Hicksville is a

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, suc ...

(CDP) within the

Town of Oyster Bay The Town of Oyster Bay is the easternmost of the three towns which make up Nassau County, New York, United States. Part of the New York metropolitan area, it is the only town in Nassau County to extend from the North Shore to the South Shore o ...

in Nassau County, on

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...

, in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. The population of the CDP was 41,547 at the 2010 census.

History

Valentine Hicks, son-in-law of

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The British ...

and

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abili ...

preacher Elias Hicks, and eventual president of the

Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road , often abbreviated as the LIRR, is a commuter rail system in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of New York, stretching from Manhattan to the eastern tip of Suffolk County on Long Island. With an average week ...

, bought land in the village in 1834 and turned it into a station stop on the LIRR in 1837. The station became a depot for

produce Produce is a generalized term for many farm-produced crops, including fruits and vegetables ( grains, oats, etc. are also sometimes considered ''produce''). More specifically, the term ''produce'' often implies that the products are fres ...

, 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 World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

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 by 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 2022.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, 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 A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...

(''Dfa'') and

humid subtropical A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

(''Cfa'') and the local

hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...

is 7a. Average monthly temperatures in the village centre range from 31.9 °F in January to 74.7 °F in July.

Economy

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 Rubber Company of America (RUCO) built a manufacturing site in 1945. RUCO Polymer Corp. (

Hooker Chemical Company Hooker Chemical Company (or Hooker Electrochemical Company) was an American firm producing chloralkali products from 1903 to 1968. In 1922, bought the S. Wander & Sons Company to sell lye and chlorinated lime. The company became notorious in ...

) manufactured plastics, latex, and esters. Occidental Chemical Corporation (OCC) owned and operated this site from 1966 to 1982. The site was purchased by Sybron Corporation, then in 2000, the Bayer Corporation (Bayer MaterialScience) purchased the Hooker Ruco facility and in 2002 decided to close the facility. The facility was a freight customer of the

and New York and Atlantic Railway, served by a spur track off the Main Line next to the grade crossing at New South Road. 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 (which closed in 2018) and various other restaurants and retail stores. Broadway Mall 2016

Hicksville is also home to a number of Indian restaurants on Long Island due to its large proportion of immigrants from

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mo ...

, and

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

Businesses with headquarters in Hicksville

Major businesses headquartered within Hicksville include: * National Grid USA's KeySpan Energy division * Sam Ash Music *

Sleepy's Sleepy's was a retail mattress chain with over 1,000 stores, primarily situated in the northeastern United States. The company was founded in New York City in 1931. Sleepy's was acquired by Mattress Firm in December 2015 and all stores were reb ...

mattress retail company (until acquired by MattressFirm in 2017) * ScholarChip school ID card company

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2010, there were 41,547 people, 13,412 households, and 10,588 families living in the CDP. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 6,109.9 per square mile (2,360.6/km²). There were 13,761 housing units at an average density of 2,023.7/sq mi (781.9/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 69.3%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 61.6% Non Hispanic White, 2.2%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.3% Native American, 20.7% Asian, 4.8% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 14.5% of the population. South Asian shopping center in Hicksville New York

There were 13,412 households, of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 63.1% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.3% were non-families. 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.09 and the average family size was 3.47. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 29.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.4 years. The median income for a household in the CDP was $89,231, and the median income for a family was $99,980.Hicksville CDP, New York
from American FactFinder Males had a median income of $52,112 versus $46,278 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the CDP was $50,283. About 2.4% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over. Shri Asa'Mai Hindu Temple and Community Center, Hicksville NY

A Little India has developed in Hicksville, centered around Route 107 and Broadway. Starting around 1990, the area began attracting Indian immigrants who have established an extensive community including Indian restaurants, stores such as Patel Brothers,and other businesses, as well as Hindu temples and cultural events such as parades and

Diwali Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali ( IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is ...

festivals. The Indian population was estimated to be around 5,000 in 2013.

