Most of Greenland was built recently: 6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1988. 3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 1 buildings. Below: maps from 1973 on and the census since 1910.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Greenland is more historic than 27% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Greenland’s overall grade.
Arkansas towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Arkansas town has 20.5 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Greenland’s 23.5 sits near the middle of its state (57% of Arkansas towns have fewer) while its 3 listings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to B−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.8 points).
Founding year: the first census (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Greenland’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Early settlers found prosperity by growing fruit, including apples and a variety of berries, and raising chickens. The completion of the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway through the mountains in 1882 further grew the local economy, leading Greenland to incorporate in 1910. Located immediately south of Fayetteville in the Northwest Arkansas metropolitan statistical area, Greenland has been experiencing a population boom in recent years, as indicated by a 39% growth in population between the 2000 and 2010 censuses, almost exclusively Hispanic.
The Greenland post office opened in 1910, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Greenland rank for history?
Greenland is more historic than 27% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Greenland?
Three places: the Johnson Barn (listed 1990), the US 71, Greenland Segment, Old (2004) and the Benjamin Franklin Johnson II Homestead District (2019).
How old are the homes in Greenland?
6% of Greenland’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.8 points), against a typical 3.1% for an Arkansas town; the median home was built in 1988.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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