Most of Meridian Hills was built recently: 9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1955. Its Register listing is the Foster Hall. Below: maps from 1952 on and the census since 1950.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Meridian Hills is more historic than 28% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Meridian Hills’ overall grade.
Indiana towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Indiana town has 7.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Meridian Hills’ 5.7 sits near the middle of its state (55% of Indiana towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1937.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.2 points).
Founding year: Wikidata (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 Meridian Hills’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Residential construction began in the town in the early 1920s, and Meridian Hills Country Club opened in 1923; however, the town did not incorporate until 1937. It has existed as an "included town" since 1970, when it was incorporated into Indianapolis as part of Unigov. It is part of Indianapolis, while still retaining a town government under IC 36-3-2-5. The town has the authority to levy taxes and pass ordinances, as well as appointing town police officers.
Meridian Hills remains a wooded residential enclave for the wealthy and upper-middle class.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Meridian Hills. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1952Carmel 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 Meridian Hills.
On the National Register
1 historic place in Meridian Hills
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
In 1937, according to Wikidata. the census of 1950 counted 708 people here.
How does Meridian Hills rank for history?
Meridian Hills is more historic than 28% of U.S. towns. 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 Meridian Hills?
One place: the Foster Hall (listed 2005).
How old are the homes in Meridian Hills?
9% of Meridian Hills’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.2 points), against a typical 14% for an Indiana town; the median home was built in 1955.
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 (2), the National Register of Historic Places (1), 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.
2022
2020
