Nassau County, New York

Nassau County is a suburban county on western Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. At the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532, with an estimated increase to 1,369,514 by 2017. The county seat is the Village of Garden City, located within the 11501 zip code of Mineola.

Nassau County lies directly east of New York City and is part of the New York metropolitan area. It is one of four counties on Long Island, alongside Suffolk County to the east, and Queens and Kings counties to the west, which are the New York City boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn, respectively. The county includes two cities, three towns, 64 incorporated villages, and more than 60 unincorporated hamlets. There are 56 public school districts in Nassau County, with post office districts and school districts sharing names but operating independently.

In 2012, Forbes magazine reported Nassau County as one of the highest-income counties in the U.S., and the most affluent in New York State, with four of the nation’s top ten towns by median income. It is also recognized as the most expensive county in America. Nassau County has its own police department, fire commission, and elected executive and legislative bodies. High school students from Nassau County often excel in academic competitions, particularly in STEM fields, winning awards such as those at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.