Babylon (town), New York

The Town of Babylon is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, United States. Its population was 218,223 as of the 2020 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, it is about from New York City at the Queens border, and about from Manhattan. The village of Babylon is also within the town.

History

The region was once called Huntington South. Nathaniel Conklin moved his family to the area, and around 1803 named it New Babylon, after the ancient city of Babylon.

The town was officially formed in 1872 by a partition of the Town of Huntington.

Communities and locations

The following communities and locations are within the Town of Babylon:

Villages

* Amityville, in the southwestern part of the town.
* Babylon, in the southeastern section of the town.
* Lindenhurst, in the southern part of the town, between the villages of Babylon and Amityville.

Hamlets

* Captree or Captree Island
* Copiague
* Deer Park
* East Farmingdale
* Gilgo, includes communities of West Gilgo Beach, Gilgo Beach, and Cedar Beach
* North Amityville
* North Babylon
* North Lindenhurst
* Oak Beach, includes community of Oak Island
* West Babylon
* Wheatley Heights
* Wyandanch

Other communities

* Amity Harbor, in the hamlet of Amityville
* Copiague Harbor, in the hamlet of Copiague

Islands

*''Captree Island'', an island partly in the southeastern part of the town and containing part of Captree State Park.
*''Cedar Island'', an island in the Great South Bay.
*''Gilgo Island'', an island in the western end of the Great South Bay.
*''Grass Island'', an island in the Great South Bay.
*''Thatch Island'', an island in the Great South Bay.
*''Oak Island'', an island in the Great South Bay.

Beaches

* Cedar Beach
* Gilgo Beach
* Oak Beach
* Overlook Beach

State parks

* Belmont Lake State Park, a state park in the northeastern part of the town.
* Captree State Park, a state park partly in the southeastern section of the town and adjacent to the Fire Island Inlet.
* Gilgo State Park, an undeveloped preserve on a barrier island on the southern side of the town.
* Robert Moses State Park, a state park on Fire Island, is partly in the town.

Other

* ''Fire Island Inlet'', a passage between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great South Bay.
* The town was featured in the American version of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. Ramsay spent a week at Peter's, an Italian eatery that's now out of business.
*Tanner Park, Town of Babylon, Copaigue, New York

Media

WBAB 102.3FM is licensed to Babylon with studios at 555 Sunrise Highway.

''The Babylon Beacon'' has covered the town for many years.

Geography

The western town line is the border of Nassau County, and the southern town boundary 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) is land and 61.9 square miles (160.2 km²) is water. The total area is 54.20% water.

Government

Babylon is governed by superviso
Rich Schaffer
and four town council members.

Transportation

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. Long Island Macarthur Airport is a nearby commercial city-owned airport in Ronkonkoma, with daily commercial flights.

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.

Major roads

* Southern State Parkway
* Robert Moses Causeway
* Ocean Parkway
* New York State Route 24
* New York State Route 27
* New York State Route 27A
* New York State Route 109
* New York State Route 110
* New York State Route 231

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 211,792 people, 69,048 households, and 52,407 families residing in the town. The population density was 4,050.0 people per square mile (1,563.8/km²). There were 71,186 housing units at an average density of 1,361.3 per square mile (525.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 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 were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 69,048 households, out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 19.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.45.

In the town, the population was 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 were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $60,064, and the median income for a family was $66,261. Males had a median income of $45,160 versus $32,062 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,844. 6.7% of the population and 4.6% of families were 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 were living below the poverty line.

Notable people

* Steve Bellone, Suffolk County Executive
* Tom Bohrer, Olympic rower
* Rodney Dangerfield, comedian
* Dan Meuser, US Representative for Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district
* Rakim, rapper

See also

*National Register of Historic Places listings in Babylon (town), New York

References

External links

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*
*

''Babylon Beacon'' (local newspaper)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Babylon (Town), New York

Towns on Long Island
Towns in Suffolk County, New York
Towns in the New York metropolitan area
Populated coastal places in New York (state)
Populated places established in 1872
1872 establishments in New York (state)