What is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the continental United States?

The oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the continental United States is St. Augustine, Florida.

Spanish admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés founded St. Augustine on September 8, 1565, during Spain’s effort to secure Florida and protect its treasure fleets. The settlement was named San Agustín, after Saint Augustine of Hippo, whose feast day coincided with the landing.

The claim refers specifically to a continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the contiguous United States. It does not mean St. Augustine was the first human settlement in the region: Timucua communities lived there long before the Spanish arrived. It also predates famous English colonies such as Jamestown, founded in 1607, and Plymouth, founded in 1620.

Santa Fe is older by founding date in some historical accounts, but it was not continuously inhabited in the same way under the quiz’s standard definition. St. Augustine’s long Spanish, British, and American history is why it is commonly called the “Ancient City.”