Counties with the oldest homes in Indiana
Counties with the oldest homes in Indiana
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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Indiana 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 Indiana have the oldest homes.
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#30. Wells County
--- #693 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.5%
--- #333 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 11,871
#29. St. Joseph County
--- #682 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.1%
--- #1,133 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 116,713
#28. Vanderburgh County
--- #681 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.6%
--- #1,027 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 84,249

#27. Howard County
--- #621 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.1%
--- #916 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 39,396
#26. LaPorte County
--- #615 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.0%
--- #749 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 49,177
#25. Montgomery County
--- #601 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.9%
--- #495 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 16,643
#24. Pulaski County
--- #562 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.6%
--- #513 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 6,110
#23. Lake County
--- #538 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.9%
--- #1,147 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 212,899
#22. Delaware County
--- #533 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.5%
--- #898 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 52,716
#21. Madison County
--- #532 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.5%
--- #897 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 59,082
#20. Grant County
--- #524 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.1%
--- #690 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 30,487
#19. Fulton County
--- #513 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.4%
--- #378 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 9,703
#18. Fayette County
--- #438 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.7%
--- #659 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 10,825
#17. Carroll County
--- #424 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.8%
--- #401 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 9,625
#16. Fountain County
--- #416 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.5%
--- #286 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 7,899
#15. Vermillion County
--- #412 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.3%
--- #263 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 7,508
#14. Knox County
--- #372 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.5%
--- #373 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 17,114
#13. Tipton County
--- #359 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.4%
--- #260 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 7,011
#12. Blackford County
--- #324 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.0%
--- #311 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 6,019
#11. Henry County
--- #302 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.4%
--- #464 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 21,201
#10. Wayne County
--- #297 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.3%
--- #428 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 31,372
#9. Clinton County
--- #284 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.6%
--- #251 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 13,342
#8. Jay County
--- #280 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 34.3%
--- #228 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 9,253
#7. Wabash County
--- #278 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 37.1%
--- #153 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 14,154
#6. Miami County
--- #242 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 37.6%
--- #142 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 15,405
#5. Huntington County
--- #204 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 40.7%
--- #76 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 16,049
#4. Benton County
--- #146 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 37.4%
--- #148 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 3,930
#3. Rush County
--- #124 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 38.1%
--- #133 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 7,482
#2. Cass County
--- #100 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 38.9%
--- #114 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 16,369
#1. Randolph County
--- #61 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 41.8%
--- #60 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 11,705