Levittown, New York
Levittown is a hamlet (and census-designated place) located in Nassau County, New York. As of the 2000 census, the community had a total population of 53,067.
Levittown gets its name from William Levitt, who created the community as a planned suburban community in the late 1940s. William Levitt is considered the father of modern suburbia, and Levittown being his first community, it is considered by many to be the first modern, postwar American suburb.
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Use
Because it was the first modern American suburb and acquired such prominence in American suburban design, "A Levittown" is also used as a derogatory term to describe suburban areas that appear overly-sanitized and constituted largely of tract housing--in other words, geographic areas that lack the apparent culture and vitality of an urban area. Later popular culture unease about the impact of these "Levittowns" on American cultural life would give rise to the idea of a damaging 'suburbia'. The label is also used to denote a racially and culturally homogenous region, from Levittown's original edicts that no home be sold to people of color. As a result, the area was entirely white and Christian until the Federal Housing Act prohibitted such practices in 1967.
Geography
Levittown is located at 40°43'28" North, 73°30'40" West (40.724468, -73.511191)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the community has a total area of 17.8 km² (6.9 mi²). 17.8 km² (6.9 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 53,067 people, 17,207 households, and 14,109 families residing in the community. The population density is 2,978.1/km² (7,717.5/mi²). There are 17,410 housing units at an average density of 977.0/km² (2,531.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the area is 94.15% White, 0.50% African American, 0.07% Native American, 2.85% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.27% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. 6.79% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 17,207 households out of which 37.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.9% are married couples living together, 11.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 18.0% are non-families. 14.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.08 and the average family size is 3.40.
In the community the population is spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.4 males.
The median income for a household in the community is $69,923, and the median income for a family is $73,851. Males have a median income of $50,603 versus $35,962 for females. The per capita income for the CDP is $25,917. 2.9% of the population and 2.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 3.6% of those under the age of 18 and 1.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Levittown is the childhood home of Maureen Tucker, the drummer for the Velvet Underground, Bill Griffith the cartoonist who draws Zippy the Pinhead, and Eddie Money, the Rock Superstar. Television Political Commentator Bill O'Reilly grew up in a section of Levittown that has since been annexed by the community of Westbury, New York, and Billy Joel grew up in a section of Levittown that has since been annexed by the community of Hicksville, New York.
Education
Levittown is served by two public school districts, the Island Trees School District, which serves the Eastern third of the hamlet, as well as portions of adjacent Seaford and Bethpage. The School District dates from 1902 and is served by:
Island Trees High School Richard Segerdahl Middle School at the Memorial Building Michael F Stokes Elementary School, the adjacent J Fred Sparke Elementary School, and Early Childhood Center at the Geneva Gallow School
The Island Trees School District came to notoriety in the Supreme Court verdict on Pico V Island Trees regarding book bannings.
The other two thirds of the hamlet, as well as large portions of adjacent Wantagh and Seaford is served by the Levittown School District, which dates back to the 1800's, originally called the Jerusalem School District of the Town of Hempstead. It is served by:
Two High Schools Levittown Division Avenue High School General Douglas MacArthur High School Two Middle Schools Wisdom Lane Middle School Jonas Salk Middle School Six Elementary Schools Abbey Lane Elementary School East Broadway Elementary School Gardiners Avenue Elementary School Lee Road Elementary Northside Elementary Summit Lane Elementary Alternative Schools Levittown Memorial Education Center
A small portion of Levittown, East of the Wantagh Parkway, is served by the East Meadow School District's northern section, with Schools in Westbury, New York.
Private Schools
Maria Montessori Elementary at Laurel Lane School Saint Bernard's Parish School South Shore Christian School Nassau BOCES Elementary at Seaman's Neck School
Higher Learning
New York Chiropractor's College
External links
Categories: Nassau County, New York | Census-designated places in New York