More historic than 43% of U.S. towns · #96 of 638 in Florida. What drives it
Its Register listing is the Nokomis Beach Pavilion. Most of Nokomis was built recently: 4% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1978. Below: maps from 1944 on and the census since 1990.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Nokomis is more historic than 43% of U.S. towns, #96 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 Nokomis’ 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 Nokomis’ 2.9 sits above most of its state (78% of Florida towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% 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 (±2.9 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 Nokomis’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The first white settlers in what is now known as Nokomis were the Knights and at least 3 other families who moved to the area in 1868. The Knights had initially raised cattle further inland during the American Civil War in an effort to avoid raids by the Union army. Following the end of hostilities, they moved closer to the shore, in the hopes that the climate of the coastal areas were better for their health. The area was initially called Horse and Chaise, which included modern day Venice. Knight donated the land for the first school and also helped build the first chapel.
Nokomis is more historic than 43% of U.S. towns, #96 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.
What is on the National Register in Nokomis?
One place: the Nokomis Beach Pavilion (listed 2013).
How old are the homes in Nokomis?
4% of Nokomis’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.9 points), against a typical 0.6% for a Florida town; the median home was built in 1978.
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 Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), 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.
