Old Westbury
Quick Facts
County: Nassau County
Towns: Town of North Hempstead and Town of Oyster Bay
Zip Code: 11568
Approximate Population: 4,289 (2020 Census)
Incorporated: 1924 (Village)
Area: 8.57 square miles
Distance to Manhattan: ~27 miles
Nearest LIRR Stations: Westbury (Main Line), Hicksville (Ronkonkoma/Oyster Bay Branches)
Nearest Major Roadways: Long Island Expressway (I-495), Jericho Turnpike (NY-25), Northern State Parkway (nearby), Route 107
Minimum Lot Size: 2 to 5+ acres (village zoning, varies by section)
School Districts: Jericho UFSD, East Williston UFSD, Roslyn UFSD, Westbury UFSD (varies by address)
Community Overview
Old Westbury is an incorporated village spanning 8.57 square miles across the Town of North Hempstead and the Town of Oyster Bay. It is one of the wealthiest municipalities in the United States and was named New York's most expensive suburb by Business Week in 2007. Bloomberg/Businessweek ranked it the second-richest town in the country in 2011, behind only Palm Beach, Florida. The village's 11568 zip code is the second-wealthiest in New York State.
The community was first settled in 1658 and was originally called "Woodedge" because of its location at the boundary where the flat Hempstead Plains to the south met the rolling woodland to the north. Several years later, Quaker settlers renamed it Westbury after their native town of Westbury in Wiltshire, England. For approximately 225 years, Old Westbury remained virtually isolated by choice. With 90% of its land under Quaker ownership, it consisted of 42 large, self-sufficient farms, a post office and general store, a blacksmith shop, a grist mill, a Friends meeting house, a carpet and dye works, and a nursery.
The Estate Era began in the late 1890s, when prominent New York City families discovered the flat, wooded landscape was ideal for raising horses and playing polo. The Phipps, Whitney, Vanderbilt, Grace, Bacon, and Hitchcock families all built estates here. The village was incorporated in 1924 with a population of 500 and an assessed valuation of $6.5 million, separating itself from the adjacent Village of Westbury, which housed many of the families who worked on the estates.
Old Westbury is exclusively residential — there is no commercial zoning within village limits. The village has its own police department, its own village hall, and zoning that requires minimum lot sizes of 2 to 5+ acres depending on the section. Three gated communities exist within the village. Properties range from 2 acres to over 100 acres.
SUNY Old Westbury and the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) are both located within the village, occupying former estate properties. The NYIT campus occupies what was once the Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney estate.
Things to Do / Lifestyle & Amenities
Old Westbury has no commercial district. For dining, shopping, and daily commerce, residents travel to nearby communities. Jericho is immediately to the north, with the Milleridge Inn, shopping centers, and the NYCB Theatre at Westbury. The Village of Westbury provides additional dining and retail. Garden City and Roosevelt Field Mall are accessible to the south. Roslyn's walkable downtown is to the northwest.
Old Westbury Gardens is the village's cultural anchor. The 200-acre property — the former estate of John Shaffer Phipps (eldest son of Henry Phipps, partner in Carnegie Steel) — includes Westbury House, a Charles II-style mansion completed in 1906, surrounded by formal gardens, demonstration gardens, woodlands, and walking paths. Four Seasons Hotels magazine named Old Westbury Gardens one of the three best public gardens in the world. The property has served as a filming location for numerous productions, including North by Northwest, Love Story, Gossip Girl, and American Gangster.
Private clubs are a significant part of Old Westbury's landscape. The Old Westbury Golf & Country Club occupies the former Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney estate — a 187-foot WWII-era lookout tower, originally built as the estate's water tower, still stands as the club's focal point. The Glen Oaks Club provides golf, tennis, and swimming. The Meadow Brook Polo Club hosts polo matches during the summer season, a tradition that dates to the Estate Era.
Old Westbury retains its historic equestrian character. The Westbury Equestrian Center and horse trails that cross through properties throughout the village maintain the community's identity as "old horse country."
Outdoor Recreation
Old Westbury's 8.57 square miles of low-density development, combined with its equestrian heritage and proximity to preserves, provide extensive outdoor access.
Old Westbury Gardens
A 200-acre estate with Westbury House, formal gardens, demonstration gardens, woodland trails, and seasonal programming. Open to the public from late April through October. One of the most visited cultural attractions on Long Island.
Equestrian Trails
Miles of horse trails traverse the village and cross through private properties, a legacy of Old Westbury's polo and equestrian heritage. The Westbury Equestrian Center provides riding programs. The Meadow Brook Polo Club hosts matches during the summer.
Old Westbury Unique Area
A protected natural area within the village offering hiking trails through wooded terrain.
Nearby Parks
Planting Fields Arboretum (409 acres) in Upper Brookville is to the north. Eisenhower Park (930 acres) in East Meadow and Bethpage State Park are accessible to the south and east. Christopher Morley Park in Roslyn Heights is to the northwest.
