Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 7% of U.S. towns · #442 of 638 in Florida. What drives it
Most of Lauderdale Lakes was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1976. Below: maps from 1945 on and the census since 1970.
Lauderdale Lakes dates its founding to 1961 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1970.
More historic than 7% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Lauderdale Lakes is more historic than 7% of U.S. towns, #442 of 638 in Florida. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
Few Florida towns list much on the Register (a typical Florida town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Lauderdale Lakes’ 0.0 sits below most of its state (33% of Florida towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 →
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Lauderdale Lakes’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Lauderdale Lakes.
The city of Lauderdale Lakes was incorporated on June 22, 1961, and was originally popular as a retirement area for "snowbirds". Toward the end of the 20th century, Lauderdale Lakes became a predominantly Caribbean and African American community.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
Born hereMajor Wright is born here
Born hereEddie Jackson is born hereEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Lauderdale Lakes. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Lauderdale Lakes.
Grew from 10,577 people in 1970 to 35,954 in 2020, 3 times over.
6 censuses, 1970–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Lauderdale Lakes’ Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.
Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1961, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1970 counted 10,577 people here.
Lauderdale Lakes is more historic than 7% of U.S. towns, #442 of 638 in Florida. 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.
2% of Lauderdale Lakes’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 0.6% for a Florida town; the median home was built in 1976.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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 (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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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