Counties with the oldest homes in Kentucky
Counties with the oldest homes in Kentucky
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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky have the oldest homes.
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#30. Todd County
--- #1,581 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.7%
--- #1,840 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 5,341
#29. McCracken County
--- #1,577 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.2%
--- #1,779 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 32,065
#28. Monroe County
--- #1,575 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.4%
--- #1,748 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 5,260
#27. Boyle County
--- #1,557 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.1%
--- #1,574 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 12,490
#26. Bell County
--- #1,463 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.0%
--- #1,940 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 13,235
#25. Hickman County
--- #1,459 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.4%
--- #1,884 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,358
#24. Caldwell County
--- #1,455 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.1%
--- #1,785 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 6,291
#23. Muhlenberg County
--- #1,452 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.3%
--- #1,768 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 13,798
#22. Green County
--- #1,428 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.0%
--- #1,490 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 5,304
#21. Henderson County
--- #1,425 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.4%
--- #1,453 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 20,560
#20. McLean County
--- #1,414 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.9%
--- #1,341 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,286
#19. Nicholas County
--- #1,380 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.1%
--- #918 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 3,293
#18. Greenup County
--- #1,330 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.4%
--- #1,886 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 16,319
#17. Franklin County
--- #1,328 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.5%
--- #1,872 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 23,252
#16. Logan County
--- #1,311 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.8%
--- #1,510 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 12,363
#15. Hopkins County
--- #1,303 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.7%
--- #1,434 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 21,405
#14. Harlan County
--- #1,296 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.0%
--- #1,333 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 13,589
#13. Webster County
--- #1,286 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.9%
--- #1,148 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 5,960
#12. Mercer County
--- #1,279 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.1%
--- #1,066 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 10,147
#11. Daviess County
--- #1,227 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.1%
--- #1,924 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 43,122
#10. Union County
--- #1,188 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.2%
--- #1,126 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 6,249
#9. Bourbon County
--- #1,167 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.9%
--- #933 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 9,064
#8. Mason County
--- #1,078 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.9%
--- #1,006 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 8,163
#7. Kenton County
--- #1,068 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.0%
--- #870 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 69,661
#6. Fulton County
--- #858 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.0%
--- #1,488 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 3,338
#5. Boyd County
--- #853 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.6%
--- #1,286 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 21,674

#4. Jefferson County
--- #785 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.9%
--- #1,271 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 345,261
#3. Robertson County
--- #747 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.8%
--- #448 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,080
#2. Bracken County
--- #743 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.7%
--- #408 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 3,885
#1. Campbell County
--- #697 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.2%
--- #474 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 40,312