Counties with the oldest homes in Ohio
Counties with the oldest homes in Ohio
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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Ohio 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 Ohio have the oldest homes.
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#30. Defiance County
--- #654 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.8%
--- #505 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 16,817
#29. Huron County
--- #599 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.4%
--- #465 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 25,307
#28. Monroe County
--- #591 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.3%
--- #339 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 7,489

#27. Summit County
--- #575 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.7%
--- #947 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 245,989

#26. Montgomery County
--- #536 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.0%
--- #1,139 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 254,810
#25. Stark County
--- #529 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.3%
--- #852 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 166,725
#24. Erie County
--- #525 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.4%
--- #737 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 37,860
#23. Hardin County
--- #515 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.2%
--- #388 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 13,194
#22. Coshocton County
--- #510 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.0%
--- #351 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 16,455
#21. Trumbull County
--- #491 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.3%
--- #1,117 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 95,687
#20. Allen County
--- #481 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.8%
--- #648 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 45,081
#19. Columbiana County
--- #473 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.4%
--- #521 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 46,829
#18. Williams County
--- #464 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.3%
--- #341 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 16,644
#17. Richland County
--- #447 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.1%
--- #921 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 54,190
#16. Ashtabula County
--- #432 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.4%
--- #517 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 46,174
#15. Marion County
--- #422 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.3%
--- #387 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 27,888
#14. Wyandot County
--- #413 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.8%
--- #276 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 9,949
#13. Clark County
--- #388 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.9%
--- #645 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 61,272
#12. Hamilton County
--- #387 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.1%
--- #637 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 379,402
#11. Darke County
--- #361 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.2%
--- #268 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 22,903

#10. Mahoning County
--- #349 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.6%
--- #890 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 111,361

#9. Lucas County
--- #344 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.6%
--- #609 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 203,330
#8. Henry County
--- #320 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 34.2%
--- #231 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 12,089
#7. Jefferson County
--- #306 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.5%
--- #779 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 32,510
#6. Crawford County
--- #301 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.8%
--- #449 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 20,044
#5. Van Wert County
--- #296 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.5%
--- #420 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 12,707
#4. Belmont County
--- #265 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.1%
--- #391 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 32,210
#3. Sandusky County
--- #254 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.9%
--- #242 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 26,318
#2. Seneca County
--- #212 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 36.5%
--- #170 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 24,132
#1. Cuyahoga County
--- #164 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.7%
--- #405 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 618,395