Boroughs with the most pre-war homes in Alaska

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October 20, 2025
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Boroughs with the most pre-war homes in Alaska

Pre-war homes—those built before 1939—are architectural gems. They are sturdy, charming, and often what people are referring to when they look at the prevalent colorless, linear designs of today and lament "they just don't make them like they used to."

In some ways, that's a good thing. Pre-war homes often contained materials we know to be hazardous today, like asbestos and lead. But their signature characteristics, including hardwood floors, nickel accents, ornate crown molding, and high ceilings, are among the features many people look for in a dream home.

Preserving the history of these properties, many of which you'll find on the National Register of Historic Places, is labor that often extends beyond the scope of an individual homeowner. Depending on where these homes are located, special permission by local historic commissions may be required before renovations can be done in an effort to preserve their historic architectural integrity.

Stacker compiled a list of boroughs in Alaska with the most pre-war homes using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Boroughs are ranked by the highest percent of homes that were built in 1939 or earlier based on 2023 5-year estimates.

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#30. Kodiak Island Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.2% (9 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.8% (104 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1985
- National rank: #3,142
- Total homes built: 5,840

#29. Kusilvak Census Area

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.2% (5 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (28 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1988
- National rank: #3,139
- Total homes built: 2,341

#28. Northwest Arctic Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.2% (6 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1985
- National rank: #3,138
- Total homes built: 2,744

#27. Bethel Census Area

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.5% (29 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (11 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1988
- National rank: #3,123
- Total homes built: 6,009

#26. Matanuska-Susitna Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.5% (270 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (511 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1996
- National rank: #3,121
- Total homes built: 50,922

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#25. Southeast Fairbanks Census Area

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.7% (24 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (9 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1988
- National rank: #3,113
- Total homes built: 3,520

#24. Anchorage Municipality

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.8% (923 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (295 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1982
- National rank: #3,100
- Total homes built: 119,717

#23. Dillingham Census Area

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.8% (20 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1985
- National rank: #3,096
- Total homes built: 2,416

#22. Fairbanks North Star Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.9% (378 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (211 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1985
- National rank: #3,087
- Total homes built: 42,695

#21. Kenai Peninsula Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.0% (328 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (366 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1989
- National rank: #3,075
- Total homes built: 32,707

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#20. Lake and Peninsula Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.3% (17 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (2 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1985
- National rank: #3,051
- Total homes built: 1,355

#19. Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.9% (74 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (6 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1985
- National rank: #2,992
- Total homes built: 3,958

#18. Denali Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.2% (29 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (5 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1989
- National rank: #2,940
- Total homes built: 1,306

#17. Aleutians West Census Area

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.4% (33 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (6 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1988
- National rank: #2,917
- Total homes built: 1,391

#16. North Slope Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.6% (69 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (2 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1984
- National rank: #2,878
- Total homes built: 2,640

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#15. Copper River Census Area

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.8% (74 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (8 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1985
- National rank: #2,833
- Total homes built: 2,597

#14. Bristol Bay Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.9% (24 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1984
- National rank: #2,828
- Total homes built: 831

#13. Nome Census Area

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.7% (153 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (4 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1984
- National rank: #2,663
- Total homes built: 4,109

#12. Chugach Census Area

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.8% (141 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (13 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1979
- National rank: #2,655
- Total homes built: 3,745

#11. Sitka City and Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.0% (166 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (8 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1979
- National rank: #2,612
- Total homes built: 4,167

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#10. Yakutat City and Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.3% (17 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (1 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1983
- National rank: #2,547
- Total homes built: 391

#9. Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.5% (147 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (14 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1986
- National rank: #2,502
- Total homes built: 3,237

#8. Aleutians East Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.0% (71 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1981
- National rank: #2,209
- Total homes built: 1,174

#7. Haines Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.6% (93 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.4% (20 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1988
- National rank: #2,101
- Total homes built: 1,401

#6. Juneau City and Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.4% (1,051 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (71 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1981
- National rank: #1,954
- Total homes built: 14,170

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#5. Hoonah-Angoon Census Area

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.0% (140 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (13 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1984
- National rank: #1,872
- Total homes built: 1,741

#4. Wrangell City and Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.0% (143 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (4 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1975
- National rank: #1,530
- Total homes built: 1,300

#3. Ketchikan Gateway Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.6% (905 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (15 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1976
- National rank: #1,334
- Total homes built: 6,659

#2. Skagway Municipality

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.4% (121 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (6 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1984
- National rank: #978
- Total homes built: 656

#1. Petersburg Borough

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.3% (361 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1980
- National rank: #919
- Total homes built: 1,871

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