Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Economy dates its founding to 1825 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.
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 Economy’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Economy.
Economy was laid out and platted in 1825. The town was named by the original landowner, Charles Osborn, who thought of laying out the town into lots as the most "economical" way of selling off his property, hence the name Economy.
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 SurveyPassages that mention Economy, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Charles Osborn removed from Tennessee to Ohio, in 1816, and in 1819 to the township of Perry, and settled on the land on which the town of Economy now stands. In 1825 he laid out the town, as proprietor, to which he made an addition in 1829, and another in 1834. After many years' residence there, he removed to Michigan, and a few years after to Porter county, Ind. [Dates of birth and death not obtained.] His sons were, James, who was married, and died
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Society of l^riends. — This society erected a cabin about twenty feet square in the bottoms, near Economy, known as Puckett, in the year 1816, and was the earliest religious society in the township of Perry. Their first meeting-house was built of round logs, about a quarter of a mile northwest of the present town of Economy, in 1816. It was warmed by charcoal and white-oak bark, burned on a hearth in the center.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The first grist-mill was put up about one mile southwest of Economy, by Thomas Carr, Dan'l Mills and Richard Mills, in about 1826 or 1827. A saw-mill had been built on the creek just by Economy in 1819, by Robert Canady. It remained until within a few years. The grist-mill was torn away many years ago.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Economy. 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 Economy.
Between 145 and 285 people in every census since 1880.
11 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Economy’s Wikipedia page.
In 1825, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Economy’s post office opened in 1827, and the census of 1880 counted 249 people here.
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). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
2020