Counties with the oldest homes in Oregon

Written by:
August 27, 2022
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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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 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 Oregon have the oldest homes.

#36. Deschutes County

- Median year homes built: 1995
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.4% (3,082 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 36.9% (33,478 homes)
- Total homes built: 90,802

#35. Crook County

- Median year homes built: 1991
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.9% (536 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 28.2% (3,110 homes)
- Total homes built: 11,026

#34. Washington County

- Median year homes built: 1989
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.7% (6,360 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 25.2% (58,461 homes)
- Total homes built: 232,032

#33. Jefferson County

- Median year homes built: 1986
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.9% (294 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 21.4% (2,182 homes)
- Total homes built: 10,194

#32. Yamhill County

- Median year homes built: 1986
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.3% (4,075 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 23.3% (9,216 homes)
- Total homes built: 39,504

#31. Polk County

- Median year homes built: 1984
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.2% (2,356 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 26.6% (8,648 homes)
- Total homes built: 32,572

#30. Clackamas County

- Median year homes built: 1983
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.0% (11,777 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 20.5% (34,564 homes)
- Total homes built: 168,828

#29. Jackson County

- Median year homes built: 1982
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.0% (6,758 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 22.4% (21,579 homes)
- Total homes built: 96,318

#28. Curry County

- Median year homes built: 1981
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.5% (587 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 16.8% (2,192 homes)
- Total homes built: 13,011

#27. Tillamook County

- Median year homes built: 1981
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.6% (2,413 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 23.3% (4,455 homes)
- Total homes built: 19,157

#26. Josephine County

- Median year homes built: 1980
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.5% (2,577 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 20.9% (8,217 homes)
- Total homes built: 39,362

#25. Lincoln County

- Median year homes built: 1979
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.0% (2,525 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 17.4% (5,534 homes)
- Total homes built: 31,751

#24. Morrow County

- Median year homes built: 1979
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.9% (606 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 15.8% (742 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,699

#23. Marion County

- Median year homes built: 1978
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.2% (10,519 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 16.9% (21,528 homes)
- Total homes built: 127,505

#22. Benton County

- Median year homes built: 1978
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.0% (3,472 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 21.2% (8,195 homes)
- Total homes built: 38,713

#21. Columbia County

- Median year homes built: 1978
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.8% (3,814 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 18.1% (3,871 homes)
- Total homes built: 21,421

#20. Hood River County

- Median year homes built: 1978
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.7% (1,876 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 24.0% (2,407 homes)
- Total homes built: 10,034

#19. Wheeler County

- Median year homes built: 1978
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.2% (220 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 15.4% (153 homes)
- Total homes built: 991

#18. Douglas County

- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.2% (3,667 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 17.0% (8,590 homes)
- Total homes built: 50,649

#17. Linn County

- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.7% (4,955 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 18.9% (9,640 homes)
- Total homes built: 50,936

#16. Lane County

- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.0% (11,442 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 16.7% (27,361 homes)
- Total homes built: 163,617

#15. Lake County

- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.0% (454 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 16.8% (762 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,538

#14. Umatilla County

- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.7% (3,912 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 17.0% (5,224 homes)
- Total homes built: 30,722

#13. Klamath County

- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.1% (4,741 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 15.1% (5,095 homes)
- Total homes built: 33,703

#12. Malheur County

- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.1% (1,210 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 9.4% (1,122 homes)
- Total homes built: 11,936

#11. Clatsop County

- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.0% (5,204 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 15.6% (3,523 homes)
- Total homes built: 22,609

#10. Grant County

- Median year homes built: 1973
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.4% (680 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 13.3% (590 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,426

#9. Harney County

- Median year homes built: 1973
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.1% (746 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 13.5% (527 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,897

#8. Wallowa County

- Median year homes built: 1973
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.6% (871 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 17.3% (734 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,234

#7. Union County

- Median year homes built: 1973
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.1% (2,983 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 13.1% (1,554 homes)
- Total homes built: 11,863

#6. Coos County

- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.2% (4,126 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 12.6% (3,945 homes)
- Total homes built: 31,246

#5. Wasco County

- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.8% (2,086 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 13.4% (1,569 homes)
- Total homes built: 11,712

#4. Baker County

- Median year homes built: 1970
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.3% (2,653 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 11.8% (1,067 homes)
- Total homes built: 9,062

#3. Multnomah County

- Median year homes built: 1969
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.1% (85,258 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 17.1% (60,618 homes)
- Total homes built: 353,735

#2. Gilliam County

- Median year homes built: 1958
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.8% (307 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 12.3% (141 homes)
- Total homes built: 1,145

#1. Sherman County

- Median year homes built: 1958
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 37.5% (339 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 6.6% (60 homes)
- Total homes built: 905

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