Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 18% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Most of Bonneau Beach was built recently: 6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1995.
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, Bonneau Beach is more historic than 18% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
South Carolina towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical South Carolina town has 3.2 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Bonneau Beach’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (23% of South Carolina towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
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 →
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 Bonneau Beach’s history is told.
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Bonneau Beach yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Bonneau Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,929 at the 2010 census. It is located on the shore of Lake Moultrie.
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 1,929 to 1,982 (+3%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Nobody well known was born in Bonneau Beach itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Another post office, Black Oak, 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).
Bonneau Beach is more historic than 18% of U.S. towns. 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.
6% of Bonneau Beach’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.0 points), against a typical 3.5% for a South Carolina town; the median home was built in 1995.
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 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.
