When it separated from the Town of Huntington in 1872, the Town of Babylon had a population of about 3,000 people. The chart below illustrates the population growth of West Babylon and the Town of Babylon.
Decade
| West Babylon Population
| Town of Babylon Population
|
|
|---|
1940 | not available | 24,297 | Please note: While the boundaries of the Town of Babylon are clearly defined and have remained the same since 1872, the “boundaries” of the hamlets are not clearly defined. In the census, hamlets are referred to as Census Designated Places (CDP), the boundaries of which can change from decade to decade. *The 1950 population figure was derived from a 1951 newspaper article, which stated that 2,684 people lived in West Babylon, for the purposes of a post office. |
1950 | *2,684 (estimated) | 45,556 |
1960 | 8,051 | 142,309 |
1980 | 41,699 | 203,483 |
2000 | 43,452 | 211,703 |
2020 | 43,213 | 218,223 |
The largest and fastest increase in population occurred after World War II, commonly referred to as the “Suburban Population Boom.” From 1940 to 1960, the population of the Town of Babylon increased by 485%. The rapid increase of residents brought an increased need for housing, schools, road improvements, stores and commercial developments, and employment. In those short decades, much of the Town of Babylon and its communities changed from rural countryside to suburban neighborhoods.