The top 55+ active adult communities on Long Island in 2026 are Meadowbrook Pointe in Westbury, Country Pointe Plainview, The Greens at Half Hollow in Melville, HarborView in Port Washington, and Meadowbrook Pointe East Meadow. Each offers luxury condo or townhome living with resort-style amenities, and the right fit depends on your lifestyle preferences, proximity to family, budget, and whether you're buying new construction or resale.
By Eric Berman | June 1, 2026
If you're over 55 and still maintaining a house that was built for a family that doesn't live there anymore, you have more options on Long Island than you probably realize. And if you're the son or daughter trying to figure out where mom and dad should go next — while staying close enough to visit — this guide is for you too.
I'm Eric Berman, a licensed real estate agent with Compass and a Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES). A huge part of my business is helping homeowners sell the family home and transition into their next chapter. I recently broke down the top five 55+ communities on Long Island in a video — here's the full guide with everything you need to compare them.
First, let's clear something up. A 55+ community — sometimes called an active adult community — is not a nursing home. It's not assisted living. It's not a retirement home in the way your parents would have used that term. These are luxury condominium and townhouse communities built specifically for adults over 55 who want to downsize from a bigger home without giving up quality. Think resort-style living: pools, fitness centers, tennis, golf, restaurants, clubhouses with concierge service. You give up the big house with the big yard. You get back your time. Watch Eric explain this at 1:15.
Now let's talk about where to actually do it.
The five best 55+ communities on Long Island
Meadowbrook Pointe, Westbury — This is the gold standard. Located at 1100 Corporate Drive in Westbury, right off the Meadowbrook Parkway, it was developed by Beachwood Homes and has 720 units across a mix of attached and detached luxury condos and townhomes. The clubhouse alone is 30,000 square feet — indoor and outdoor pools, a sports lounge with a bar, 24-hour manned gatehouse, and roving security. It's a resort.
Here's something most people don't know: Meadowbrook Pointe got permission from the Town of Hempstead to lower the age limit so that up to 20% of homeowners can be as young as 48 — the catch is they can't have school-age children living with them. So if you're an empty nester in your late 40s who's done with the big house, this is one of the few communities on the island that lets you in early. Watch the full Meadowbrook Pointe breakdown at 3:00.
Country Pointe Plainview — Another Beachwood development. If Meadowbrook Pointe is the resort, Country Pointe is the boutique hotel. Built on the former Grumman land in Plainview, this community has 660 homes with a state-of-the-art fitness center, spa, cafe, tennis, bocce ball courts, and walking trails that connect to Trail View State Park.
The standout feature: the development has its own retail plaza right next door — the Shops at Country Pointe — with ShopRite, restaurants, and other national retailers, all within walking distance. Beachwood announced in early 2024 that all 660 homes have been sold, so you're looking at the resale market. Original prices ranged from $650,000 to $1.9 million. This is the right fit if you want new construction quality, a residential feel, and built-in walkability to shops. See the full Country Pointe comparison at 5:15.
The Greens at Half Hollow, Melville — Crossing into Suffolk County, the most established 55+ community in the area is The Greens. Located at One Altessa Boulevard in Melville, right off Exit 50 of the LIE, this community opened in 2003. It's not new construction, but it's been refined and matured into one of the most sought-after addresses in Suffolk County for active adults.
There are approximately 1,200 homes across condos, townhouses, and villas set on 400 rolling acres. The signature feature is an 18-hole executive golf course, plus a 30,000 square foot clubhouse, full fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis, pickleball, bocce, and walking trails — all behind two security gates with 24-hour monitoring. The Greens is the move if you want a spread-out, country club feel with mature landscaping versus the brand-new resort vibe of the Beachwood developments. It's also a great option if your adult kids are in central or eastern Suffolk — the location sits right between the LIE and Northern State. Watch the full breakdown at 7:15.
If you're thinking about downsizing from a single-family home on Long Island, Eric Berman and his team at Compass Greater NY specialize in helping seniors and their families sequence the transition. Reach out at eric@ericbermanre.com, call 917-225-8596, or visit theericbermanteam.com.
HarborView, Port Washington — If you want to stay on the North Shore with water access, this is the one. Located at 2 Fairway Drive in Port Washington, directly across from Harbor Links Golf Course, HarborView is one of the most premium 55+ communities on the island — and the biggest selling point is pure location.
Down the street from Whole Foods. A few minutes from Main Street in Port Washington with all its shops, restaurants, and the movie theater. St. Francis Hospital is less than a mile away. Harbor Links Golf Course is directly across the street. And for seniors who want to stay close to New York City, the Long Island Railroad runs directly into Port Washington from Penn Station — your kids and grandkids can be there in 35 minutes from Manhattan.
