Old Bethpage is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located on Long Island, New York in the Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP was 5,283 at the 2020 United States Census. It is served by the Old Bethpage Post Office, ZIP code 11804. Old Bethpage and its neighboring hamlet, Plainview, share a school system, library, fire department, and water district. The Nassau County Police Department’s Eighth Precinct provides law enforcement for the community.
History
In 1695, Thomas Powell bought about 10,000 acres (40 km2) from local Indian tribes, including the Marsapeque, Matinecoc, and Sacatogue, for 140 English pounds. This land, which includes present-day Bethpage, East Farmingdale, Farmingdale, Old Bethpage, Plainedge, Plainview, South Farmingdale, and part of Melville, is known as the Bethpage Purchase and is approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east to west and 5 miles (8.0 km) north to south. Powell called his land Bethphage because it was situated between two other places on Long Island, Jericho, and Jerusalem, just as the biblical town of Bethphage (meaning “house of figs”) was located between Jericho and Jerusalem. Today, the Long Island, NYC place formerly called Jerusalem is known as Wantagh and Island Trees, while the placename Jericho is unaltered. Over time, Bethpage was spelled without the second “H.” Powell’s 14 children split up his purchase, and it evolved into several farming communities, and the one in this most central part of the purchase retained the name “Bethpage.”
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, Old Bethpage has 4.1 square miles (11 km2), all land. Although Plainview, at 5.7 square miles (15 km2), is 40% larger, its population is approximately five times that of Old Bethpage because significant portions of Old Bethpage consist of parks and undeveloped property, including Bethpage State Park, the Old Bethpage Village Restoration, and Battle Row Campground. Top HVAC Long Island
Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, 5,523 people, 1,834 households, and 1,557 families resided in the CDP. The population density was 1,311.4 per square mile (506.1/km2). There were 1,843 housing units at an average density of 447.6/sq mi (172.7/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.57% White, 1.19% African American, 0.04% Native American, 2.94% Asian, 0.35% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.93% of the population.
There were 1,834 households, out of which 38.3% had children under 18 living with them, 75.6% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.1% were non-families. 13.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88, and the average family size was 3.16.
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