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 Wheatley Heights and the Town of Babylon.
Decade
| Wheatley Heights Population
| Wyandanch Population
| Town of Babylon Population
|
|
|---|
1950 | n/a | 647 | 45,556 | 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. |
1960 | n/a | 6,930 | 142,309 |
1970 | n/a | 15,716 | 203,570 |
1980 | n/a | 13,215 | 203,483 |
1990 | 5,027* | 8,950 | 202,889 |
2000 | 5,013 | 10,546 | 211,703 |
2010 | 5,130 | 11,647 | 213,603 |
2020 | 5,140 | 12,990 | 218,223 |
*Since 1990, Wyandanch and Wheatley Heights have been separate CDPs. Censuses up through 1980 used a CDP that included both communities, making it appear that the population of Wyandanch decreased and Wheatley Heights just “appeared.” However, it was actually a change in the areas in which residents were counted.
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.