Hewlett

Hewlett is a hamlet in the Town of Hempstead, located in southwestern Nassau County. Its name comes from an early family who settled in the area in the mid-1600s. Approximately 7,000 people reside here.

Despite its official designation as a hamlet and not a town, Hewlett is one of the “Five Towns,” an informal organization of hamlets and villages. Inwood, Cedarhurst, Lawrence and Woodmere are the other four parts major of the area. There are addition areas within “The Hewletts”- Hewlett Bay Park, which is not a park, Hewlett Manor and Hewlett Neck.

The hamlet, or town as it’s more commonly called, is oddly shaped and not convenient to any highways. Hewlett has its own LIRR station, but some residents may find it more convenient to commute from Gibson or Lynbrook.

Hewlett, like most of the Five Towns, has a high Jewish population, and many of the students attend yeshivas. Public school students attend the Hewlett-Woodmere public schools, which has a student population of 3,400. The district, with one early childhood center, two elementary schools, a middle school and a high school, performs solidly on state exams. Depending on subject and grade, between 2% and 6% fail to meet standards at the elementary and middle school level. Performance at the high school level is very strong, with passing rates above 90% on all Regents exams. Some parts of Hewlett are part of Lynbrook’s school district, which is also well-regarded.

Most of the area’s shopping is located along Peninsula Boulevard and Broadway. Well-known chains, like Loehmann’s and CVS, are present, as well as smaller, independently owned shops. A number of store owners close early on Friday and remain closed on Saturday in observation of the Sabbath.

Its inclusion in the Town of Hempstead gives residents access to over 90 parks, including nearby beaches. Grant Park, in the eastern part of Hewlett, is a county-run park on 35 acres. It includes new fields for baseball and softball, tennis and basketball courts, and a playground. Fishing is allowed in the park’s pond.

Homes can be found at many prices, with limited inventory in the low-$300,000 range. Like nearly all of Nassau County, property taxes are very high. There are a handful of condominium and co-op options available.