North Shore villages see population increase

Janelle Clausen

Several villages on the North Shore were among the top 10 villages in population increase on Long Island from 2015 to 2016, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau suggests.

North Hills, Great Neck Plaza, Mineola, Roslyn, Kings Point and East Hills saw population increases ranging from 35 to 272 people. All together this is a 528-person increase, which accounts for nearly a third of Nassau County’s 1,798 population increase, as well as more than half of Long Island’s total village population increase of 962.

North Hills saw the second-largest increase with 272 people. This translates to a nearly 5 percent rise. No other Long Island village went up more than 2 percent. Most other villages saw changes limited to double or single digits.

North Hills Mayor Marvin Natiss attributed the jump to the new Ritz-Carlton Residences, a set of luxury apartments. In phase one of the plan, Natiss said, 124 units were built. Phase two involved 120 units.

“It’s a beautiful new community with all of the Ritz-Carlton amenities,” Natiss said.

Great Neck Plaza ranked fourth, seeing its population surpass 7,000 after gaining 75 residents. This is a 1.1 percent increase.

Mayor Jean Celender noted that Great Neck Plaza is considered an AARP livable community, meaning it is friendly for seniors, and that it is among the top villages on Long Island for walkability. She also said the general population increase might have to do with an increase in housing unit size, the opening of Maestro luxury housing in 2012 and assisted living communities.

“It’s an easy lifestyle to live here if they’re downsizing from a house on the peninsula,” Celender said. “You see a lot of people that come into the Plaza from outlying peninsula villages.”

Mineola was fifth, with its population rising from 19,172 to 19,245,  an increase of 73 people, or 0.4 percent.

Roslyn’s population rose by 37 people, from 2,819 to 2,856, or 1.3 percent. It ranked number seven.

Kings Point’s population increased by 36 people, from 5,177 to 5,213, which is a 0.7 percent increase. East Hills rose similarly from 7,138 to 7,173, by 35 people, or 0.5 percent.

One village in the area, Floral Park, was among the 10 villages losing the most people. Its population decreased by 20, from 15,971 to 15,951, a drop of about 0.1 percent.

The largest decrease belonged to Suffolk County’s Lindenhurst village, which saw its population drop 141 people, from 27,215 to 27,074, or about half a percentage point.

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