Most people driving down the Long Island Expressway see the signs for Lake Success and think of one thing: traffic. Specifically, that weird stretch where the speed limit drops and the office buildings start looking suspiciously like high-security campuses. But if you’re looking up the Lake Success NY zip, you’re likely trying to figure out a very specific geographic puzzle.
Is it Great Neck? Is it New Hyde Park? Technically, the answer is "sort of."
The zip code for Lake Success is primarily 11042. However, because the village is an affluent, high-density corporate and residential hybrid, you’ll often see 11040 (New Hyde Park) and 11020 (Great Neck) bleeding over the borders. It’s confusing. Honestly, even the mail carriers probably have a love-hate relationship with the border between the Town of North Hempstead and the village proper. Lake Success isn't just a place where people live; it’s a massive economic engine tucked away in a 2-square-mile radius.
Why 11042 Is More Than Just a Number
If you’re typing Lake Success NY zip into a GPS, you're likely headed to the corporate park. This isn't your typical suburban office complex. This is the Northwell Health headquarters. This is where Canon USA used to reign supreme before moving down the road to Melville. The 11042 zip code is essentially the "business" side of the village. It handles a staggering amount of commerce for such a tiny footprint.
The residential side is different.
The Village of Lake Success is one of the wealthiest enclaves on Long Island, and it has a history that makes most Manhattan neighborhoods look boring. Did you know the United Nations was actually headquartered here? From 1946 to 1951, the Sperry Gyroscope Company building hosted the UN. Imagine world leaders debating the fate of the post-war world while looking out at the same trees you see from the window of the ProHEALTH building. That’s the kind of weight this zip code carries.
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The Real Estate Reality Check
Living here costs a fortune.
You aren't finding "starter homes" in the heart of Lake Success. The housing stock is dominated by sprawling colonials and mid-century modern estates that sit on massive lots. While the 11042 area is heavy on the office space, the residents nearby in 11020 and 11040 benefit from the village's private police force and exclusive amenities. Residents get access to a private lake—the actual "Lake Success"—plus a golf course and pool that make it feel like a year-round resort.
But here is the catch.
Property taxes in this area are some of the highest in the country. You’re paying for the prestige, the security, and the school districts. Most of the village is served by the Great Neck School District, which is consistently ranked among the top ten in the United States. That alone keeps the property values soaring even when the rest of the market takes a dip.
Navigating the 11042 Corporate Maze
If you are coming here for a doctor’s appointment or a business meeting, give yourself an extra fifteen minutes. The layout of the Lake Success corporate park is notoriously circular.
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- 1 Lake Success: This is the big one. Huge medical presence.
- The Northwell Impact: They own or lease half the town, basically. If you’re in 11042, you’re in Northwell territory.
- The Border Blur: You might be standing in a building with a Lake Success mailing address but a New Hyde Park phone exchange.
It’s easy to get lost because the roads curve around the old Sperry site. The architecture is a mix of 1940s industrial grit and 2020s glass-and-steel luxury. It’s a weird vibe, but it works. It’s quiet. It’s professional. It feels "expensive" in a way that’s hard to describe until you’re sitting in the parking lot of the Fresh Market on Marcus Avenue.
The Lake Success NY Zip and the Commuter Struggle
Let’s talk about the LIRR. Or rather, the lack of it.
If you live in Lake Success or work in the Lake Success NY zip area, you aren't walking to a train station. You’re driving to Great Neck or New Hyde Park. This makes the area a "car-dependent" luxury zone. While the rest of Nassau County is trying to become more walkable, Lake Success is doubling down on its secluded, gated-community-without-the-gates feel.
The traffic on Marcus Avenue during rush hour is legendary for all the wrong reasons. Because 11042 is home to so many medical specialists, you have thousands of people descending on a few two-lane roads every morning at 8:00 AM. If you’re a local, you know the shortcuts through the back residential streets, but even those are getting tighter as the village installs more speed bumps and "Local Access Only" signs.
The Hidden History Under Your Feet
It’s worth noting that the lake itself—the physical Lake Success—is a kettle lake formed by a retreating glacier. It’s deep. It’s cold. And it’s private. You can’t just show up with a kayak and hop in.
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During the Cold War, the industrial parts of this zip code were buzzing with defense contracts. Sperry was making components for the military that were top secret. There are still rumors about tunnels and bunkers beneath the corporate park, though most of that is just local lore. What isn't lore is the environmental cleanup that had to happen decades ago to make those old industrial sites safe for the fancy medical offices that sit there today.
What You Need to Do if You're Moving or Working Here
If you’re dealing with the Lake Success NY zip code for professional or personal reasons, stop treating it like a standard suburb. It’s a specialized zone.
- Check your school boundaries. Don’t assume a 11042 or 11040 address gets you into Great Neck schools. Some pockets fall into New Hyde Park-Garden City Park or Herricks. Check the tax map, not the Zillow listing.
- Verify the Village Tax. If you live within the official Village of Lake Success (not just the "unincorporated" areas nearby), you will pay a separate village tax on top of your town and school taxes. It’s a hefty bill, but it covers the private trash pickup and the police.
- Medical Appointments. If your doctor is in 11042, ask which building and which entrance. The "Lake Success Quadrangle" is a labyrinth. People miss appointments every day because they can't find the right turn-off from Union Turnpike.
- Use the correct zip for GPS. Sometimes, older GPS units struggle with Lake Success vs. New Hyde Park. If "Lake Success" doesn't show up, try "Great Neck" or "New Hyde Park" with the 11042 or 11040 digits.
The reality of Lake Success is that it’s a tiny, high-powered slice of Long Island that refuses to be categorized. It’s part history, part corporate juggernaut, and part ultra-luxury residential retreat. Whether you're there for a cardio checkup or a multimillion-dollar closing, you’re standing in one of the most unique zip codes in the state.
Make sure your mail is addressed correctly. In a place this precise, the details actually matter.
For those looking to move into the area, your first step should be contacting the Village Clerk's office at 318 Lakeville Road to understand the specific zoning and permit requirements that differ from the rest of Nassau County. If you are a business owner looking at office space in 11042, prioritize buildings with ample parking ratios, as the lack of public transit makes "parking spots per thousand square feet" the most important metric for your employees. Finally, if you're just visiting, take a minute to look at the historical marker near the entrance of the corporate park—it’s one of the few places in the world where the United Nations and a suburban golf course share the same DNA.