Mineola

Mineola is an incorporated village in the Town of North Hempstead, home to 19,000 residents. It’s also Nassau County’s seat, home to several administrative and government offices and agencies. The county seat designation was granted to Mineola in 1898, and the village was incorporated in 1906. The name “Mineola” is derived from a Native American word for “pleasant place.”

Jericho Turnpike is Mineola’s main east-west road, and Old Country Road forms its southern border with Garden City. Despite the presence of these two heavily traveled roads, a quieter village feel exists along Mineola Boulevard and its other secondary roads. Its residential streets are quiet and lined with well-kept homes. Public transportation is abundant, with multiple bus routes and the LIRR station in Mineola. Approximately 10,000 passengers a day board the train at this station to make the approximately 40-minute ride to Manhattan. The Meadowbrook and Northern State Parkways are well-located for car commuters.

There is a lot to do in and around Mineola. The recreation department operates a community pool with free resident shuttle service. Memorial Park features a gazebo and memorials to area war veterans, residents lost on September 11 and victims of the December 1993 LIRR shooting. Wilson Park has a lighted roller rink, playing fields and recreation equipment. Jones Beach State Park is a short ride down the Meadowbrook Parkway. Its inclusion in the Town of North Hempstead allows residents to take advantage of parks and cultural activities beyond Mineola.

Shoppers have plenty of options as well. Roosevelt Field Mall and additional shopping in neighboring Westbury provide enough variety for recreational shoppers. Numerous restaurants line the main streets. Portuguese cuisine is popular, owning to the village’s large number of residents from Portugal.

The Mineola School District, whose borders overlap slightly into neighboring towns, educates 2,500 students. There are three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. The high school graduation rate is 97.8%. Both the middle school and high school offer a large selection of extracurricular clubs and sports teams.

Single-family homes comprise the bulk of Mineola’s real estate inventory. Many of the houses were built during the 1920s and 1930s, but like much of Nassau County, it was impacted by the post-war building boom of the 1950s. Prices vary widely, but have come down significantly in recent years. Co-ops and condominiums are plentiful and popular with first-time buyers, who often remain in Mineola and later upgrade to houses.