Hicksville, New York

Hicksville is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The CDP's population was 43,869 at the time of the 2020 census.

History

Valentine Hicks – the hamlet's namesake Hicksville was founded accidentally when a financial depression brought the LIRR to a stop at Broadway, Hicksville. The station slowly grew and though it started as a train station, it turned into a hotel then a real estate deal, even becoming a depot for produce, particularly cucumbers for a Heinz Company plant. After a blight destroyed the cucumber crops, the farmers grew potatoes. It turned into a bustling New York City suburb in the building boom following World War II.

Failed incorporation attempt

In 1953, Hicksville attempted to incorporate itself as the Incorporated Village of Hicksville. Many residents felt that by incorporating as a village, the community would be run more effectively than how it had been run under the control of the Town of Oyster Bay. A petition had been signed with 6,242 signatures from residents in favor of the plan. However, these plans were unsuccessful, and Hicksville remains an unincorporated area of the Town of Oyster Bay to this day, as of 2026.

Geography

thumb|left|U.S. Census map of Hicksville

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and 0.15% is water.

Climate

The climate is borderline between hot-summer humid continental (Dfa) and humid subtropical (Cfa) and the local hardiness zone is 7a. Average monthly temperatures in the village center range from 31.9 °F in January to 74.7 °F in July.

Economy

thumb|upright=1.1|[[Broadway Mall in 2016]]

Metalab Equipment Company, a division of Norbute Corp, made laboratory furniture and cabinetry. Alsy Manufacturing manufactured electric lamps and lampshades from 1975 through 1991. The site was used for the production of polyester from 1982 until 2002. The LIRR removed the switch during track work sometime after the closure and demolition of the buildings on the property. The property remains fenced-off and vacant currently.

The presence of a major LIRR hub means that Hicksville developed as a major bedroom community of New York City. The LIRR has a team yard on West John Street, just east of Charlotte Avenue, served by the New York and Atlantic Railway, for off-line freight customers receiving or shipping cargo by rail to anywhere in the North American rail network.

Hicksville's North Broadway, positioned in the center of Nassau County, developed into a significant retail center. North Broadway was home to the Mid-Island Shopping Plaza (now known as Broadway Mall), a 156,000-square-foot Sears department store and auto center that closed in 2018, and various other restaurants and retail stores.

Hicksville is home to a number of South Asian grocery stores, clothing shops and restaurants, due to its large proportion of immigrants from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Hicksville CDP, New York – Racial and ethnic composition

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |Pop 2020

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|White alone (NH)

|32,645

|25,603

|style='background: #ffffe6; |19,073

|79.12%

|61.62%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |43.48%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|538

|836

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,129

|1.30%

|2.01%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.57%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|29

|53

|style='background: #ffffe6; |75

|0.07%

|0.13%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.17%

|Asian alone (NH)

|3,714

|8,139

|style='background: #ffffe6; |14,178

|9.00%

|19.59%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |32.32%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|11

|style='background: #ffffe6; |7

|0.03%

|0.01%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%

|Other race alone (NH)

|63

|142

|style='background: #ffffe6; |326

|0.15%

|0.34%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.74%

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|441

|728

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,078

|1.07%

|1.75%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.46%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|3,819

|6,043

|style='background: #ffffe6; |8,003

|9.26%

|14.54%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |18.24%

|Total

|41,260

|41,547

|style='background: #ffffe6; |43,869

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Hicksville had a population of 43,869 and 13,477 households. The population density was 6,458.9 people per square mile. The median age was 42.2 years. 18.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.0% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.6 males age 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 13,477 households, of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 61.0% were married-couple households, 14.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 16.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Asian population growth

By 1996 there were around four to five restaurants in Hicksville serving South Asian cuisine, and this started the ascent of a "Little India" there.

Between 2010 and 2020, Asian populations in Hicksville grew faster than the population as a whole.

Education

School districts

Hicksville is primarily located within the boundaries of the Hicksville Union Free School District. However, a small part of the hamlet's southeastern corner is located within the boundaries of the Bethpage Union Free School District while a small portion of the hamlet's northeastern corner is located within the boundaries of the Syosset Central School District.

Library districts

Hicksville is located within the boundaries of (and is thus served by) the Hicksville Library District, the Bethpage Library District, and the Syosset Library District.

n20H: Great Neck – Hicksville via Northern Blvd
n22: Hicksville – Jamaica via Prospect Avenue/Hillside Avenue
n24: Hicksville – Jamaica via Old Country Road/Jericho Turnpike
n48: Hicksville – Hempstead via Carman Avenue
n49: Hicksville – Hempstead via Newbridge Road
n78: Hicksville – Plainview via Old Country Road
n79: Hicksville – Huntington, New York Walt Whitman Mall and Shops via Old Country Road
n79x: Hicksville – Huntington, New York Walt Whitman Mall and Shops via Old Country Road
n80: Hicksville – Massapequa Park via Hicksville Road

Public safety

thumb|upright=1.1|The Hicksville Fire Department's headquarters in 2019

Hicksville's fire protection is provided by the Hicksville Fire Department.

Lorraine Bracco, actress; best known for her roles in Goodfellas and The Sopranos
Theresa Caputo, purported medium; star of Long Island Medium
Michael Collins, soccer player who represented the United States national team
Denny Dias, former guitarist for Steely Dan
Larry Eisenhauer, professional football player
Frank Gerwer, professional skateboarder
Billy Joel, singer and musician
Maura Johnston, writer and academic
Mitch Kupchak, professional basketball executive and former player
The Lemon Twigs, indie rock band
Dennis Michael Lynch, businessman and filmmaker
Don Murphy, film producer
Tim Parker, professional soccer player
Dave Pietramala, defensive coordinator for University of North Carolina men's lacrosse team
Al Pitrelli, Megadeth and Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitarist
Steve Rosenthal, labor and political strategist
Al Sarrantonio, science fiction author
Gary D. Schmidt, author
Robert Shulman, serial killer
Rob Walker, politician and legislator

References

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External links

Hicksville Chamber of Commerce