As primeiras referencias á rexión onde hoxe está a vila datan do século V: en 1576 a raíña Isabel I entregoulle a rexión a Thomas Smith, que levou colonos ingleses; pero fracasou e as terras reverteron á coroa. No século XVII a rexión pasou a William Adair, señor do suloeste de Escocia que construíu un castelo. En 1704 a poboación da vila de Ballymena era de 800 persoas. En 1740, queimouse o castelo e en 1765 fundouse un asentamento moravio. En 1834, Ballymena tiña 4 000 habitantes.
Demografía
Gráfica de evolución demográfica de Ballymena entre 1821 e 2011
↑1813 estimate from Mason's Statistical Survey For a discussion on the accuracy of pre-famine census returns see JJ Lee "On the accuracy of the pre-famine Irish censuses Irish Population, Economy and Society edited by JM Goldstrom and LA Clarkson (1981) p54, in and also New Developments in Irish Population History, 1700–1850 by Joel Mokyr and Cormac Ó Gráda in The Economic History Review, New Series, Vol. 37, No. 4 (Nov 1984), pp. 473–488.
Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of County Antrim V111, Vol 23, 1831–5,1837–8. The Institute of Irish Studies, The Queens University Belfast. ISBN0-85389-466-3