Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 56% of U.S. towns · #309 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
Most of Novi was built recently: 0.9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1993. 2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 11 buildings. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1905 on, and the census since 1970.
Novi dates its founding to 1832 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1970.
More historic than 56% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Novi is more historic than 56% of U.S. towns, #309 of 701 in Michigan. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
Few Michigan towns list much on the Register (a typical Michigan town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Novi’s 1.8 sits above most of its state (69% of Michigan towns have fewer) while its 12 historic buildings outnumber those of 77% of U.S. towns.
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 →
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 Novi. 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 Novi.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
BuiltJoseph D. Yerkes House is built
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
In the archiveSaratoga Farms, Novi, Michigan (83497)
In the archiveNovi (vicinity), Michigan. Gravel pit
Born hereSanjay Gupta is born here
Born hereDustin Gazley is born here
Born hereMallory Weber is born hereWriters, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
From Wikipedia’s history of Novi.
Novi was organized as a township in 1832, on land taken from Farmington Township. The name Novi was offered by resident Dr. J. C. Emery, at the suggestion of his wife. Residents were reportedly looking for a shorter name than Farmington.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
2 decades in the archive, from the 1930s to the 1940s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Novi’s page.
Retake this view · +15The 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.
Grew from 9,668 people in 1970 to 66,243 in 2020, 6 times over.
6 censuses, 1970–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Novi’s Wikipedia page.
Novi’s post office has been open since 1833.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1832, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Novi’s post office opened in 1833, and the census of 1970 counted 9,668 people here.
Novi is more historic than 56% of U.S. towns, #309 of 701 in Michigan. 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.
Two places: the Joseph D. Yerkes House (listed 1984) and the Jacob and Rebecca Fuerst Farmstead (1997).
0.9% of Novi’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 12% for a Michigan town; the median home was built in 1993.
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 (1), the Library of Congress (4), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), 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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