Taunton dates to 1637, and 35% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 96% of U.S. towns · #73 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
97 places in town are on the National Register, among them five historic districts with 94 buildings between them. Below: 8 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1792.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Taunton’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Taunton is more historic than 96% of U.S. towns, #73 of 283 in Massachusetts. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Taunton’s overall grade.
Massachusetts towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Massachusetts town has 46.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Taunton’s 34.9 sits near the middle of its state (42% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 211 historic buildings outnumber those of 94% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. The pre-1940 share (±2.8 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1637.
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 Taunton’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Taunton was founded by settlers from England and officially incorporated as a town on September 3, 1639. Most of the town's settlers were originally from Taunton in Somerset, England, which led early settlers to name the settlement after that town. At the time of Taunton's incorporation, they explained their choice of name as being "in honor and love to our dear native country." Prior to 1640, the Taunton area was called Cohannet, Tetiquet, or Titiquet.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Taunton. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1885Taunton sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Taunton.
Every building
Taunton, building by building, 1888–1898
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 year, then a sheet.
In 1637, according to Wikidata. Taunton’s post office opened in 1792, and the first U.S. census counted 3,804 people here in 1790.
How does Taunton rank for history?
Taunton is more historic than 96% of U.S. towns, #73 of 283 in Massachusetts. 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 Taunton?
97 listings: 88 buildings, 5 historic districts with 94 contributing buildings, 2 sites, and 2 structures. 211 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Taunton?
35% of Taunton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.8 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1965.
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 Library of Congress (2), Wikidata (13), the National Register of Historic Places (97), 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 and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
c. 1879
c. 1900
c. 1900
1901–1907
1903
