North Lauderdale was first counted by the census in 1970
More historic than 4% of U.S. towns · #578 of 638 in Florida. What drives it
Most of North Lauderdale was built recently: 0.9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1978. Below: maps from 1945 on and the census since 1970.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, North Lauderdale is more historic than 4% of U.S. towns, #578 of 638 in Florida. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
D−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of North Lauderdale’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 North Lauderdale’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 any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D− to D. The pre-1940 share (±0.7 points) is firm at this size.
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 North Lauderdale’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
At its creation in 1963, it was largely farmland on the western edge of development in Broward County. North Lauderdale was originally grazing pasture for cows and horses of the Anderson Dairy Farm and also an agricultural area for the Lena Lyons Stringbean Farm. Recognizing a rare opportunity to work with a blank slate, famed architect Morris Lapidus turned his attention to planning a city that would become North Lauderdale. Lapidus gained international notoriety for launching the 1950s “Miami Beach” style resort hotel. His design of the Fontainebleau Resort, the Eden Roc and Americana helped create the style of Miami Beach. After hotels, Lapidus turned to designing cities. North Lauderdale, “The City of Tomorrow”, was the first city he laid out. Residents still benefit from his influence and vision, which can be seen in the whimsical “beacons” lending the city prominence and in the di…
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of North Lauderdale. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1945Fort Lauderdale North 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 North Lauderdale.
People over time
North Lauderdale, census by census
Grew from 1,213 people in 1970 to 44,794 in 2020, more than tenfold.
6 censuses, 1970–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on North Lauderdale’s Wikipedia page.
Famous people
Famous people close to North Lauderdale
Nobody well known was born in North Lauderdale itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
The North Lauderdale post office opened in 1970, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does North Lauderdale rank for history?
North Lauderdale is more historic than 4% of U.S. towns, #578 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 North Lauderdale?
0.9% of North Lauderdale’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), 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 Wikimedia Commons (4), 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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