Floral Park is an incorporated village located in western Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 16,172 at the time of the 2020 census.
Floral Park is at the western border of Nassau County, mainly in the Town of Hempstead, while the section north of Jericho Turnpike (NY 25) is within the Town of North Hempstead. The area was formerly known as East Hinsdale.
The neighborhood of Floral Park in the New York City borough of Queens is adjacent to – but not part of – the village.
History The area that is now Floral Park once marked the western edge of the great Hempstead Plains, and by some reports was initially known as Plainfield., "The History of Floral Park". Retrieved 12/22/08. Farms and tiny villages dominated the area through the 1870s when the development of the Long Island Rail Road Hempstead Branch and Jericho Turnpike cut through the area. Hinsdale had more than two dozen flower farms after the Civil War."Floral Park: Planting seeds for its growth" , Newsday. Retrieved 12/30/07. The present-day village of Floral Park was once called East Hinsdale.Weidman, B.S. (1981) Nassau County, Long Island, in Early Photographs, 1869-1940. Courier Dover Publications, pg 49.
In 1874, John Lewis Childs arrived in the area to work for C.L. Allen as a seed seller. After building his own seed and bulb businessA Picture of the John Lewis Childs Seed Company Retrieved April 10, 2009. and starting America's first seed catalog business, Childs bought a great deal of land in the area. To promote his own business and the local horticultural industry, Childs named the local streets after flowers and renamed the area Floral Park. The expansion of the Floral Park Post Office and nearby village businesses are attributed solely to the success of Childs' business.Ross, P. (1903) History of Long Island: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, pg. 247.
When the local Post Office took the name Floral Park, the Long Island Rail Road followed suit by changing the name of the community's train station from East Hinsdale to Floral Park in 1888. Formerly part of Queens County, Floral Park became part of the newly formed Nassau County in 1899.Kellerman, Vivien. "If You're Thinking of Living In/Floral Park, L.I.; Next to Queens, a Touch of Nostalgia", The New York Times, February 8, 1998. Accessed November 23, 2025. "The history of Floral Park began in 1874, when 17-year-old John Lewis Childs came to the area, known as East Hinsdale.... As his business flourished, Childs brought land surrounding the post office, and called the new territory Floral Park, naming the streets and avenues for flowers and trees. In 1888, the railroad changed the name of its station to Floral Park. And in 1894, the County of Nassau was formed, and Floral Park became a part of it." It was subsequently incorporated as a village in 1908. Childs served as its first Village President starting that year.
By 1903, the village boasted more than of Childs' flower beds. The massive volume of his mail order business grew the local post office to such an extent that it drew comparisons with the post offices of Chicago, Baltimore, and Boston.Ross, P. (1903) History of Long Island: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, pg. 248.
In 1936, as the village continued to grow, Floral Park Village Hall was built, allowing the village to house its government in a centralized, efficient facility.
In 1960, as part of a grade-crossing elimination project executed by the New York Public Service Commission, the Long Island Rail Road was elevated through the village; the Floral Park station was rebuilt on an elevated viaduct as part of the project.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.
Portions of the northern and western village boundaries are the border with New York City.
The village also shares borders with the several Nassau County communities; the Village of Floral Park borders the Village of Bellerose and Bellerose Terrace to the northwest, the Incorporated Villages of New Hyde Park and Stewart Manor to the east, the Incorporated Village of South Floral Park to the south, and the unincorporated hamlet of Elmont to the southwest – in addition to the unincorporated hamlets of Floral Park Centre and North New Hyde Park to the northeast.
Drainage The Village of Floral Park is located within the Hook Creek Watershed, which – in turn – is located within the larger Long Island Sound/Atlantic Ocean Watershed.
