Most of New Carrollton was built recently: 1% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1964. Below: 9 old photos and papers, maps from 1900 on, and the census since 1960.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, New Carrollton is more historic than 2% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
D−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of New Carrollton’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 New Carrollton’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 any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D− to D. The pre-1940 share (±0.9 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1953.
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 New Carrollton’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of New Carrollton. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1900Washington 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 New Carrollton.
Developer Albert W. Turner acquired the former estate of horse racing figure Edward L. Mahoney after Mahoney's death in 1957 and transformed it into a planned suburb. Turner had secured a charter for the City of Carrollton from the Maryland General Assembly on April 11, 1953. He named the community after Charles Carroll of Carrollton, an early Maryland settler and the last surviving signatory of the Declaration of Independence.
Since two other Maryland communities also carried the name Carrollton, voters approved renaming the city to New Carrollton in a referendum on May 2, 1966.
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.
In 1953, according to Wikidata. the census of 1960 counted 3,385 people here.
How does New Carrollton rank for history?
New Carrollton is more historic than 2% 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.
How old are the homes in New Carrollton?
1% of New Carrollton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 3.3% for a Maryland town; the median home was built in 1964.
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 (8), the Library of Congress (9), 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.
1980
1980
1980
1980
1980
1980
1980
1980
2016
2016
2016
2016
2014
2012
2010
2004