Counties in Missouri with the most pre-war homes
Pre-war homes—those built before 1939—are architectural gems. They are sturdy, charming, and often what people are referring to when they look at the prevalent colorless, linear designs of today and lament “they just don’t make them like they used to.”
In some ways, that’s a good thing. Pre-war homes often contained materials we know to be hazardous today, like asbestos and lead. But their signature characteristics, including hardwood floors, nickel accents, ornate crown molding, and high ceilings, are among the features many people look for in a dream home.
Preserving the history of these properties, many of which you’ll find on the National Register of Historic Places, is labor that often extends beyond the scope of an individual homeowner. Depending on where these homes are located, special permission by local historic commissions may be required before renovations can be done in an effort to preserve their historic architectural integrity.
Stacker compiled a list of counties in Missouri with the most pre-war homes using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percent of homes that were built before 1939 based on 2020 5-year estimates.
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#30. Pike County
- Homes built since 2000: 17.2%
- Median year built: 1973
- Total homes: 7,932

#29. St. Clair County
- Homes built since 2000: 15.5%
- Median year built: 1975
- Total homes: 5,649
#28. Adair County
- Homes built since 2000: 15.2%
- Median year built: 1973
- Total homes: 11,595
#27. Gasconade County
- Homes built since 2000: 15.1%
- Median year built: 1973
- Total homes: 8,168
#26. Vernon County
- Homes built since 2000: 14.8%
- Median year built: 1974
- Total homes: 9,593
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#25. Carroll County
- Homes built since 2000: 12.6%
- Median year built: 1963
- Total homes: 4,649

#24. Marion County
- Homes built since 2000: 11.2%
- Median year built: 1971
- Total homes: 13,069
#23. Nodaway County
- Homes built since 2000: 18.9%
- Median year built: 1974
- Total homes: 9,780
#22. Daviess County
- Homes built since 2000: 19.9%
- Median year built: 1975
- Total homes: 4,189
#21. Dade County
- Homes built since 2000: 16.3%
- Median year built: 1976
- Total homes: 3,955
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#20. Gentry County
- Homes built since 2000: 16.7%
- Median year built: 1971
- Total homes: 3,210
#19. Grundy County
- Homes built since 2000: 11.6%
- Median year built: 1967
- Total homes: 5,005
#18. Bates County
- Homes built since 2000: 16.8%
- Median year built: 1974
- Total homes: 7,835
#17. Linn County
- Homes built since 2000: 10.8%
- Median year built: 1963
- Total homes: 6,382
#16. Howard County
- Homes built since 2000: 14.9%
- Median year built: 1967
- Total homes: 4,594
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#15. Shelby County
- Homes built since 2000: 16.8%
- Median year built: 1970
- Total homes: 3,207
#14. Macon County
- Homes built since 2000: 13.2%
- Median year built: 1970
- Total homes: 7,698
#13. Caldwell County
- Homes built since 2000: 12.7%
- Median year built: 1969
- Total homes: 4,694
#12. Sullivan County
- Homes built since 2000: 10.8%
- Median year built: 1965
- Total homes: 3,339
#11. Randolph County
- Homes built since 2000: 16.3%
- Median year built: 1972
- Total homes: 10,800
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#10. Clark County
- Homes built since 2000: 11.9%
- Median year built: 1970
- Total homes: 3,503
#9. Buchanan County
- Homes built since 2000: 10.1%
- Median year built: 1961
- Total homes: 38,822
#8. Harrison County
- Homes built since 2000: 17.0%
- Median year built: 1970
- Total homes: 4,380
#7. Holt County
- Homes built since 2000: 12.3%
- Median year built: 1967
- Total homes: 2,793
#6. Schuyler County
- Homes built since 2000: 9.3%
- Median year built: 1963
- Total homes: 2,100
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#5. Atchison County
- Homes built since 2000: 4.6%
- Median year built: 1958
- Total homes: 2,947
#4. Scotland County
- Homes built since 2000: 17.9%
- Median year built: 1969
- Total homes: 2,372
#3. Worth County
- Homes built since 2000: 9.6%
- Median year built: 1962
- Total homes: 1,270

#2. Knox County
- Homes built since 2000: 5.8%
- Median year built: 1959
- Total homes: 2,275
#1. St. Louis
- Homes built since 2000: 6.1%
- Median year built: 1968
- Total homes: 176,955
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