East Meadow is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York. Many residents commute to Manhattan, which is 30 miles (48 km) away.

In 1658, the townspeople of Hempstead contracted with William Jacocks and Edward Raynor “to drive the cows to the East Meadow” for daily grazing and watering. For their services the cowherders were paid in butter, grain, and wampum to the value of 12 silver shillings weekly. The “East Meadow” as well as the rest of the Hempstead Plains, were held in common ownership by the Hempstead townspeople as a common pasture and meadowland. 

East Meadow's name is derived from being the meadow of Hempstead Plains east of the Meadow Brook.

At the time of World War II, East Meadow was predominantly a farming community with a population of 2,000. With the post-war economic boom and the suburban development rush, East Meadow became a thriving residential community in short order. In 1951, the population in the East Meadow School District was 25,000, which more than doubled six years later. In the early 1960’s, the population peaked at approximately 60,000. The present district population is 51,000.

Source: Wikipedia