Climate According to the Köppen climate classification, the Village of Floral Park has a Humid subtropical climate (type Cfa) with cool, wet winters and hot, humid summers. Precipitation is uniform throughout the year, with slight spring and fall peaks.Plant zone According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Village of Floral Park is located within hardiness zone 7b.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition +Floral Park village, New York – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010White alone (NH)14,29012,93811,49589.50%81.56%71.08%Black or African American alone (NH)591982620.37%1.25%1.62%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)710140.04%0.06%0.09%Asian alone (NH)6171,0861,8893.86%6.85%11.68%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)5330.03%0.02%0.02%Other Race alone (NH)3153820.19%0.33%0.51%Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)991843600.62%1.16%2.23%Hispanic or Latino (any race)8591,3912,0675.38%8.77%12.78%Total15,96715,68316,172100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 census As of the 2020 census, Floral Park had a population of 16,172. The median age was 43.4 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.3 males age 18 and over.
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 5,746 households in Floral Park, of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 61.0% were married-couple households, 12.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 5,961 housing units, of which 3.6% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.6%.
2010 census As of the 2010 census,United States Census the population was 87% White, 81.6% Non-Hispanic White, 1.3% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 6.9% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 2.6% from other races, and 2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.8% of the population.
2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 15,967 people, 5,770 households, and 4,258 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 5,892 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 93.56% White, 0.46% African American, 0.06% Native American, 3.88% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.03% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.38% of the population.
There were 5,770 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the village, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $113,719, and the median income for a family was $137,243. Males had a median income of $56,527 versus $38,592 for females. The per capita income for the village was $51,183. None of families or the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Housing The average and median sales prices of a home in the village as of 2011, were, respectively, $468,738 and $460,000."Floral Park Real Estate" , Market Report Retrieved 12/28/11.
The average Floral Park, NY home value is $885,445, up 5.6% over the past year. (Updated on 7/31/2026)
Education
The Village of Floral Park is located within the boundaries of (and is thus served by) the Floral Park–Bellerose Union Free School District and the Sewanhaka Central High School District.
Two high schools are located in Floral Park: Floral Park Memorial High School and Sewanhaka High School, both of which are part of the Sewanhaka Central High School District (which also includes schools in nearby New Hyde Park, Franklin Square and Elmont).
There are three elementary schools in Floral Park. Two of them – the John Lewis Childs School and the Floral Park–Bellerose School – are part of the Floral Park–Bellerose Union Free School District (the latter school also serves the neighboring village of Bellerose and Bellerose Terrace).
Furthermore, Our Lady of Victory Elementary School is operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre, Our Lady of Victory parish.
Emergency services The Village of Floral Park has its own Police Department, which is made up of an Operations and Administration division.
The Floral Park Police Department provides service to all residents within the boundaries of the Village of Floral Park. The Village also has a volunteer fire department, made up of three Engine Companies (Alert Engine Co. #1, Reliance Engine Co. #2, Active Engine Co. #3), a Hook & Ladder Company, and a Rescue (Emergency Medical Services) Company.
Notable people
Benedetto Aloi (1935–2011), consigliere of Colombo crime family, New York City mobsterRenner, Tom. "Colombo Gang Is Big-Time, but...", Newsday, February 28, 1969. Accessed November 23, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "The family members and associates on Long Island include: Benedetto (Benny) Aloi-Family soldier, 32; 135 Beech St., Floral Park. Activities: policy, shylocking." Craig Carnelia (born 1949), musical theater composer and singer, known for his collaboration on the musicals Working and Sweet Smell of SuccessKlein, Alvin. "A Musical Partnership Forged on L.I.", The New York Times, June 24, 1990. Accessed November 23, 2025. "Craig Carnelia, a songwriter and performer, says he often invents reasons for going back to Floral Park. He wants to recapture fond feelings for his hometown. Then he drives past the house on Primrose Avenue where he grew up, and he remembers unhappy times." John Lewis Childs (1856–1921), horticulturist and politician; founding father of the Village of Floral Park Alex Cord (1933–2021), actorGelmis, Joseph. "Alex Cord Fits the Mold Cast by His Press Agent", Newsday, April 26, 1965. Accessed November 23, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "Born Alex Viespi 31 years ago in Floral Park (his parents still live there), he exercised his way out of a wheel chair after a childhood attack of polio." Diana Diamond (born 1937), newspaper editor William Diard (1924–2009), opera singer Steve Falteisek (born 1972), former Major League Baseball pitcher, who was drafted in the tenth round of the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft by the Montreal Expos