Counties with the oldest homes in Oregon
Counties with the oldest homes in Oregon
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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Oregon 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 Oregon have the oldest homes.
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#30. Curry County
--- #2,366 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.5%
--- #2,562 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 12,948
#29. Clackamas County
--- #2,211 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.2%
--- #2,068 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 167,104

#28. Jackson County
--- #2,204 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.5%
--- #2,016 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 95,431

#27. Josephine County
--- #1,990 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.9%
--- #2,311 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 39,103
#26. Tillamook County
--- #1,915 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.7%
--- #1,427 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 19,000
#25. Lincoln County
--- #1,809 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.9%
--- #1,819 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 31,525
#24. Morrow County
--- #1,762 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.0%
--- #1,202 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,633
#23. Benton County
--- #1,692 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.1%
--- #1,920 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 38,399

#22. Marion County
--- #1,691 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.2%
--- #1,913 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 126,210
#21. Columbia County
--- #1,523 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.2%
--- #1,058 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 21,315
#20. Hood River County
--- #1,521 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.5%
--- #1,032 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 9,914
#19. Lane County
--- #1,472 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.0%
--- #2,102 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 162,611
#18. Douglas County
--- #1,467 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.7%
--- #1,967 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 50,332
#17. Linn County
--- #1,446 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.5%
--- #1,635 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 50,416
#16. Klamath County
--- #1,418 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.3%
--- #1,383 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 33,555
#15. Umatilla County
--- #1,213 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.5%
--- #1,446 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 30,499

#14. Wheeler County
--- #1,151 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.3%
--- #739 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 970
#13. Malheur County
--- #1,120 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.4%
--- #1,544 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 11,888
#12. Lake County
--- #1,112 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.4%
--- #1,375 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,507
#11. Grant County
--- #1,091 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.4%
--- #1,179 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,407
#10. Clatsop County
--- #1,059 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.7%
--- #765 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 22,447
#9. Union County
--- #1,051 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.3%
--- #676 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 11,829
#8. Coos County
--- #1,011 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.5%
--- #1,445 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 31,124
#7. Wasco County
--- #923 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.7%
--- #1,010 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 11,678
#6. Wallowa County
--- #914 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.1%
--- #863 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,215
#5. Harney County
--- #897 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.8%
--- #704 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 3,888
#4. Baker County
--- #885 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.8%
--- #549 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 9,027

#3. Multnomah County
--- #710 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.2%
--- #682 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 348,029
#2. Gilliam County
--- #190 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.0%
--- #273 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,130
#1. Sherman County
--- #117 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 40.8%
--- #74 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 918