Nearby Communities
Jericho borders Old Westbury to the north. The Village of Westbury is to the south. Brookville and East Williston are to the northwest. Muttontown is to the northeast. Garden City and Mineola are accessible further south and west. Locust Valley and Glen Head are to the north along the Gold Coast.
For a broader look at all the communities we cover, visit our communities hub.
Commute to Manhattan
Old Westbury does not have its own LIRR station. Residents commute via Westbury station (LIRR Main Line, approximately 3 miles south) or Hicksville station (Ronkonkoma/Oyster Bay Branches, approximately 3 to 4 miles east).
Nearest LIRR Stations:
Westbury (Main Line) — approximately 3 miles south; ~43 to 51 minutes to Penn Station
Hicksville (Ronkonkoma/Oyster Bay Branches) — approximately 3 to 4 miles east; ~45 to 55 minutes to Penn Station
Driving to Midtown Manhattan: Approximately 25 to 30 miles. Without traffic, the drive takes roughly 35 to 45 minutes via the Long Island Expressway (I-495) to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. During peak commute hours, expect 55 to 85 minutes depending on route and conditions.
Primary Driving Routes: I-495 (LIE) runs through the village, providing direct highway access westbound. Jericho Turnpike (NY-25) runs along the village's southern border. Route 107 connects north-south.
When Robert Moses planned the Northern State Parkway, Old Westbury residents successfully lobbied to have the route moved five miles south of the village. The parkway was built to the south, though some residents later expressed regret that the rerouting added time to their commutes.
History
Old Westbury was settled in 1658 by Edmond Titus and Henry Willis. The Quaker community they established remained one of the most isolated on Long Island for over two centuries — 42 farms, a meetinghouse, and a few small businesses, with 90% of the land in Quaker hands. The name "Westbury" came from the settlers' hometown of Westbury in Wiltshire, England.
The Estate Era transformed Old Westbury beginning in the late 1890s. The flat, wooded terrain attracted wealthy New York families who saw the land as ideal for raising horses and playing polo. Henry Phipps Jr. (partner in Carnegie Steel) built an estate here, and his eldest son John Shaffer Phipps constructed Westbury House in 1906 for his fiancée, Margarita Grace, designing it to resemble her family home in East Sussex, England. Today the property operates as Old Westbury Gardens.
Harry Payne Whitney and his wife Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney — founder of New York's Whitney Museum of American Art — maintained their estate Apple Green in Old Westbury. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney's estate later became the NYIT campus and the Old Westbury Golf & Country Club. Robert Low Bacon, a congressman and investment banker, built "Old Acres" in the style of an Italian villa. Thomas Hastings, architect of the New York Public Library's main building on Fifth Avenue, built his own modest home, "Bagatelle," in Old Westbury in 1908.
The village was incorporated in 1924 to preserve its estate character. During World War II, a 187-foot tower on the Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney estate served as a military lookout to spot enemy aircraft. The Vanderbilt Cup automobile race — one of the first major motor racing events in America — ran through Old Westbury in the early 1900s.
A. Conger Goodyear, the first president of the Museum of Modern Art, commissioned architect Edward Durell Stone to build a house in Old Westbury in 1938. The house was featured in Architectural Forum. After World War II, land purchased from Charles Erwin Wilson (former president of General Motors) was used to construct the Long Island Expressway through the village.
Notable residents past and present include Carol Alt, Ashanti, Bethenny Frankel, Victoria Gotti, Kevin James, Nas, Brandon Nimmo, Igor Sikorsky, Lilly Pulitzer, C.Z. Guest, Jack Liebowitz (co-founder of DC Comics), William Entenmann (founder of Entenmann's), and Leonard Feinstein (founder of Bed Bath & Beyond).
Real Estate Overview
Old Westbury's real estate market is defined by estate-scale properties on large lots. The village's zoning requires minimum lot sizes of 2 to 5+ acres depending on the section. Properties range from 2-acre lots to parcels exceeding 100 acres. Three gated communities exist within the village.
Architectural styles span the village's history: original Gilded Age manor houses and Gold Coast estates, Georgian and Tudor mansions, French Normandy homes, colonials, and newer contemporary construction. Many properties include private amenities — pools, tennis courts, indoor gyms, horse stables, and extensive grounds.
The median home price is approximately $1.6 million, but the range is wide. Entry-level properties — typically older homes on the smaller end of the lot spectrum — start around $1.2 million to $1.5 million. Most transactions fall in the $2 million to $5 million range. Estate properties regularly list at $8 million to $15 million and above, with some exceeding $20 million.
Like North Hills, Old Westbury is split among four school districts — Jericho UFSD, East Williston UFSD, Roslyn UFSD, and Westbury UFSD — and the district serving a specific address directly affects pricing. Homes within the Jericho or East Williston district boundaries typically command higher prices than comparable properties in other sections.
The market moves at a deliberate pace. Average days on market for higher-priced properties can range from 90 to 200+ days. Inventory is consistently limited.
