Ballymena

Ballymena Irish: an Baile Meánach
Ballymena Town Hall, with the new Braid Arts Centre behind
Ballymena Location within Northern Ireland
Population	31,205 (2021 Census)
Irish grid reference	D1003
• Belfast	28 miles (45 km) SE
District	Mid and East Antrim
County	County Antrim
Country	Northern Ireland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BALLYMENA
Postcode district	BT42–BT44
Dialling code	028 25
Police	Northern Ireland
Fire	Northern Ireland
Ambulance	Northern Ireland
UK Parliament	North Antrim
NI Assembly	North Antrim
List of places UK Northern Ireland Antrim 54°52′N 6°17′W / 54.86°N 6.28°W / 54.86; -6.28

Ballymena (/ˌbæliˈmiːnə/ BAL-ee-MEE-nə;^[1] from Irish: an Baile Meánach [ənˠ ˌbˠalʲə ˈmʲaːn̪ˠəx], meaning 'the middle townland')^[2] is a town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 31,205 people at the 2021 Census, making it the seventh largest town in Northern Ireland by population.^[3] It is part of the Borough of Mid and East Antrim.

The town was built on the Braid River, on land given to the Adair family by King Charles I in 1626, with a right to hold two annual fairs and a Saturday market in perpetuity. Surrounding villages are Cullybackey, Ahoghill, Broughshane, and Kells-Connor.