Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 6% of U.S. towns · #145 of 161 in Louisiana. What drives it
Most of Sterlington was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 2001. Below: maps from 1935 on and the census since 1970.
The Sterlington post office opened in 1902, the earliest record of the town by name. Five smaller post offices, Bartholomew (1828), Hamilton (1829) and Hamilton (1851), opened inside today’s town and later closed.
More historic than 6% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Sterlington is more historic than 6% of U.S. towns, #145 of 161 in Louisiana. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age 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 Sterlington’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (21% of Louisiana towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% 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 Sterlington’s history is told.
Sterlington’s post office has been open since 1902. Five other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikipedia’s history of Sterlington.
Former Mayor Vern Breland was subsequently arrested for malfeasance in office in April 2020.
In 2022, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged the town of Sterlington, its former mayor, and the town's advise with misleading investors in the sale of $5.8 million in municipal bonds in 2017 and 2018.
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.
Born hereEdward J. Perkins is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Sterlington. 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 Sterlington.
Between 1,118 and 1,980 people in every census since 1970.
6 censuses, 1970–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Sterlington’s Wikipedia page.
The Sterlington post office opened in 1902, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
Sterlington is more historic than 6% of U.S. towns, #145 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.
2% of Sterlington’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 2001.
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 (4), 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) 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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