Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 3% of U.S. towns · #611 of 642 in Texas. What drives it
Most of The Woodlands was built recently: 0.5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 2000. Below: maps from 1961 on and the census since 1980.
The Woodlands dates its founding to 1974 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1980.
More historic than 3% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, The Woodlands is more historic than 3% of U.S. towns, #611 of 642 in Texas. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, The Woodlands ranks #385 on History.
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 The Woodlands’ 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.
Newer cities are common at The Woodlands’ size: in the typical U.S. city of 100,000 or more, 5% of homes predate 1940.
Founding year: Wikidata (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 The Woodlands’s history is told.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
From Wikipedia’s history of The Woodlands.
The area that is now The Woodlands was occupied by the Akokisa and Bidai peoples, who relied on the fresh water of Spring Creek. In 1984, construction in the Indian Springs neighborhood near the creek discovered Bidai artifacts.
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.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
Born hereDanny Amendola is born here
Born hereKirby Bliss Blanton is born here
Born hereLogan Verrett is born hereEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of The Woodlands. 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 The Woodlands.
Grew from 8,443 people in 1980 to 114,436 in 2020, more than tenfold.
5 censuses, 1980–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on The Woodlands’ Wikipedia page.
Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1974, according to Wikidata. the census of 1980 counted 8,443 people here.
The Woodlands is more historic than 3% of U.S. towns, #611 of 642 in Texas. 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.
0.5% of The Woodlands’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 1.6% for a Texas town; the median home was built in 2000.
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 (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.
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