Inside, there are about 230 luxury attached townhomes and condos with a clubhouse, fitness center, outdoor pool, and social rooms. The HOA is known for being well-run with active community events. Prices on resale are premium — it's Port Washington, it's North Shore, and that's reflected in the pricing. This is the right community for someone who wants walkability, proximity to NYC, hospital access, and a quieter North Shore vibe without the footprint of a mega community. Watch the HarborView section at 9:15.
Meadowbrook Pointe East Meadow — Don't confuse this with the original Meadowbrook Pointe in Westbury. This is a newer, smaller Beachwood community in East Meadow, and it's 62 and over — slightly older-skewing than the standard 55+. There are 104 luxury attached villas planned at full buildout, with construction starting in 2019 and still ongoing. Homes range from 961 to 2,284 square feet with brand-new construction, open floor plans, high ceilings, and granite or quartz counters.
The clubhouse is more modest — about 1,200 square feet with a fitness center, bar, lounge, and meeting space, plus an outdoor heated pool, patio, and gazebo. The reason this one makes the list is location: it's close to Nassau University Medical Center, St. Joseph Hospital, and major medical offices. For anyone whose health access is a top priority, this community puts you within minutes of major care. It's also a more affordable entry point into a Beachwood-built community compared to Westbury or Plainview. See the East Meadow breakdown at 11:00.
What to think about before you choose
What's the real lifestyle you need? A community with a 30,000-square-foot clubhouse and a golf course is a different daily reality than a 100-home community with a modest clubhouse and a pool. Some people want the resort. Some people want quiet. Both are valid — they're just not the same.
Proximity to family. If your kids are in Manhattan, a community with easy LIRR access matters more than the amenities. If your kids are in central Suffolk, being in Plainview or Melville makes more sense than Port Washington. Map out where the people you love actually live before you fall in love with a clubhouse.
The real costs. HOA fees, common charges, special assessments — the purchase price is just the beginning. Make sure you understand the full monthly cost before you commit. If you're wondering how a long-held home sale affects your tax situation, you'll want to understand how capital gains tax works on a long-held Long Island home.
Is the community sold out or still building? Sold out means resale only, which means timing matters. A unit you love today might not be on the market tomorrow, and waiting six months for the right floor plan is a real possibility at Meadowbrook Pointe, Country Pointe, and HarborView.
Sell the house first or buy the new one first? This is probably the single biggest practical question for downsizing seniors. Selling before you have somewhere to land can leave you scrambling. Buying first can leave you carrying two mortgages. There are ways to sequence this properly, and that's where working with an agent who specializes in senior transitions makes the biggest difference. Most agents don't think about the sequencing problem — they just want the listing. But the order of operations can make or break the experience, financially and emotionally. Watch Eric explain the timing question at 12:30.
If you're weighing whether it even makes sense to move versus staying put, you might also want to read whether a Long Island senior should age in place or sell.
A word to the adult children
If you're the son or daughter watching this, let me say something directly to you.
The hardest part of this conversation isn't finding the right community. It's having the conversation in the first place. Most parents do not want to be told it's time to leave the house that they raised you in. That house has 30, 40, sometimes 50 years of memories stored inside of it.
Approach it patiently. Approach it as a partnership. The communities I just walked you through are not a step down — they're a different chapter. Active, social, lower maintenance, and often more enjoyable than rattling around in a four-bedroom house alone. When you frame it that way, the conversation goes a lot better.
Long Island has more 55+ communities than I could cover in a single post. The ones here — Meadowbrook Pointe in Westbury, Country Pointe Plainview, The Greens at Half Hollow in Melville, HarborView in Port Washington, and Meadowbrook Pointe East Meadow — are the names that come up over and over at the highest end of the active adult market. But the right one for you or your parent depends on lifestyle, location, family, and timing.
If you're thinking about making a move — for yourself or with a parent — I'll walk you through the options, help you figure out what the family home is worth today, and make sure the move happens in the right order. Reach out anytime at eric@ericbermanre.com, call or text 917-225-8596, or visit theericbermanteam.com.
About Eric Berman
Eric Berman is a top 1% REALTOR with Compass Greater NY, helping buyers and sellers across Queens and Long Island navigate the market with clarity and confidence. A Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES), he leads a full-service team based in Manhasset and delivers a high-touch, concierge-level experience from start to finish. To connect with Eric, visit theericbermanteam.com, email eric@ericbermanre.com,
or call 917-225-8596.
