Counties with the oldest homes in New Mexico
Counties with the oldest homes in New Mexico
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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 New Mexico 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 New Mexico have the oldest homes.
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#30. Valencia County
--- #2,776 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.3%
--- #2,818 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 31,208
#29. Catron County
--- #2,568 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.5%
--- #2,385 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 3,756
#28. Torrance County
--- #2,533 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.0%
--- #1,686 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 8,026

#27. San Juan County
--- #2,518 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.0%
--- #3,032 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 51,113

#26. McKinley County
--- #2,368 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.2%
--- #2,622 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 26,312

#25. Lincoln County
--- #2,256 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.8%
--- #2,712 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 18,156
#24. Taos County
--- #2,195 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.0%
--- #1,798 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 20,916

#23. Otero County
--- #2,140 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.8%
--- #2,900 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 31,745
#22. Bernalillo County
--- #2,136 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.1%
--- #2,840 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 293,787
#21. Luna County
--- #2,130 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.8%
--- #2,714 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 11,287
#20. Rio Arriba County
--- #2,107 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.7%
--- #2,351 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 20,184
#19. Sierra County
--- #2,087 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.0%
--- #2,117 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 8,555

#18. Socorro County
--- #1,950 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.5%
--- #1,876 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 8,234
#17. San Miguel County
--- #1,902 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.1%
--- #1,192 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 15,984
#16. Roosevelt County
--- #1,602 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.5%
--- #2,198 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 8,518

#15. Grant County
--- #1,572 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.6%
--- #1,724 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 15,071
#14. Curry County
--- #1,480 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.1%
--- #2,273 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 21,267

#13. Cibola County
--- #1,479 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.2%
--- #2,263 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 11,397
#12. Hidalgo County
--- #1,468 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.7%
--- #1,976 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,454
#11. Colfax County
--- #1,393 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.9%
--- #1,080 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 10,284
#10. Mora County
--- #1,257 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.0%
--- #809 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,981

#9. Los Alamos County
--- #1,138 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.3%
--- #3,211 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 8,384
#8. Lea County
--- #1,134 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.8%
--- #2,914 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 26,610

#7. Eddy County
--- #1,130 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.1%
--- #2,473 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 24,576

#6. Chaves County
--- #870 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.1%
--- #2,462 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 27,279
#5. Guadalupe County
--- #782 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.1%
--- #1,194 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,670
#4. Quay County
--- #638 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.5%
--- #2,199 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 5,690
#3. De Baca County
--- #498 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.6%
--- #1,438 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,092
#2. Union County
--- #497 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.7%
--- #1,428 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,347
#1. Harding County
--- #114 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.9%
--- #443 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 567