Hempstead and Yonkers receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Hempstead
Yonkers
Opportunity
59 · Top 44%
vs64 · Top 34%
Growth
34 · Bottom 23%
vs41 · Bottom 33%
Climate
71 · Top 46%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 9%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 32%
vs54 · Bottom 14%
Schools
23 · Bottom 14%
vs34 · Bottom 27%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs91 · Bottom 46%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 38%
vs57 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Hempstead | Yonkers | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 58,801 | 209,978 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,420 | $83,549 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,304 | $44,122 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 15,931/sq mi | 11,662/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $459,500 | $501,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,622 | $1,784 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 47.5% | 46.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 35.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.4% | 13.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9 | 209 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -35.7% | 31.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.3" | 45.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.4 min | 38.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.1 | 39.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.11 | 16.21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 26.5% | 33.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 41.9% | 49.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 76.1% | 67.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Hempstead
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake, hurricane.
Yonkers
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Hempstead, NY · Yonkers, NY · How this is calculated: methodology