Babylon (town), New York

Infobox Settlement |official_name = Town of Babylon, New York
nickname= Babylon




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mapsize=250px
map_caption =
pushpin_

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_name1 = New York
subdivision_name2 = Suffolk
leader_title = Supervisor
leader_name = Steve Bellone
area_magnitude =
area_total_sq_mi = 114.2
area_land_sq_mi = 52.3
area_water_sq_mi = 61.9
area_total_km2 = 295.7
area_land_km2 = 135.4
area_water_km2 = 160.3
population_as_of = 2000
population_note =
population_total = 211,792
population_density_km2 = 525.6
metro pop =
timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 2
elevation_ft = 7
latd = 40 |latm = 41 |lats = 40 |latNS = N
longd = 73 |longm = 19 |longs = 46 |longEW = W
website = http://www.townofbabylon.com/
footnotes =

The Town of Babylon is located in southwestern Suffolk County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 211,792. There is also a Village of Babylon located within the town. The west town line is the border of Nassau County, New York, and the south town line is the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Great South Bay, Jones Beach Island, and Fire Island are in the southern part of the town.

History

The region was once called Huntington South. Nathaniel Conklin moved his family to the area, eventually calling it a "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.

Communities and locations

Villages (incorporated)

* Amityville, in the southwest part of the town.
* Babylon, in the southeast part of the town.
* Lindenhurst, in the south part of the town, between villages of Babylon and Amityville.

Hamlets (unincorporated)

* Copiague
* Deer Park
* East Farmingdale
* Fire Island (CDP) (part, shared with Islip and Brookhaven)
* Gilgo, Oak Beach & Captree, includes communities of West Gilgo Beach, Gilgo Beach, Cedar Beach, Oak Island, Oak Beach, and Captree Island.
* North Amityville
* North Babylon
* North Lindenhurst
* North Wyandanch
* West Babylon
* Wheatley Heights
* Wyandanch

Other communities

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

Islands

*"Captree Island", an island partly in the southeast 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 west 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 northwest part of the town.
* Captree State Park, a state park partly in the southeast part of the town and adjacent to the Fire Island Inlet.
* "Gilgo State Park"
* 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.
* Republic Airport, an airport.
* The town was featured in the American version of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. Ramsay spent a week at Peter's a local Italian eatery.
* Former professional WWE wrestler Ashley Massaro was born in Babylon.

Local Media

WBAB an FM radio station at 102.3 is licensed to Babylon.

History

The region was once called Huntington South.

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.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 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/sq mi (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.

References

External links

* [http://www.townofbabylon.com/ Town of Babylon]
* [http://babylonbeacon.com/ Babylon Beacon (local newspaper)]
* [http://www.villageofbabylonny.gov/ Incorporated Village of Babylon]
* [http://www.babylonvillage.com/ BabylonVillage.com]
* [http://www.babylonvillagechamber.org/ Babylon Village Chamber of Commerce]