Counties with the oldest homes in Oklahoma
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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma have the oldest homes.
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#50. Love County
- Median year homes built: 1979
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.1% (233 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 18.9% (868 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,596
#49. Murray County
- Median year homes built: 1979
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.6% (522 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 23.2% (1,597 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,873
#48. Pottawatomie County
- Median year homes built: 1979
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.8% (2,914 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 22.8% (6,803 homes)
- Total homes built: 29,873
#47. Osage County
- Median year homes built: 1979
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.5% (2,748 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 22.0% (4,832 homes)
- Total homes built: 21,921
#46. Tulsa County
- Median year homes built: 1978
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.6% (18,814 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 19.3% (54,768 homes)
- Total homes built: 284,341
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#45. Carter County
- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.1% (1,757 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 19.5% (4,253 homes)
- Total homes built: 21,799
#44. Pittsburg County
- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.5% (2,198 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 16.1% (3,718 homes)
- Total homes built: 23,113
#43. Custer County
- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.3% (1,307 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 15.6% (1,969 homes)
- Total homes built: 12,661
#42. Okfuskee County
- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.3% (550 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 15.6% (831 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,327
#41. Pawnee County
- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.3% (1,043 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 14.0% (1,099 homes)
- Total homes built: 7,839
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#40. Comanche County
- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.0% (2,559 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 18.5% (9,537 homes)
- Total homes built: 51,665
#39. Oklahoma County
- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.5% (25,537 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 19.5% (66,621 homes)
- Total homes built: 341,512
#38. Woodward County
- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.9% (801 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 13.1% (1,182 homes)
- Total homes built: 9,042
#37. Pontotoc County
- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.1% (1,536 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 20.4% (3,442 homes)
- Total homes built: 16,861
#36. Nowata County
- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.6% (616 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 18.5% (905 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,889
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#35. Kingfisher County
- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.3% (1,071 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 18.4% (1,209 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,557
#34. Muskogee County
- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.2% (3,150 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 14.0% (4,322 homes)
- Total homes built: 30,968
#33. Coal County
- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.5% (325 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 17.6% (495 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,820
#32. Seminole County
- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.7% (1,722 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 15.3% (1,792 homes)
- Total homes built: 11,713
#31. Stephens County
- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.7% (1,589 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 9.9% (2,056 homes)
- Total homes built: 20,670
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#30. Okmulgee County
- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.6% (2,429 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 16.0% (2,848 homes)
- Total homes built: 17,854
#29. Craig County
- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.9% (1,005 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 13.1% (884 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,742
#28. Ottawa County
- Median year homes built: 1973
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.9% (1,671 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 14.0% (1,968 homes)
- Total homes built: 14,091
#27. Caddo County
- Median year homes built: 1973
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.7% (2,216 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 9.7% (1,289 homes)
- Total homes built: 13,267
#26. Garvin County
- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.1% (652 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 10.5% (1,355 homes)
- Total homes built: 12,872
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#25. Jackson County
- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.3% (1,004 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 11.2% (1,359 homes)
- Total homes built: 12,136
#24. Texas County
- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.2% (925 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 7.1% (586 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,274
#23. Major County
- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.5% (609 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 10.6% (392 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,685
#22. Noble County
- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.3% (924 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 14.0% (748 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,346
#21. Hughes County
- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.1% (1,320 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 10.7% (673 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,263
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#20. Washington County
- Median year homes built: 1971
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.7% (2,307 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 13.2% (3,133 homes)
- Total homes built: 23,739
#19. Blaine County
- Median year homes built: 1971
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.5% (753 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 9.4% (490 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,204
#18. Garfield County
- Median year homes built: 1971
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.2% (4,078 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 11.5% (3,078 homes)
- Total homes built: 26,776
#17. Jefferson County
- Median year homes built: 1971
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.3% (590 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 7.4% (253 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,401
#16. Dewey County
- Median year homes built: 1970
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.1% (420 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 15.4% (379 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,458
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#15. Roger Mills County
- Median year homes built: 1969
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.9% (341 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 11.4% (217 homes)
- Total homes built: 1,906
#14. Greer County
- Median year homes built: 1966
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.4% (388 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 8.5% (230 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,697
#13. Cotton County
- Median year homes built: 1966
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.2% (486 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 8.5% (254 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,994
#12. Beaver County
- Median year homes built: 1963
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.5% (336 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 6.0% (160 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,687
#11. Kay County
- Median year homes built: 1963
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.7% (4,021 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 6.5% (1,399 homes)
- Total homes built: 21,455
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#10. Harper County
- Median year homes built: 1963
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.2% (380 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 6.8% (129 homes)
- Total homes built: 1,885
#9. Ellis County
- Median year homes built: 1962
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.1% (547 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 8.5% (192 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,267
#8. Grant County
- Median year homes built: 1962
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.1% (646 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 7.6% (188 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,473
#7. Woods County
- Median year homes built: 1961
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.5% (993 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 7.6% (337 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,408
#6. Washita County
- Median year homes built: 1960
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.3% (1,155 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 9.4% (510 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,412
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#5. Harmon County
- Median year homes built: 1959
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.5% (238 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 6.2% (95 homes)
- Total homes built: 1,531
#4. Tillman County
- Median year homes built: 1959
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.3% (692 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 6.0% (238 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,993
#3. Kiowa County
- Median year homes built: 1959
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.7% (1,369 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 4.4% (225 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,122
#2. Alfalfa County
- Median year homes built: 1959
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.5% (832 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 8.7% (238 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,728
#1. Cimarron County
- Median year homes built: 1958
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.4% (385 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 4.6% (72 homes)
- Total homes built: 1,579
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