Most of Clear Lake Shores was built recently: 1% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1989. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1916 on, and the census since 1970.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Clear Lake Shores is more historic than 11% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
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HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Clear Lake Shores’ overall grade.
Few Texas towns list much on the Register (a typical Texas town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Clear Lake Shores’ 0.0 sits below most of its state (34% of Texas towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% 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 (±1.2 points) is firm at this size.
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 Clear Lake Shores’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Clear Lake Shores. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1916Seabrook 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 Clear Lake Shores.
During the oil boom years of the 1920s, developers began to sell properties around the Clear Lake estuary as waterfront recreational retreats. The new development was named "Clear Lake Shores". Though the development was initially successful, the Great Depression halted most of the area's growth.
After World War II the area began to redevelop with increasing numbers of permanent residents (as opposed to simply weekend residents). The town was incorporated in 1962 and has since continued to be primarily residential with a small, tourism-focused business community.
In September 2008, the eye of Hurricane Ike hit and destroyed many homes.
Clear Lake Shores is more historic than 11% 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.
How old are the homes in Clear Lake Shores?
1% of Clear Lake Shores’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.2 points), against a typical 1.6% for a Texas town; the median home was built in 1989.
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 (3), Wikipedia, 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.
Date?
2012
2009
