 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $167,941 ±$15,183 | $191,704 | – |
| Per capita income | $55,375 ±$5,804 | $64,198 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 6.4% ±2.4 pts | 5.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.4% ±4.2 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.0% ±1.4 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.1% ±2.6 pts | 96.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.4% ±2.7 pts | 94.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in East Meadow?
Owners occupy 89.5% of East Meadow's occupied homes and renters 10.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $631,800 by its owner (±$9,516). The median renter pays $2,890 a month including utilities, and 68.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | East Meadow | Nassau County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $631,800 ±$9,516 | $684,700 | +$72,450 |
| Median gross rent | $2,890 ±$360 | $2,252 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 68.6% ±10.9 pts | 45.5% | +24.4 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $3,617 ±$136 | $3,795 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 89.5% ±2.1 pts | 81.9% | +3.3 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 10.5% ±2.1 pts | 18.1% | – |
| Housing units | 12,240 ±540 | 479,044 | −606 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.3% ±1.1 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.8% ±5.7 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 81.3% ±2.0 pts | 76.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.2% ±0.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.2% ±1.7 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.0% ±1.2 pts | 19.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.8% ±2.4 pts | 6.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in East Meadow work and get to work?
66.4% of East Meadow's workers drive alone and 14.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 35.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.8%.
| Measure | East Meadow | Nassau County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.0% ±3.5 pts | 64.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% ±1.6 pts | 4.8% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 66.4% ±3.9 pts | 60.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.1% ±1.9 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 7.8% ±1.7 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Walked | 2.3% ±1.0 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 14.9% ±3.3 pts | 15.6% | +12.1 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 35.0 min ±2.0 | 36.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in East Meadow?
6 census tracts lie mostly in East Meadow, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $37,885 (Tract 4078.02) to $192,778 (Tract 4080).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4083Nassau County | 7,360 | $149,258 |
| Tract 4082Nassau County | 6,678 | $125,568 |
| Tract 4081Nassau County | 6,667 | $147,315 |
| Tract 4080Nassau County | 6,586 | $192,778 |
| Tract 4079Nassau County | 5,383 | $95,833 |
| Tract 4078.01Nassau County | 5,446 | $151,581 |
| Tract 4077Nassau County | 4,648 | $172,727 |
| Tract 4078.02Nassau County | 1,005 | $37,885 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in East Meadow) · Census block assignment files
How does East Meadow compare with other places in New York?
East Meadow ranks 253rd of 1,623 places in New York with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 63rd | 1,657 |
| Residents per square mile | 107th | 1,657 |
| Median household income | 253rd | 1,623 |
| Per capita income | 410th | 1,653 |
| Median home value | 238th | 1,637 |
| Median gross rent | 59th | 1,515 |
| Poverty rate | 1,012th | 1,331 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 376th | 1,640 |
| Median age | 869th | 1,654 |
| Owner-occupied share | 291st | 1,639 |
| Work from home | 487th | 1,350 |
| Travel time to work | 231st | 1,652 |
East Meadow's figures with every place in New York (CSV)
Every place in New York, sortable · Compare East Meadow with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for East Meadow?
6 of the 57 figures for East Meadow on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for East Meadow are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.