The Town of Hempstead, historically known as South Hempstead, is the largest of the three towns in Nassau County in the U.S. state of New York. It occupies the southwestern part of the county, on th…The Town of Hempstead, historically known as South Hempstead, is the largest of the three towns in Nassau County in the U.S. state of New York. It occupies the southwestern part of the county, on the western half of Long Island. Twenty-two incorporated villages are completely or partially within the town. The town's combined population was 759,757 at the 2010 census, which is the majority of the population of the county and by far the largest of any town in New York. In 2019, its combined population increased to an estimated 759,793 according to the American Community Survey.