Country United States County Nassau FIPS code 36-46668 Elevation 4 m Zip code 11566 Area code Area code 516 | State New York Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) GNIS feature ID 0956989 Area 13.5 km² Population 22,097 (2010) | |
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Merrick is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the CDP population was 22,097. The name Merrick is taken from Meroke, the name (meaning peaceful) of the Algonquian tribe formerly indigenous to the area. It is served by the Merrick station on the Long Island Rail Road.
Contents
Map of Merrick, NY, USA
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 5.2 square miles (13 km2), of which 4.2 square miles (11 km2) is land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2), or 19.27%, is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,764 people, 7,524 households, and 6,478 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 5,423.3 per square mile (2,092.7/km²). There were 7,602 housing units at an average density of 1,811.1/sq mi (698.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.2% White, 1.0% African American, 0.10% Native American, 2.24% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.94% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.70% of the population.
There were 7,524 households out of which 42.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.0% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.9% were non-families. 11.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the CDP, the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $93,132, and the median income for a family was $99,589. (According to a 2007 estimate, these values had risen to $111,536 and $122,319 respectively.) Males had a median income of $79,607 versus $41,618 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $26,334. About 2.0% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
History
When Europeans arrived, the place was called "Meroke" all along the South Shore of what is now Nassau County. After Sachem Tackapousha signed a treaty with Merrick's first colonists in 1643, Puritans who fled England started settling there. During the colonial period, Merrick became a trading center because vessels could enter Jones Inlet and sail up deep channels to docks beside what is now Merrick Road. During the War of 1812 these channels, canals and coves made Merrick a haven for buccaneers who preyed on merchants. Pirates in whaleboats once robbed prominent landowner George Hewlett and two friends while they were duck hunting, ripping the silver buttons from their coats. At one point, residents armed with muskets captured one bandit leader and shipped him to New York in irons for trial.
Merrick as Mecca: During a surge of religious activity in the 1860s, Methodists from around the state congregated in Merrick annually. In the beginning, horses and buggies were pulled into two circles around an open field for 10 days of services. The camp normally attracted about 300 worshipers, but some meetings were attended by up to 10,000. Circular streets, such as Fletcher and Wesley Avenues, lined with small cottages that developed around the campground, remain today in the North Merrick neighborhood called the Campgrounds or Tiny Town by residents.
Turning Points: The construction of the South Shore Rail Road, predecessor of the Long Island Rail Road, through Merrick in the late 1880s began a period of development. The boom in population and growth after World War II gradually led to Merrick and North Merrick developing distinct identities and separate school districts.
Schools
The schools in Merrick and North Merrick make up the Merrick and North Merrick School Districts, as well as part of the Bellmore–Merrick Central High School District (BMCHSD). Below are the schools, their grade levels, and the towns that attend them.