Country United States County Suffolk Website www.townofbabylon.com Population 214,191 (2014) | State New York Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) Elevation 2.13 m Unemployment rate 4.9% (Apr 2015) | |
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Weather 9°C, Wind SW at 19 km/h, 43% Humidity Area 295.8 km² (135.5 km² Land / 160.3 km² Water) | ||
Babylon is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, United States. Located on Long Island, the town population was 214,191 as of the 2014 census. Parts of Jones Beach Island, Captree Island and Fire Island are in the southernmost part of the town. It borders Nassau County to the West, and the Atlantic Ocean to the South. At its westernmost point, its location is approximately 20 miles (32 km) from New York City at the Queens border, and approximately 30 miles (48 km) from Manhattan. There is also a village of Babylon located within the town.
Contents
History
The region was once called South Huntington. Nathaniel Conklin moved his family to the area, eventually calling it "New Babylon", naming it after the ancient town of Babylon around 1803. The town was officially formed in 1872 by a partition of the Town of Huntington.
Villages
Hamlets
Other communities
Islands
Beaches
State parks
Other
Local media
WBAB 102.3FM is licensed to Babylon with studios at 555 Sunrise Highway.
The Babylon Beacon has operated as the newspaper of choice covering the town for many years.
Geography
The west town line is the border of Nassau County, New York, and the south town line is the Atlantic Ocean.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 114.2 square miles (295.7 km²), of which, 52.3 square miles (135.4 km²) of it is land and 61.9 square miles (160.2 km²) of it is water. The total area is 54.20% water.
Airports
Republic Airport is an airport in East Farmingdale originally built by Fairchild Aircraft in 1927, and acquired by Republic Aviation in 1939. Currently, it also houses the American Airpower Museum. Zahn's Airport also existed in North Amityville from 1936 to 1980.
Railroad lines
The Long Island Rail Road's Babylon Branch is the primary railroad line in the town running from the Nassau County Line and terminating in the Village of Babylon with stations from Amityville to Babylon. Rail freight service also exists along the Central Branch which also uses some Montauk Branch trains running from the Main Line in Bethpage. East of Babylon station, the Montauk Branch continues across the Babylon-Islip Town Line. Additionally, the Main Line runs through the northern part of the town with stations in Pinelawn, Wyandanch and Deer Park.
Bus service
The Town of Babylon is served primarily by Suffolk County Transit bus routes, though some routes from the Nassau Inter-County Express also enter the town from the Nassau County line.
Major roads
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 211,792 people, 69,048 households, and 52,407 families residing in the town. The population density is 4,050.0 people per square mile (1,563.8/km²). There are 71,186 housing units at an average density of 1,361.3 per square mile (525.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town is 76.34% White, 15.65% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 1.89% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.36% from other races, and 2.47% from two or more races. 10.05% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 69,048 households out of which 35.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% are married couples living together, 13.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% are non-families. 19.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.03 and the average family size is 3.45.
In the town, the population is spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $60,064, and the median income for a family is $66,261. Males have a median income of $45,160 versus $32,062 for females. The per capita income for the town is $22,844. 6.7% of the population and 4.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 7.4% of those under the age of 18 and 7.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.