Hymowitz was born in Philadelphia. she earned the B.A. at Brandeis University, and an M.A. in English literature from Tufts University and dropped out of the English graduate program at Columbia University. She taught English literature and composition at Brooklyn College and at the Parsons School of Design. As of 2010 she was the William E. Simon fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor of City Journal.
She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and three children.