2000 census

Per the

2000 U.S. Census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 cen ...

, there were 41,261 people, 13,710 households, and 10,844 families living in the CDP. The

was 6,057.2 per square mile (2,339.3/km²). There were 13,912 housing units at an average density of 2,042.4/sq mi (788.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 84.56%

, 1.36%

, 0.11% Native American, 9.04% Asian, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 3.05% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 9.26% of the population. The median income for a household in the CDP was $82,231, and the median income for a family was $94,910. Males had a median income of $52,112 versus $46,278 for females. The

for the CDP was $50,283. About 2.4% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the

, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

South Asian population

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.

Education

School districts

Hicksville High School, New York front view

Hicksville is primarily located within the boundaries of (and is thus served by) 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 The Bethpage Union Free School District (BUFSD) in Bethpage, New York contains 5 schools. The boundaries of the school district include parts of some surrounding hamlets (such as Old Bethpage, Plainview, New York, Plainview, and Plainedge, New Yor ...

while a small portion of the hamlet's northeastern corner is located within the boundaries of the Syosset Central School District. As such, children who reside within Hicksville and attend public schools go to school in one of these three districts depending on where they live within the hamlet.

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. The boundaries of these three districts within the hamlet roughly correspond to those of the three school districts.

Transportation

Road

Four state-owned roads pass through the hamlet: New York State Route 106,

New York State Route 107 New York State Route 107 (NY 107) is a state highway in Nassau County, New York, in the United States. The route begins at an intersection with Merrick Road ( unsigned County Route 27 or CR 27; formerly NY 27A) in Massapequa ...

, the Northern State Parkway, and the Wantagh State Parkway. Additionally, the Northern State Parkway forms portions of the hamlet's northern border. Other major roads within the hamlet include Jerusalem Avenue,

Old Country Road Old Country Road is a major east–west thoroughfare through central Nassau County and extending into western Suffolk County on Long Island, New York. It serves many of the major shopping centers in central Nassau County including Roosevelt ...

, Plainview Road, and South Oyster Bay Road.

Rail

Hicksville is a major hub on the Long Island Rail Road, where the

Ronkonkoma Branch The Ronkonkoma Branch is a rail service operated by the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) in the U.S. state of New York. On LIRR maps and printed schedules, the "Ronkonkoma Branch" includes trains running along the railroad's Main Line from Hicksv ...

meets with the

Port Jefferson Branch The Port Jefferson Branch is a rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The branch splits from the Main Line (Long Island Rail Road), Main Line just east of Hicksville ...

to form the Main Line.

Bus

The area is also a hub for the following routes operated by Nassau Inter-County Express: * n20H: Great Neck – Hicksville via Northern Blvd * n22/ n22X: Hicksville – Jamaica via Prospect Avenue/Hillside Avenue * n24: Hicksville – Jamaica via Old Country Road/Jericho Turnpike * n48: Hicksville – Hempstead via Carman Road * n49: Hicksville – Hempstead via Newbridge Road * n78: Hicksville – Plainview via Old Country Road * n79: Hicksville –

Huntington, New York The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. ...

Walt Whitman Mall and Shops via Old Country Road * n80: Hicksville – Sunrise Mall via Hicksville Road

Public safety

Hicksville's fire protection is provided by the Hicksville Fire Department. Its police protection comes from the Nassau County Police Department's 2nd and 8th precincts, as well as the MTA Police and Nassau County Auxiliary Police.

Notable people

Lorraine Bracco Lorraine Bracco (born October 2, 1954) is an American actress. Known for her distinct husky voice and Brooklyn accent, she has been nominated for an Academy Award, four Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards ...

, actress; best known for her roles in ''

Goodfellas ''Goodfellas'' (stylized ''GoodFellas'') is a 1990 American biographical crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Nicholas Pileggi and Scorsese, and produced by Irwin Winkler. It is a film adaptation of the 1985 nonfiction book '' W ...

