The early history of the Nagaon region is tied to the ancient Kamarupa Kingdom, sharing the socio-political trajectory of the wider Brahmaputra Valley. During the medieval period, the area was controlled by the Baro-Bhuyans (independent landlords) before being fully absorbed into the expanding Ahom Kingdom. It was during this era, in 1449, that Srimanta Sankardev was born in Alipukhuri-Bordowa, near present-day Nagaon. His Neo-Vaishnavite movement transformed the social and cultural fabric of Assam.
Following the decline of the Ahom Kingdom and the Burmese invasions, the British East India Company annexed Assam in 1826 under the Treaty of Yandabo. Recognizing the strategic and agricultural potential of central Assam, the British established the Nowgong district in 1833, moving the district headquarters to its present location a few years later.
During India's struggle for independence, Nagaon was a hotbed of nationalist activity. The region saw immense participation in the Non-Cooperation Movement, the Civil Disobedience Movement, and the Quit India Movement, producing prominent freedom fighters. Post-independence, the city was renamed from Nowgong to Nagaon, evolving steadily into a key educational and commercial center while retaining its agrarian roots.