Counties with the oldest homes in Idaho
Counties with the oldest homes in Idaho
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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Idaho 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 Idaho have the oldest homes.
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#30. Bonneville County
--- #2,207 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.3%
--- #2,043 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 42,925
#29. Fremont County
--- #1,937 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.3%
--- #1,771 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 8,983
#28. Idaho County
--- #1,921 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.4%
--- #1,540 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 8,772
#27. Lincoln County
--- #1,897 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.6%
--- #1,100 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,001
#26. Owyhee County
--- #1,804 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.5%
--- #1,744 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,914
#25. Gem County
--- #1,782 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.8%
--- #1,417 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 7,349
#24. Camas County
--- #1,780 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.1%
--- #1,401 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 803
#23. Twin Falls County
--- #1,770 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.2%
--- #1,319 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 33,282
#22. Latah County
--- #1,764 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.6%
--- #1,226 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 16,960
#21. Lemhi County
--- #1,674 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.8%
--- #1,603 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,877
#20. Payette County
--- #1,563 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.5%
--- #1,627 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 9,454
#19. Gooding County
--- #1,544 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.4%
--- #1,455 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 6,231
#18. Jerome County
--- #1,539 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.2%
--- #1,395 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 8,531
#17. Benewah County
--- #1,536 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.4%
--- #1,369 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,733
#16. Clark County
--- #1,515 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.6%
--- #960 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 562
#15. Franklin County
--- #1,511 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.2%
--- #855 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,837
#14. Bingham County
--- #1,429 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.9%
--- #1,498 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 16,745

#13. Bannock County
--- #1,305 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.6%
--- #1,443 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 34,279
#12. Butte County
--- #1,224 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.7%
--- #1,843 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,288
#11. Cassia County
--- #1,199 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.8%
--- #1,279 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 8,747
#10. Power County
--- #1,185 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.4%
--- #1,113 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 3,017
#9. Bear Lake County
--- #1,149 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.8%
--- #709 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,118
#8. Clearwater County
--- #1,116 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.5%
--- #1,444 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,625
#7. Caribou County
--- #1,106 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.1%
--- #1,324 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 3,291
#6. Nez Perce County
--- #1,102 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.6%
--- #1,290 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 17,829
#5. Washington County
--- #980 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.1%
--- #804 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,643
#4. Oneida County
--- #961 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.5%
--- #462 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,999
#3. Minidoka County
--- #848 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.8%
--- #1,154 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 8,201
#2. Lewis County
--- #824 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.0%
--- #693 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,948

#1. Shoshone County
--- #229 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.7%
--- #406 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 7,129