What is Basildon?
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox UK place | official_name = Basildon | country = England | region = East of England | population = 115,955 | population_ref = | os_grid_reference = TQ7389 | coordinates = {{coord|51.58|0.49|display=inline,title}} | post_town = Basildon | postcode_area = SS | postcode_district = SS13 – SS16 | dial_code = 01268 | constituency_westminster = [[Basildon and Billericay (UK Parliament constituency)|Basildon and Billericay]] | constituency_westminster1 = [[South Basildon and East Thurrock (UK Parliament constituency)|South Basildon and East Thurrock]] | london_distance = {{convert|25.6|mi}} | london_direction = WSW | shire_district = [[Borough of Basildon|Basildon]] | shire_county = [[Essex]] | website = {{URL|https://basildon.gov.uk}} | static_image_name = Image:Basildon Precinct - geograph.org.uk - 261332.jpg | static_image_caption = Basildon town square, looking east }} '''Basildon''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|æ|z|ᵻ|l|d|ən}} {{respell|BAZ|il|dən}}) is a large [[town]] in [[Essex]], [[England]]. It had a recorded population of 115,955 at the [[2021 United Kingdom census|2021 census]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021 |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/datasets/townsandcitiescharacteristicsofbuiltupareasenglandandwalescensus2021 |access-date=22 December 2023 |website=[[Office for National Statistics]]}}</ref> In 1931, the town had a population of 1,159.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10234591/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics Basildon Ch/CP through time|publisher=[[A Vision of Britain through Time]]|accessdate=27 December 2021}}</ref> It was then expanded when it became a new town in the late 1940s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.basildon.com/|title=Basildon History Services Information Guide|website=www.basildon.com}}</ref> It lies {{convert|26|mi|km|0}} east of [[Central London]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.basildon.com/ |title=Basildon History Serv