Half of Madeira Beach’s homes were built after 1974
More historic than 17% of U.S. towns · #253 of 638 in Florida. What drives it
Most of Madeira Beach was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1974. Below: maps from 1974 on and the census since 1950.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Madeira Beach is more historic than 17% of U.S. towns, #253 of 638 in Florida. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Madeira Beach’s overall grade.
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 Madeira Beach’s 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.
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 (±2.7 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 Madeira Beach’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Prior to European colonization, the area that makes up what is now Madeira Beach was rarely permanently inhabited. The local Tocobaga chiefdom used the land to harvest seafood, but did not live on the land.
The modern shape of Madeira Beach was formed by a hurricane, the "Gale of '48", carving out the strait now known as John's Pass. The new waterway was named after an early homesteader, John (Juan) Levique.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Madeira Beach. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1974Seminole sheet · 1:24,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Madeira Beach.
People over time
Madeira Beach, census by census
Between 916 and 4,520 people in every census since 1950.
8 censuses, 1950–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Madeira Beach’s Wikipedia page.
Famous people
Famous people close to Madeira Beach
Nobody well known was born in Madeira Beach itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Madeira Beach is more historic than 17% of U.S. towns, #253 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.
How old are the homes in Madeira Beach?
3% of Madeira Beach’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.7 points), against a typical 0.6% for a Florida town; the median home was built in 1974.
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), 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.
2012
2012
2011
2008
2007
2005
