Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 59% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Most of Johnson City was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1993. 1 place in town is on the National Register, among them the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, a National Historic Landmark, and a historic district with 54 buildings. Below: maps from 1961 on and the census since 1950.
The Johnson City post office opened in 1878, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1879.
More historic than 59% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Johnson City is more historic than 59% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
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 Johnson City’s 281 sits above most of its state (98% of Texas towns have fewer) while its 54 historic buildings outnumber those of 85% 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 Johnson City’s history is told.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. One is a National Historic Landmark, the highest tier.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
From Wikipedia’s history of Johnson City.
Johnson City was founded by James P. Johnson, who donated a 320-acre (130 ha) site on the Pedernales River for the founding of the town in 1879. It was the hometown of Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th president of the United States. The county seat of Blanco County was moved to Johnson City in 1890.
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.
Born hereSam Houston Johnson is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
2012Masonic Lodge, Johnson City, Texas
2012Johnson City House
2012Johnson City Buildings
2012Johnson City Bank, Johnson City, Texas Historical Mar…
2012Johnson City Bank, Johnson City, Texas
2012Johnson City
2012Blanco County, Johnson City, Texas Historical Marker
2012Blanco County Marker
2012Blanco County Courthouse, Johnson City, Texas
2012Art Gallery, Johnson City, Texas
2011Johnson City, TX, sign IMG 2060
2004TXMap-doton-JohnsonCityEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Johnson City. 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 Johnson City.
Between 611 and 1,656 people in every census since 1950.
8 censuses, 1950–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Johnson City’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
The Johnson City post office opened in 1878, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1879.
Johnson City is more historic than 59% 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.
One place: the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park (listed 1969).
7% of Johnson City’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.8 points), against a typical 1.6% for a Texas town; the median home was built in 1993.
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), the National Register of Historic Places (1), 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.
★ Landmark