E
ast Meadow, a hamlet in Nassau County’s Town of Hempstead, is most famous for its 930‑acre Eisenhower Park—almost 100 acres larger than New York City’s Central Park. Yet, as longtime resident and former Chamber of Commerce president Richie Krug Jr. notes, the community never sits still. “You can’t spend a weekend here without something happening,” he says, citing civic groups, the Kiwanis Club, and a wide array of youth sports from soccer to flag football.

    The hamlet lacks a Long Island Rail Road stop; the nearest station is in Westbury. However, it is easily reachable by car, flanked by Meadowbrook State Parkway to the west, Wantagh State Parkway to the east, and bisected by Hempstead Turnpike. East Meadow covers 6.3 square miles and hosts a Stew Leonard’s, a Walmart, and a 48‑lane Bowlero bowling alley. Pickleball enthusiasts frequent Senator Speno Memorial Park, a local favorite praised by Town Councilmember Dennis Dunne Sr.

    East Meadow’s commercial heritage includes East Meadow Upholsterers, celebrating 75 years next year, and A&C Pest Management, a 50‑year, third‑generation operation. Dining options feature the Grand Stage Diner and Colony Diner on Hempstead Turnpike—both run by the family that owned Manhattan’s Grand Stage—and the Apollo Diner on Merrick Avenue North. In 2024, the nonprofit Friends for a Beautiful East Meadow was established to enhance the town’s appearance.

    Healthcare is anchored by Nassau University Medical Center, a 530‑bed Level I trauma teaching hospital that has served the area since 1935. The crown jewel remains Eisenhower Park, where the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theater hosts free summer concerts. The park offers 14 lighted tennis courts, 14 ballfields, football, cricket, and pickleball fields, two indoor and one outdoor skating rinks, a basketball court, a bocce court, a fitness trail, an Olympic‑sized pool, three 18‑hole public golf courses, and mini‑golf. Senator Speno Memorial Park provides wide fields and playgrounds, while Veterans Memorial Park Pool lies just steps away for family swims. Little League teams play at the East Meadow Baseball Softball Complex.

    Krug describes the town’s atmosphere as welcoming and collaborative, with residents supporting one another and working closely with elected officials to improve living standards.

    **Real‑Estate Snapshot (Oct 30 2024–Oct 29 2025)**

    - 264 home sales, median price $775,000 (up from $730,000 the previous year).

    - 7 condos priced $575,000–$889,000; 1 co‑op at $349,999.

    **Demographics & Services**

    - Population: 35,805; median age 43.8.

    - Median home value: $760,000.

    - Monthly LIRR fare from Westbury: $287.

    - School district graduation rate: 95%.

    - Library: East Meadow.

    - Bus routes: 48, 49, 70.

    **Sample Listings**

    - $940,000: 2,100 sq ft split‑level (4 beds, 2½ baths, 2 fireplaces, granite kitchen, 5‑zone sprinkler system, cabana with hot tub).

    - $699,000: 1,698 sq ft mid‑century Cape (4 beds, 2 baths, finished basement, deck).

    **Recent Sales**

    - $1.7 M: Kingston Ave (modern, 5 beds, 5½ baths, 2025 build, 0.2 acre).

    - $960,000: Cadillac Drive (split‑level, 3 beds, 2 baths, 1954 build, 0.14 acre).

    - $575,000: Balsam Ave (ranch, 3 beds, 1 bath, 1950 build, 0.15 acre).

    **MLS Overview**

    - 37 active listings, ranging $349,999–$2.2 M.

    - Property taxes $9,934–$14,691.