2 of North Middleton Township’s places are on the National Register
More historic than 66% of U.S. towns · #545 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
Most of North Middleton Township was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1980. Below: maps from 1952 on and the census since 2000.
What drives North Middleton Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, North Middleton Township is more historic than 66% of U.S. towns, #545 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of North Middleton Township’s overall grade.
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 North Middleton Township’s 17.7 sits above most of its state (81% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 22 historic buildings outnumber those of 80% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.1 points).
Founding year: our sources. 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 North Middleton Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
When Cumberland County was founded in 1750, it originally consisted of three townships: East and West Pennsborough Townships, and Middleton Township. In 1810, due to population increase, Middleton Township was divided into North Middleton Township to the north of Carlisle, and South Middleton Township to the south. In the mid 18th century, the area that is now the township was inhabited primarily by Scotch Irish settlers who were granted land patents in that region by the family of William Penn, the proprietors of Pennsylvania at the time. The rapid settlement of this area at that time was the result of the Penns' plan to keep the Scotch Irish who were viewed as rowdy and unsophisticated out of the more refined Lancaster and York counties to the southeast. Thus, by the late 1700s, the population west of the Susquehanna River was composed almost exclusively of Scotch Irish settlers.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of North Middleton Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1952Carlisle sheet · 1:24,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of North Middleton Township.
People over time
North Middleton Township, census by census
Between 10,197 and 12,039 people in every census since 2000.
3 censuses, 2000–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on North Middleton Township’s Wikipedia page.
Famous people
Famous people close to North Middleton Township
Nobody well known was born in North Middleton Township itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Questions about North Middleton Township’s history
How does North Middleton Township rank for history?
North Middleton Township is more historic than 66% of U.S. towns, #545 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.
What is on the National Register in North Middleton Township?
Two places: the Carlisle Indian School (listed 1966) and the Carlisle Armory (1989).
How old are the homes in North Middleton Township?
7% of North Middleton Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.1 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1980.
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 the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, 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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