Located in Nassau County, Port Washington is known as a hamlet, another term for an unincorporated village in the Cow Neck Peninsula in North Hempstead, New York. According to the United States Census Bureau, the area comprises 5.6 square miles, of which 1.4 square miles is made of water and 4.2 square miles is made of land. This shoal or deposit of land is bordered by Manhasset Bay on the Western side and Hempstead Harbor on the East.

The Greater Port Washington area consists of four separate incorporated villages, which include:

• Baxter Estates
• Manorhaven
• Port Washington North
• Sands Point

In addition, this area also includes a portion of Flower Hill, which is also split between Greater Manhasset and Greater Roslyn.

With hot summers, the area is classified as a humid continental climate with average monthly temperatures ranging from an average low of 27°F in January to an average high of 83°F in July. It actually borders on a humid subtropical climate like the Southern United States and such far-off regions as parts of South America, Southern Africa, and Asia!

The 2020 census count was tallied at 16,753, a slight increase from the 2010 count of 15,846. Most of the region’s population is of Caucasian descent, at 77.6%, followed by those of Hispanic or Latino descent, estimated at 13.1%. Asians comprise approximately 12% of the population, while those reported to be mixed race comprise 2.8%, with African Americans constituting 1.3%.

It is a relatively young community, with the largest age group (26.9%) being those under 18, whereas 20.2% of the population is 65 or older.

Four hundred ninety-three veterans are also proud to call Port Washington, NY, home.

A 2017-2021 survey revealed that the Port Washington median household income was approximately $156,214, with the per capita income at about $80,070. The poverty rate is estimated to be 5.4%

Like much of the Northeastern United States, the Port Washington area was initially settled by colonists in the 1600s following a land purchase from the Matinecock Nation. 

By the 1870s, the Port Washington area had been established as a salt mining town, boasting the largest shoal, or deposit of sand, West of the Mississippi. With its proximity and easy barge access to Manhattan, it became instrumental in developing the region.  It is estimated that over 140 million cubic yards of local Port Washington sand were used to supply building materials for New York City skyscrapers!

Raw materials from the area would also be used for building the world-renowned New York City Subway and more.

In 1930, Port Washington attempted to become an incorporated city, which would have designated the same boundaries as the Port Washington Union Free School District’s, less Sands Point, which had already incorporated itself as a separate village. Unfortunately, the plan failed to go through because some nearby villages had previously incorporated themselves as villages, thereby retaining home rule. Those included Baxter Estates, Flower Hill, and Manorhaven. 

As the Manhasset Bay’s waters were ideally suited for flying boat operations, Port Washington served as New York’s designated base for them. Some included the Yankee Clipper Boeing B-314 flying boats with far-reaching destinations to London, Southampton (UK), the Azores, and Bermuda.

Did you know… 

According to statistics compiled by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), home heating oil is used by approximately 5.3 million homes nationwide. That’s over double the population of Chicago…and over half of the population of New York City!

Further, did you know that homes and businesses consumed over 85% of all home heating oil in the Northeastern states? Given the region’s cold, wintery temperatures and abundance of historic homes, it’s no wonder everyone is cranking up their home heating oil furnaces!

It is estimated that the following percentages of households in the Northeastern states used home heating oil.

• Pennsylvania:  16%
• New York: 19%
• Massachusetts: 24%
• Rhode Island: 29%
• Connecticut: 39% 
• Vermont: 40%
• New Hampshire: 43%
• Maine: 59%

Although 19% of New York State homeowners rely on heating oil delivery, it leads the pack in overall fuel oil usage due to its large population. That’s right; our densely-populated state takes the cake! 

Before home heating oil furnaces were introduced in the 1930s, homes were heated with coal. It caught wildfire, so to speak, and quickly became a common heat source because of its ease of use and efficiency of burning. In fact, it is estimated that 40% of Nassau County’s 450,000 households heat their homes with home heating oil. While more modern energy sources are now in use, the Northeast still largely relies on traditional heating oil due to the region’s historical architecture and low winter temperatures. Heating oil suppliers in Nassau County can also attest that home heating oil furnaces are hardly a thing of the past. Not only are they a safe energy source, but heating oil delivery is also as popular as ever!

Curious about searching for heating oil prices by zip code? Try out our accessible online marketplace now. Find out Port Washington, NY’s home heating oil prices today, and schedule your easy heating oil delivery!