Half of Lake Nacimiento’s homes were built after 1987
More historic than 11% of U.S. towns · #656 of 847 in California. What drives it
Most of Lake Nacimiento was built recently: 1% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1987. Below: maps from 1919 on and the census since 1990.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Lake Nacimiento is more historic than 11% of U.S. towns, #656 of 847 in California. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
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HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Lake Nacimiento’s overall grade.
Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Lake Nacimiento’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (31% of California towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share (±2.0 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: our sources. 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 Lake Nacimiento’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Lake Nacimiento. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1919Adelaida sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Lake Nacimiento.
The story so far
Lake Nacimiento, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Lake Nacimiento yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Lake Nacimiento is a census-designated place (CDP) in northern San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. The population of Lake Nacimiento was 2,956 at the 2020 census, up from 2,411 at the 2010 census.
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 2,411 to 2,956 (+23%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Lake Nacimiento’s history
How does Lake Nacimiento rank for history?
Lake Nacimiento is more historic than 11% of U.S. towns, #656 of 847 in California. 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.
How old are the homes in Lake Nacimiento?
1% of Lake Nacimiento’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.0 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1987.
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), 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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