Counties with the oldest homes in Colorado
Counties with the oldest homes in Colorado
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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Colorado 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 Colorado have the oldest homes.
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#30. Jefferson County
--- #1,732 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.9%
--- #2,893 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 240,956
#29. Alamosa County
--- #1,658 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.0%
--- #1,406 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 7,024
#28. Jackson County
--- #1,623 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.6%
--- #605 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,319
#27. Costilla County
--- #1,622 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.8%
--- #593 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,845
#26. Moffat County
--- #1,451 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.5%
--- #1,742 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 6,300
#25. Rio Grande County
--- #1,386 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.8%
--- #1,008 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 6,806
#24. Dolores County
--- #1,215 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.0%
--- #1,494 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,581
#23. Clear Creek County
--- #1,157 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.6%
--- #771 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 5,793
#22. Conejos County
--- #1,145 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.2%
--- #628 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,433

#21. Pueblo County
--- #1,096 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.4%
--- #1,242 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 71,223
#20. Morgan County
--- #990 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.7%
--- #885 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 11,783
#19. Huerfano County
--- #968 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.3%
--- #624 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 5,265
#18. San Juan County
--- #954 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 38.3%
--- #127 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 751
#17. Kit Carson County
--- #920 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.3%
--- #977 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 3,568
#16. Cheyenne County
--- #908 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.2%
--- #795 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 989
#15. Las Animas County
--- #874 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.3%
--- #338 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 8,576
#14. Lake County
--- #802 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.8%
--- #403 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,894

#13. Denver County
--- #774 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.9%
--- #1,003 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 321,717
#12. Lincoln County
--- #758 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.5%
--- #613 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,988
#11. Prowers County
--- #672 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.4%
--- #846 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 5,982
#10. Baca County
--- #537 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.9%
--- #1,143 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,258
#9. Kiowa County
--- #490 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.6%
--- #955 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 795
#8. Logan County
--- #433 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.0%
--- #536 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 9,108
#7. Yuma County
--- #421 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.3%
--- #383 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,556
#6. Otero County
--- #358 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.6%
--- #252 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 8,999
#5. Bent County
--- #287 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.6%
--- #328 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,270
#4. Washington County
--- #263 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.4%
--- #381 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,373
#3. Phillips County
--- #218 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.9%
--- #244 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,939
#2. Crowley County
--- #153 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 35.2%
--- #205 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,589
#1. Sedgwick County
--- #30 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 38.5%
--- #121 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,191