Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 20% of U.S. towns · #1,000 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
Most of Monroeville was built recently: 4% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1968. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1904 on, and the census since 1960.
The Monroeville post office opened in 1851, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1951.
More historic than 20% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Monroeville is more historic than 20% of U.S. towns, #1,000 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
Pennsylvania towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Pennsylvania town has 2.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Monroeville’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (25% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: the first post office (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 Monroeville’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Monroeville. 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 Monroeville.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
From Wikipedia’s history of Monroeville.
Named for Joel Monroe, the area's first postmaster, Monroeville was settled in the mid- to late 19th century. The area was incorporated as Patton Township in 1849 before becoming the borough of Monroeville on January 25, 1951. Monroeville became a Home Rule Charter Municipality on May 21, 1974.
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.
In the archive1876 Hopkins map Patton Twp PA
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
Born hereKen Macha is born hereOne decade in the archive so far: the 1870s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
2013Kmart -4429
2013Former Circuit City Pittsburgh
2013Former Circuit City Pittsburgh
2013Former Circuit City Pittsburgh
2013Dunham's Sports
200976-junction-376
2008Pittsburgh Comicon
2008Interstate 376 - Pennsylvania
2007Map of Allegheny County PA HighlightingMap
2006Pennsylvania Turnpike westbound
2006Interstate 376 - PennsylvaniaBetween 22,446 and 30,977 people in every census since 1960.
7 censuses, 1960–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Monroeville’s Wikipedia page.
Monroeville had its own post office from 1851 to 1971.
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.
The Monroeville post office opened in 1851, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1951.
Monroeville is more historic than 20% of U.S. towns, #1,000 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. 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.
4% of Monroeville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.5 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1968.
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 (12), 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.
