More historic than 3% of U.S. towns · #128 of 131 in Oklahoma. What drives it
Most of Del City was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1964. Below: maps from 1892 on and the census since 1950.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Del City is more historic than 3% of U.S. towns, #128 of 131 in Oklahoma. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
D−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Del City’s overall grade.
Oklahoma towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Oklahoma town has 5.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Del City’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (18% of Oklahoma 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 (±1.0 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: the first census (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 Del City’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Founded in Boone Township, Oklahoma County, as a "bedroom" community, Del City lies three miles (5 km) east of Oklahoma City and one mile (1.6 km) west of Midwest City. At the turn of the 21st century, Del City was a 7.5-square-mile (19 km2) community surrounded on the north, west, and south by Oklahoma City and on the east by Midwest City. Interstate Highway 40 bisects the town from the northwest to southeast. Oklahoma City streets define the boundaries: NE 10th Street on the north; Sooner Road on the east; SE 44th Street on the south; and Bryant Avenue on the west. Northwestern corner of the city is a mile from the junction of Interstate 35 and Interstate 40, justifying its claim to being "the Crossroads of America."
The Del City post office opened in 1950, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Del City rank for history?
Del City is more historic than 3% of U.S. towns, #128 of 131 in Oklahoma. 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 Del City?
2% of Del City’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.0 points), against a typical 7.0% for an Oklahoma 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 (11), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2008
2007