
Counties with the oldest homes in California
Counties with the oldest homes in California
There's an undeniable charm that comes with pre-World War II American architecture, characterized by high ceilings, crown molding, hardwood floors, and ornate details. In fact, 12.8% of all housing units in America were built in 1939 or before, showing the popularity of the preservation of these units. Owning a piece of history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize. However, with more and more modernized pre-war homes on the market, generally located just outside bustling downtown metros, investing in property that has withstood the test of time is an attractive prospect.
Stacker compiled a list of the counties in California with the oldest homes using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by median year the structure was built, with ties broken by the most homes before 1939.
The country’s domestic architecture is perhaps best characterized by a rugged individualism as opposed to the hybridization of disparate architectural elements. As Maya Angelou once perceptively observed, "the ache for home lives in all of us," a phrase that has meant very different things to different people.
Modest or palatial, there is no shortage of noteworthy homes in the U.S. Log cabins constructed by industrious pioneers have dotted the landscape alongside traditional Native American dwellings ever since immigrant Swedes introduced them to the New World in 1638. The unprecedented personal fortunes amassed by the so-called "Robber Barons" at the close of the 19th century gave way to the construction of a staggering number of Gilded Age estates.
The ravages of time spared neither the sumptuous nor the humble. Stately mansions, often prohibitively costly to maintain in the modern era, were frequently neglected; simple structures were forgotten, discarded by their owners, and damaged by natural elements. However, the tireless efforts of architectural preservationists and local historical societies have saved many of these homes from demolition, leading to their inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places and thereby safeguarding them for future generations.
Keep reading to learn more about which counties in California have the oldest homes.
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#30. Sacramento County
--- #1,866 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.7%
--- #2,540 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 570,752

#29. Sutter County
--- #1,858 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.2%
--- #2,433 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 34,395
#28. Plumas County
--- #1,857 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.2%
--- #2,427 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 15,830
#27. Tehama County
--- #1,823 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.6%
--- #1,996 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 27,558
#26. Trinity County
--- #1,711 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.8%
--- #2,323 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 8,918
#25. Tuolumne County
--- #1,708 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.1%
--- #2,267 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 31,553
#24. Butte County
--- #1,701 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.0%
--- #2,114 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 96,505

#23. Sonoma County
--- #1,687 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.4%
--- #1,880 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 207,713
#22. Lassen County
--- #1,562 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.6%
--- #1,625 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 12,783
#21. Colusa County
--- #1,553 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.4%
--- #1,541 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 8,044
#20. Orange County
--- #1,499 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.5%
--- #2,953 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1.1 million
#19. Ventura County
--- #1,496 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.6%
--- #2,745 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 288,896
#18. Contra Costa County
--- #1,492 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.3%
--- #2,605 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 413,719
#17. Mendocino County
--- #1,434 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.7%
--- #1,511 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 40,960

#16. Napa County
--- #1,331 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.3%
--- #1,901 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 55,602
#15. Siskiyou County
--- #1,294 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.7%
--- #1,280 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 24,118
#14. Santa Clara County
--- #1,234 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.0%
--- #2,495 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 672,495
#13. Glenn County
--- #1,226 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.6%
--- #1,851 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 11,008
#12. Sierra County
--- #1,203 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.2%
--- #1,314 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,365
#11. Modoc County
--- #1,172 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.8%
--- #1,009 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 5,258

#10. Monterey County
--- #1,127 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.3%
--- #2,052 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 141,820

#9. Santa Barbara County
--- #1,022 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.6%
--- #1,864 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 157,161
#8. Inyo County
--- #1,021 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.8%
--- #1,824 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 9,572

#7. Santa Cruz County
--- #1,012 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.9%
--- #1,502 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 106,307
#6. Humboldt County
--- #936 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.6%
--- #1,287 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 63,089
#5. Alameda County
--- #722 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.5%
--- #963 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 608,096
#4. Marin County
--- #633 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.6%
--- #1,437 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 113,084
#3. San Mateo County
--- #583 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.3%
--- #1,902 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 277,773

#2. Los Angeles County
--- #496 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.8%
--- #1,277 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 3.5 million
#1. San Francisco County
--- #15 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 46.8%
--- #15 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 397,812