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Counties with the oldest homes in Maine
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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Maine with the oldest homes using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by median year the structure was built according to 2020 5-year estimates. Ties broken by the highest percentage of homes built 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 Maine have the oldest homes.
#16. Waldo County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.1% (4,981 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 24.5% (5,530 homes)
- Total homes built: 22,570
#15. Hancock County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.6% (9,370 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 20.5% (8,496 homes)
- Total homes built: 41,461
#14. York County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.1% (22,313 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 19.0% (21,136 homes)
- Total homes built: 111,067
#13. Lincoln County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.9% (6,465 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 17.7% (4,269 homes)
- Total homes built: 24,073
#12. Franklin County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.6% (4,596 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 16.8% (3,730 homes)
- Total homes built: 22,265
#11. Somerset County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.6% (7,305 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 16.0% (4,942 homes)
- Total homes built: 30,963
#10. Penobscot County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.7% (16,547 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 18.3% (13,912 homes)
- Total homes built: 76,088
#9. Oxford County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.1% (8,589 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 16.7% (6,211 homes)
- Total homes built: 37,123
#8. Sagadahoc County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.0% (5,109 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 17.1% (3,244 homes)
- Total homes built: 18,931
#7. Piscataquis County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.4% (3,778 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 15.8% (2,446 homes)
- Total homes built: 15,508
#6. Washington County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.4% (6,635 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 16.9% (3,946 homes)
- Total homes built: 23,381
#5. Kennebec County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.9% (14,441 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 15.9% (10,010 homes)
- Total homes built: 62,997
#4. Cumberland County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.9% (36,261 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 16.8% (24,443 homes)
- Total homes built: 145,838
#3. Aroostook County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.4% (8,580 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 12.0% (4,818 homes)
- Total homes built: 40,007
#2. Knox County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 34.9% (8,551 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 15.9% (3,882 homes)
- Total homes built: 24,468
#1. Androscoggin County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.9% (14,464 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 13.5% (6,738 homes)
- Total homes built: 50,053