Search homes for sale in Old Westbury | Get a free home valuation
Schools
Old Westbury is split among four public school districts. The district serving a specific address depends on location within the village:
Jericho UFSD — serves portions of the village. The Jericho district consistently ranks among the top public school districts in New York State.
East Williston UFSD — serves portions of the village. The Wheatley School (high school) is located within Old Westbury.
Roslyn UFSD — serves portions of the village.
Westbury UFSD — serves portions of the village.
Buyers should verify which school district serves a specific address before purchasing, as district placement significantly affects pricing and buyer interest.
Holy Child Academy, an independent Catholic school (early childhood through grade 8), is located within Old Westbury. SUNY Old Westbury and NYIT provide higher education options within the village.
For additional details, visit the individual school district websites or review district information on GreatSchools.org.
Who Considers Old Westbury?
Buyers consider Old Westbury for estate-scale privacy, land, and a level of exclusivity that is rare this close to New York City.
The village's 2-to-5-acre minimum lot sizes, lack of commercial development, and gated communities create a degree of seclusion that distinguishes Old Westbury from virtually every other community in Nassau County. Buyers looking for multi-acre properties with private amenities, equestrian access, and room between neighbors concentrate their search here.
Old Westbury Gardens, the equestrian culture, and the polo heritage give the community a cultural dimension that goes beyond residential privacy. The village's association with some of the most prominent families in American history — Phipps, Vanderbilt, Whitney — reinforces its positioning at the top of the North Shore market.
The four-school-district structure creates pricing variability. Buyers who prioritize the Jericho or East Williston districts can find estate properties within those boundaries, while other sections of the village offer comparable land and privacy at different price points.
Buyers relocating from Manhattan, Brooklyn, and other North Shore communities — including Manhasset, Port Washington, and Sands Point — consider Old Westbury when they want more land, more privacy, and estate-scale living.
Buying or Selling in Old Westbury?
Eric Berman and The Eric Berman Team at Compass serve buyers and sellers across the North Shore, including Old Westbury and the surrounding Gold Coast communities. The team understands the four-school-district dynamic, the pricing differences between sections, and the specific factors that drive decisions in this premium market. Whether you're buying an estate on 5 acres or selling a property within one of the village's gated communities, the team brings local knowledge and real transaction experience.
Search homes for sale in Old Westbury
Why list with The Eric Berman Team
Call Eric Berman directly: 917-225-8596
Frequently Asked Questions About Old Westbury
Q: How far is Old Westbury from Manhattan?
A: Old Westbury is approximately 27 miles from Midtown Manhattan. The nearest LIRR stations are Westbury (Main Line, ~3 miles south) and Hicksville (Ronkonkoma/Oyster Bay Branches, ~3 to 4 miles east), with service to Penn Station in approximately 43 to 55 minutes. By car, the drive takes 35 to 45 minutes without traffic via the LIE, and 55 to 85 minutes during peak hours. The LIE runs directly through the village.
Q: What school districts serve Old Westbury?
A: Old Westbury is split among four public school districts: Jericho UFSD, East Williston UFSD, Roslyn UFSD, and Westbury UFSD. The district serving a specific address depends on location within the village and significantly affects pricing. Buyers should verify district boundaries before purchasing.
Q: What types of homes are available in Old Westbury?
A: Old Westbury features estate-scale properties on lots ranging from 2 acres to over 100 acres. Styles include Gilded Age manor houses, Georgian and Tudor mansions, French Normandy homes, colonials, and contemporary construction. Prices range from approximately $1.2 million for entry-level properties to $20 million and above for premier estates. The median is approximately $1.6 million.
Q: What is Old Westbury Gardens?
A: Old Westbury Gardens is a 200-acre property featuring Westbury House, a Charles II-style mansion built in 1906 for John Shaffer Phipps (son of Carnegie Steel partner Henry Phipps). The grounds include formal gardens, woodland trails, and seasonal programming. Four Seasons Hotels magazine named it one of the three best public gardens in the world. It has been a filming location for numerous productions.
Q: Is Old Westbury an equestrian community?
A: Yes. Old Westbury has a deep equestrian heritage dating to the Estate Era, when wealthy families raised horses and played polo here. Miles of horse trails still cross through the village. The Westbury Equestrian Center provides riding programs, and the Meadow Brook Polo Club hosts matches during the summer. The community is historically known as "old horse country."
Q: Are there shops or restaurants in Old Westbury?
A: No. Old Westbury is exclusively residential with no commercial zoning. Residents use nearby communities for dining and shopping, including Jericho, the Village of Westbury, Roslyn, and Garden City. Roosevelt Field Mall is a short drive south.
Q: What is the Gold Coast?
A: Long Island's Gold Coast refers to the stretch of North Shore communities associated with the grand estates of the early 20th century. Old Westbury is one of the most prominent Gold Coast villages, with estates built by the Phipps, Vanderbilt, Whitney, Grace, and Hitchcock families. The village was incorporated in 1924 specifically to preserve its estate character.
