Bethpage

Bethpage, located in central-eastern Nassau County, is a hamlet in the Town of Oyster Bay. It is home to almost 17,000 residents. The town was named for the biblical town of Bethphage. It was part of the 1695 Bethpage Purchase, which included parts of modern day Farmingdale, Plainedge and Plainview.

Bethpage is centrally located with several main roads. Hempstead Turnpike, referred to as the Hempstead-Bethpage Turnpike, forms the town’s southern border. The Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway travels along the eastern edge of the town, providing access to Nassau’s other major highways. It has its own Long Island Rail Road station, with travel time to Penn Station averaging 45 to 50 minutes.

The majority of students who reside in Bethpage attend school in the Bethpage district, though a small number attend the Island Trees or Plainedge districts. The district’s 3000 students generally perform well on New York State’s standardized exams, which are one of the primary measures of school district quality. Most of the elementary and middle school level students met standards. Qualified middle school students also get the opportunity to take high school level Regents courses, with a 100% pass rate in 2011. Perfect passing rates were also achieved at the high school level in French, English, U.S. History and Government, and Living Environment. Overall, Regents passing rates were excellent in all subjects. The school offers 14 Advanced Placement Classes, which allow students to begin earning college credits. The 2011 graduation rate was 99%, with 95% heading to two-year or four-year colleges.

The Town of Oyster Bay has about 150 parks for its residents. Closer to home, residents can use the Bethpage Community Park, which occupies 19 acres. The park offers a pool, a playground, a skating rink, and a café, as well as tennis and basketball courts. In 1932, President Roosevelt’s New Deal led to the development of Bethpage State Park, a 1,472 acre property with picnic and recreation areas. However, it’s best known for its golf, and in 2002 and 2009 it hosted the U.S. Open Golf Championships. Massapequa, which is south of Bethpage, is home to Tobay Beach, a small residents-only beach on the Atlantic. Jones Beach State Park is also a short drive away.

Grumman Aerospace, which was based in Bethpage and built military and civilian aircraft and spacecraft, was one of Long Island’s major employers for several decades. The company maintains only minor operations in the area, and most of its former property has become a corporate park. Some of its tenants include Cablevision, Briarcliff College, Goya Foods and Verizon. Grocery chain King Kullen is also based in Bethpage.

Home prices vary. Affordable homes exist, but most of the cheaper ones need work. . Like much of Nassau County, the population grew after the war and most of the town’s housing stock is from the Fifties. However, older and newer homes are available. There are some condominiums and co-ops, though they tend to be located in the parts of town within the Island Trees and Plainedge school districts, which are both very good.