F
35%
Overall NAT. AVG.
20%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
79%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Hempstead New York National
Cost of living135118100
Goods & Services120108100
Groceries108102100
Health care130111100
Housing179144100
Transportation100107100
Utilities129101100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in Hempstead, NY

Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Hempstead? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Hempstead stands at 135, making it 35% higher than the national average. The cost of living directly affects the affordability of one's desired lifestyle. Knowing the cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other essentials in the new area allows people to gauge whether they can maintain their preferred standard of living.

If affordability is among your top priorities when searching for a new place to live, this area may not be the ideal fit, as the cost of living in Hempstead is among the most expensive in the United States. Just a minority of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Hempstead falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.

Housing costs are a major factor in the Hempstead cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 79.5% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.

Goods and services make up 33% of the total cost of living index score and are a large part of your everyday expenses. These items could include things like haircuts, salons, toothpaste, shampoo, clothes, movies, bowling, gym memberships or yoga. In Hempstead, you can expect to pay 19.6% more than average for these items, making it a more expensive place to live.

Is Hempstead Affordable?

Is Hempstead an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Hempstead, the median home price is 88.8% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 57.8% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Hempstead come in at $103,495, which is 27.2% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Hempstead?

Transportation: In situations where public transportation is limited or nonexistent, local residents may be required to own and maintain their own vehicles, contributing to an elevated cost of living. Monthly expenditures may encompass fuel costs, insurance premiums, routine vehicle upkeep and possibly lease or financing payments. In Hempstead, the transportation index is 0.3% lower than the national average.

Healthcare: Healthcare expenditures and insurance premium rates can vary significantly, contingent upon the particular city or state. Factors such as the accessibility of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs, and expenses related to specialized medical care can all have an impact on the overall cost of living. In Hempstead, healthcare costs are 29.7% higher than the national average.

Subsidies: Certain cities or states may implement government subsidies or assistance programs with the goal of alleviating the cost of living pressures on their residents. These programs encompass a broad spectrum of support mechanisms, including Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and farming subsidies. Areas offering fewer subsidies may experience a rise in their cost of living.

Where is the Data From?

The Hempstead cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. Published on a quarterly basis, it compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services. These items have been meticulously selected to represent various consumer expenditure categories, in 6 categories. Weightings assigned to cost differentials draw from government survey data tracking spending patterns among professional and executive households. While the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes incorporates tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Hempstead is 15% higher than the New York average
  • The cost of living in Hempstead is 35% higher than the national average
  • Hempstead housing is 79% higher than the national average
  • New York general sales tax is 22% lower than the national average
  • New York state income tax is 54% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Hempstead

See all the best places to live around Hempstead

Compare Hempstead, NY Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$169,301$14,108$3,950$5,080
      Renters$60,717$5,060$1,417$1,822
      A good indicator of the general affordability of housing in Hempstead, NY, is the percentage of monthly income that should be spent on housing expenses, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Generally speaking, no more than 28 percent of your total gross income should be spent on your housing expenses and not more than 36 percent of your gross income on total expenses, including debts. In Hempstead, the median monthly income is $169,301 for those who own their own homes. Under the standard rule, that income level would allow for $3,950 to be budgeted for housing expenses each month, at the most. Renters, on the other hand, earn about $60,717, per the median income in the area. That would allow for renters to spend up to $1,417 on monthly rental expenses.

      New York Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      New York 4% 8.875%

      New York Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      New York 4% 10.9%

      Goods & Services

      Item Hempstead National avg. Difference
      Haircut $35.58$27.6228.8%
      Beauty Salon $77.98$51.1152.6%
      Toothpaste $3.98$4.092.8%
      Shampoo $1.75$1.5413.5%
      Movie $18.17$12.8841.1%
      Yoga $32.45$19.6665.0%

      Groceries

      Item Hempstead National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $7.15$7.707.2%
      Fried Chicken $1.54$1.667.4%
      Milk $5.20$4.739.9%
      Potatoes $5.64$5.267.3%
      Pizza $13.65$12.767.0%
      Beer $10.84$10.552.8%

      Health Care

      Item Hempstead National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $173.75$140.0624.1%
      Doctor $292.23$153.8290.0%
      Dentist $142.76$123.1515.9%
      Ibuprofen $12.11$11.733.2%
      Lipitor $21.15$23.6110.4%

      Housing

      Item Hempstead National avg. Difference
      Home Price $616,558.00$326,622.0088.8%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $5,693.50$2,480.25129.6%
      Apartment Rent $2,279.00$1,444.0057.8%

      Transportation

      Item Hempstead National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.03$3.060.8%
      Tire Balancing $65.87$65.211.0%

      Utilities

      Item Hempstead National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $319.28$220.1245.0%
      Phone $201.32$195.712.9%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Wyandanch, NY11,92513030.2%
      North Lindenhurst, NY11,09613635.9%
      Copiague, NY23,90113636.4%
      Roslyn, NY2,99813737.1%
      Mount Vernon, NY69,13013737.5%
      Hempstead, NY56,90813535.5%

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      Welland, ON56,929n/a 
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      Apex, NC57,03712120.9%
      Lakewood, NJ57,09814645.6%
      Kettering, OH57,103964.4%
      Hempstead, NY56,90813535.5%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.