Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 18% of U.S. towns · #205 of 247 in Missouri. What drives it
Most of Belton was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1987. Below: maps from 1893 on and the census since 1880.
Belton dates its founding to 1871 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1880.
More historic than 18% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Belton is more historic than 18% of U.S. towns, #205 of 247 in Missouri. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
Missouri towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Missouri town has 2.4 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Belton’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (23% of Missouri towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% 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.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Belton’s history is told.
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.
1893Sheet 1 of 1Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
From Wikipedia’s history of Belton.
Belton was platted in 1871. The city was likely named for surveyor Capt. Marcus Lindsey Belt. A post office called Belton has been in operation since 1872.
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.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
Born hereKevin Hern is born here
2021Belton Middle School
2016Belton, Missouri
2014Yeokum
2013Scott Elementary School
2013Hillcrest Elementary School (Belton, Missouri) 01
2013Gladden Elementary School (Belton, Missouri) 02
2013Gladden Elementary School (Belton, Missouri) 01
2013Cambridge Elementary School
2013Cambridge Elementary School (Belton, Missouri) Media …
2012Yeokum SIgn
2012Yeokum Middle School
2012Yeokum 3
2012Yeokum 2
2012Mill Creek Upper Elementary
2012Grace Early Childhood
2012Belton High School Freshman Center
2012Belton High School Freshman Center 2
c. 2007RR Xing Sign
2006Belton High School
2004MOMap-doton-BeltonEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Belton. 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 Belton.
Grew from 552 people in 1880 to 23,953 in 2020, more than tenfold.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Belton’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Belton’s post office has been open since 1872. Another post office, High Blue, 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).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1871, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Belton’s post office opened in 1860, and the census of 1880 counted 552 people here.
Belton is more historic than 18% of U.S. towns, #205 of 247 in Missouri. 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.
3% of Belton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.2 points), against a typical 8.4% for a Missouri town; the median home was built in 1987.
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 (20), 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.
