Among the newest of U.S. towns · #57 of 59 in Idaho. What drives it
Most of Hayden was built recently: 1% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1997. Below: maps from 1961 on and the census since 1960.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Hayden is among the newest of U.S. towns, #57 of 59 in Idaho. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
D−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Hayden’s overall grade.
Idaho towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Idaho town has 8.4 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Hayden’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (14% of Idaho 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 (±1.0 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 Hayden’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The origins of the city of Hayden has its roots in the history of Hayden Lake. The Coeur D’Alene tribe territory centered around Hayden Lake and nearby Lake Coeur d'Alene, gathering plants, including abundant huckleberries, fish and wildlife found there. The first white man to visit what is now Hayden Lake was Father DeSmet while serving as a missionary to the Coeur d’Alene Indians. While visiting, he named it Lake DeNuf and recorded several stories told by the local tribe about the lake and the surrounding area.
The Hayden post office opened in 1960, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Hayden rank for history?
Hayden is among the newest of U.S. towns, #57 of 59 in Idaho. 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 Hayden?
1% of Hayden’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.0 points), against a typical 8.5% for an Idaho town; the median home was built in 1997.
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 (5), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) 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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