Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 27% of U.S. towns · #97 of 161 in Louisiana. What drives it
Most of Iowa was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 2002. Its Register listing is the 1937 Iowa High School. Below: maps from 1920 on and the census since 1960.
The Iowa post office opened in 1888, the earliest record of the town by name.
More historic than 27% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Iowa is more historic than 27% of U.S. towns, #97 of 161 in Louisiana. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
Louisiana towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Louisiana town has 3.8 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Iowa’s 3.1 sits near the middle of its state (51% of Louisiana towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: the first post office (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 →
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 Iowa’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Iowa.
The history of this region is filled with stories of the early Midwestern settlers from Kansas, Illinois and Iowa, of the Acadians (Cajuns), and of Jean Lafitte's pirates. The community of Iowa was developed in the mid-19th century.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Iowa, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The first legislative session held in Iowa was that of the territory of Wisconsin held at Burlington, Nov. 10, 1837, to Jan. 20, 1838. The second session was an extra one, also of the Wisconsin territorial legislature, at Burlington, June 1, to June 12, 1838. Iowa territorial legislative sessions were held at Burlington until 1841, when Iowa City became the seat of government At the session of 1838-9 an act was passed appointing Chauncy Swan, Robert Ralston and John Ronalds, commissioners to select a site within the limits of Johnson county for a state
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Lead and Zinc 16,500 Iron Ore 5,000 Total value $12,204,000 The wealth of Iowa lies in the possibilities of her splendid soils. According to the latest report of the Iowa Weather and Crop Service the direct products of the soil for the year 1902 amounted to the enormous total of $365,411,980. The average Iowa farm is more profitable and more reliable than the average gold mine. The soils of Iowa pro-
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.
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 SurveyEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Iowa. 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 Iowa.
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a sheet.
1920Sheet 1 of 1Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Between 1,857 and 3,436 people in every census since 1960.
7 censuses, 1960–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Iowa’s Wikipedia page.
The Iowa post office opened in 1888, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
Iowa is more historic than 27% of U.S. towns, #97 of 161 in Louisiana. 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.
One place: the 1937 Iowa High School (listed 2011).
2% of Iowa’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.9 points), against a typical 3.4% for a Louisiana town; the median home was built in 2002.
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).
From Wikimedia Commons (6), 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), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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.
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