Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 31% of U.S. towns · #125 of 285 in Washington. What drives it
Most of Normandy Park was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1962. 2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 6 buildings. Below: maps from 1949 on and the census since 1960.
Normandy Park dates its founding to 1953 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1960.
More historic than 31% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Normandy Park is more historic than 31% of U.S. towns, #125 of 285 in Washington. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
Few Washington towns list much on the Register (a typical Washington town has 0.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Normandy Park’s 12.0 sits above most of its state (87% of Washington towns have fewer) while its 8 historic buildings outnumber those of 74% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 Normandy Park’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Normandy Park.
Normandy Park was officially incorporated on June 8, 1953. The city is located in King County and is bordered on the north by the City of Burien and by the City of Des Moines to the south.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Normandy Park. 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 Normandy Park.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Grew from 3,224 people in 1960 to 6,771 in 2020.
7 censuses, 1960–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Normandy Park’s Wikipedia page.
Nobody well known was born in Normandy Park itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1953, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1960 counted 3,224 people here.
Normandy Park is more historic than 31% of U.S. towns, #125 of 285 in Washington. 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.
Two places: the Tracy House (listed 1995) and the Covenant Beach Bible Camp (2006).
5% of Normandy Park’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.1 points), against a typical 4.3% for a Washington town; the median home was built in 1962.
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), the National Register of Historic Places (2), 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.
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