More historic than 8% of U.S. towns · #233 of 261 in Maryland. What drives it
Most of Aspen Hill was built recently: 1% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1970. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1908 on, and the census since 1970.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Aspen Hill is more historic than 8% of U.S. towns, #233 of 261 in Maryland. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
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HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Aspen Hill’s overall grade.
Few Maryland towns list much on the Register (a typical Maryland town has 0.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Aspen Hill’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (20% of Maryland towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share (±0.7 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: our sources. 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 Aspen Hill’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Aspen Hill was known as being the location of Aspin Hill Memorial Park, one of three pet cemeteries then operating on the East Coast of the United States. Burials at Aspen Hill Cemetery included dogs that had served the during World War I as well as the pets of area residents. Memorial ceremonies honoring pets were often held there on World Day for Animals.
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.
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.
Aspen Hill is more historic than 8% of U.S. towns, #233 of 261 in Maryland. 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.
How old are the homes in Aspen Hill?
1% of Aspen Hill’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 3.3% for a Maryland town; the median home was built in 1970.
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 (22), the Library of Congress (2), Wikipedia, 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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