'' and ''

The Sopranos ''The Sopranos'' is an American crime drama television series created by David Chase. The story revolves around Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster, portraying his difficulties as he tries to balance ...

'' * Theresa Caputo, medium; star of ''

Long Island Medium ''Long Island Medium'' is an American reality television series starring Theresa Caputo, a self-professed medium who claims she can communicate with the dead. Much of the program, which premiered on September 25, 2011, takes place in Hicksville ...

'' *

Michael Collins Michael Collins or Mike Collins most commonly refers to: * Michael Collins (Irish leader) (1890–1922), Irish revolutionary leader, soldier, and politician * Michael Collins (astronaut) (1930–2021), American astronaut, member of Apollo 11 and ...

, retired soccer player * Denny Dias,

Steely Dan Steely Dan is an American rock band founded in 1971 in New York by Walter Becker (guitars, bass, backing vocals) and Donald Fagen (keyboards, lead vocals). Initially the band had a stable lineup, but in 1974, Becker and Fagen retired from liv ...

guitarist *

Larry Eisenhauer Lawrence Conway Eisenhauer (February 22, 1940 – January 29, 2020) was an American professional football defensive end. A graduate of Chaminade High School in Mineola, New York, he was a college football standout at Boston College and was o ...

, professional football player * Frank Gerwer, professional skateboarder *

Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, pianist and songwriter. Commonly nicknamed the "Piano Man" after his album and signature song of the same name, he has led a commercially successful career as a solo artist since th ...

, musician * Maura Johnston, writer and academic * Mitch Kupchak, general manager of the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

* The Lemon Twigs, pop/rock band * Dennis Michael Lynch, filmmaker *

Jackie Martling John Coger "Jackie" Martling, Jr. (born February 14, 1948) is an American stand-up comedian, writer, radio personality, author, actor, and musician also known as Jackie the Joke Man. He is best known as a former writer and in-studio comedian fo ...

, ''Jackie's Joke Hunt'' on Howard 101 on Sirius XM Radio *

Don Murphy Don Murphy (born April 1967) is an American film producer who produced '' Natural Born Killers'', ''Real Steel'', '' Splice'' and many other films, including ''Transformers'' and '' Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen''. Personal background ...

, producer of ''

Transformers ''Transformers'' is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the Autobots and the Decepticons, two alien robot factions at war that can transform into other forms, ...

'', '' Natural Born Killers'' * Ed O'Neill, Paddle Ball Pro; best known for being Mayor of Hicksville * Tim Parker, soccer player,

New York Red Bulls The New York Red Bulls are an American professional soccer club based in the New York metropolitan area. The Red Bulls compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The club was established in October 1994 and be ...

Dave Pietramala Dave Pietramala (born 1967) is the defensive coordinator for the Syracuse University Men's Lacrosse team and the former head coach for the Johns Hopkins University Men's Lacrosse team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest defensemen in la ...

Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hemisphere. It consi ...

men's lacrosse coach *

Al Pitrelli Al Pitrelli is an American guitarist, best known for his work with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Megadeth, Alice Cooper, Joe Lynn Turner, Asia and Savatage. Career Early career (1982–1995) Pitrelli attended the Berklee College of Mu ...

Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...

and

Trans-Siberian Orchestra Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) is an American rock band founded in 1996 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli (both members of Savatage) and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel ...

guitarist * Steve Rosenthal, labor and political strategist *

Al Sarrantonio Al Sarrantonio (born May 25, 1952) is an American horror and science fiction writer, editor and publisher who has authored more than 50 books and 90 short stories. He has also edited numerous anthologies and has been called "brilliant" and "a ...

, science fiction author * Gary D. Schmidt, author * Robert Shulman, serial killer * Rob Walker, legislator

References

External links

Hicksville Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control Oyster Bay (town), New York Census-designated places in New York (state) Hamlets in New York (state) Census-designated places in Nassau County, New York Hamlets in Nassau County, New York