As part of our AIP monthly newsletter articles, we sometimes share detailed information specifically regarding the Long Island history and/or landscape. Some of the information we cover you may find that you are highly knowledgeable on, but we hope that once in a while you are able to learn something new about this great place in which we are honored to call “home.”
However, as beautiful and wonderful as our Island is, it can sometimes be confusing when deciphering towns, villages, and hamlets. In this article we will break down all of Long Island’s towns, villages, and hamlets in Nassau County, (check back next month for the full breakdown of Suffolk County.) My hope is that you will be able to use these article(s) as a “cheat-sheet” on Long Island.
First, let’s define a few key words:
What is a County?
County: a municipal corporation, a subdivision of the state, created to perform state functions; a “regional government.” All counties are divided into cities, towns, and indian reservations.
What is a Town?
Town: a municipal corporation and encompasses all territory within state except that within cities or indian reservations. Towns can be sub-divided into villages and hamlets.
What is a Village?
Village: a general purpose municipal corporation formed voluntarily by the residents of an area in one or more towns to provide themselves with municipal services. The pattern of village organization is similar to those of a city. A village is divided into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas.
What is a Hamlet?
Hamlet: an unincorporated area in one or more towns that is governed at-large by the town(s) it is in. A hamlet is divided into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas.
Complete Guide to Nassau County’s Towns, Villages, & Hamlets
Nassau County is the Long Island county situated to the west of Suffolk County. It consists of three towns: Town of Hempstead, Town of North Hempstead, and Town of Oyster Bay. These three towns are further broken up into villages and hamlets.
Town of Hempstead – 22 Villages, 36 Hamlets
Villages: Atlantic Beach, Bellerose, Cedarhurst, East Rockaway, Freeport, Garden City, Hempstead Village, Hewlett Bay Park, Hewlett Harbor, Hewlett Neck, Island Park, Lawrence, Lynbrook, Malverne, Rockville Centre, South Floral Park, Stewart Manor, Valley Stream, Woodsburgh.
Villages partly in Town of Hempstead: Floral Park, Garden City (almost entirely in Hempstead), Mineola (almost entirely in North Hempstead), New Hyde Park
Hamlets: Baldwin, Baldwin Harbor, Barnum Island, Bay Park, Bellerose Terrace, Bellmore, East Atlantic Beach, East Garden City, East Meadow, Elmont, Franklin Square, Garden City South, Harbor Isle, Hewlett, Inwood, Lakeview, Levittown, Lido Beach, Malverne Park Oaks, Merrick, North Bellmore, North Merrick, North Valley Stream, North Wantagh, North Woodmere, Oceanside, Point Lookout, Roosevelt, Salisbury (South Westbury), Seaford, South Hempstead, South Valley Stream, Uniondale, Wantagh, West Hempstead, Woodmere
Town of North Hempstead – 31 Villages, 16 Hamlets
Villages: Baxter Estates, East Williston, Flower Hill, Great Neck, Great Neck Estates, Great Neck Plaza, Kensington, Kings Point, Lake Success, Manorhaven, Munsey Park, North Hills, Plandome, Plandome Heights, Plandome Manor, Port Washington North, Roslyn, Roslyn Estates, Russell Gardens, Saddle Rock, Sands Point, Thomaston, Westbury, Williston Park.
Villages partly in Town of North Hempstead: Floral Park, Garden City (almost entirely in Hempstead), Mineola (almost entirely in North Hempstead), New Hyde Park, East Hills, Old Westbury, Roslyn Harbor.
Hamlets: Albertson, Carle Place, Garden City Park, Glenwood Landing, Great Neck Gardens, Greenvale, Harbor Hills, Herricks, Manhasset, New Cassel, North New Hyde Park, Port Washington, Roslyn Heights, Saddle Rock Estates, Searingtown, University Gardens.
Town of Oyster Bay – 20 Villages, 16 Hamlets
Villages: Bayville, Brookville, Centre Island, Cove Neck, Farmingdale, Lattingtown, Laurel Hollow, Massapequa Park, Matinecock, Mill Neck, Muttontown, Old Brookville, Oyster Bay Cove, Sea Cliff, Upper Brookville.
Villages partly in Town of Oyster Bay: East Hills, Old Westbury, Roslyn Harbor, Glenwood Landing, Greenvale
Hamlets: Bethpage, East Massapequa, East Norwich, Glen Head, Hicksville, Jericho, Locust Valley, Massapequa, North Massapequa, Old Bethpage, Oyster Bay, Plainedge, Plainview, South Farmingdale, Syosset, Woodbury
