Counties with the most pre-war homes in Arkansas

Written by:
October 20, 2025
Kristi Blokhin // Shutterstock

Counties with the most pre-war homes in Arkansas

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 counties in Arkansas with the most pre-war homes using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percent of homes that were built in 1939 or earlier based on 2023 5-year estimates.

#50. St. Francis County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.7% (350 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (33 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1980
- National rank: #2,681
- Total homes built: 9,583

#49. Hot Spring County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.8% (535 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (171 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1979
- National rank: #2,659
- Total homes built: 14,259

#48. Mississippi County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.8% (733 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (27 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1978
- National rank: #2,645
- Total homes built: 19,126

#47. Independence County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.0% (673 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (137 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1987
- National rank: #2,606
- Total homes built: 16,740

#46. Poinsett County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.1% (424 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (84 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1978
- National rank: #2,597
- Total homes built: 10,418

#45. Baxter County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.1% (930 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (53 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1983
- National rank: #2,593
- Total homes built: 22,836

#44. Miller County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.1% (815 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (134 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1983
- National rank: #2,587
- Total homes built: 19,810

#43. Ashley County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.1% (390 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (33 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1977
- National rank: #2,578
- Total homes built: 9,401

#42. Stone County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.6% (312 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (57 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1988
- National rank: #2,497
- Total homes built: 6,820

#41. Union County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.8% (888 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (157 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1977
- National rank: #2,463
- Total homes built: 18,663

#40. Columbia County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.8% (533 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (80 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1981
- National rank: #2,447
- Total homes built: 11,032

#39. Perry County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.9% (241 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (36 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1988
- National rank: #2,436
- Total homes built: 4,952

#38. Pulaski County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.0% (9,659 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (1,698 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1980
- National rank: #2,412
- Total homes built: 192,085

#37. Scott County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.1% (250 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (24 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1979
- National rank: #2,394
- Total homes built: 4,873

#36. Monroe County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.3% (205 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1976
- National rank: #2,360
- Total homes built: 3,843

#35. Fulton County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.4% (335 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (76 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1983
- National rank: #2,347
- Total homes built: 6,218

#34. Marion County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.5% (534 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (24 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1985
- National rank: #2,316
- Total homes built: 9,623

#33. Sebastian County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.6% (3,192 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (684 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1980
- National rank: #2,307
- Total homes built: 57,197

#32. Lawrence County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.6% (427 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (47 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1977
- National rank: #2,300
- Total homes built: 7,585

#31. Montgomery County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.6% (308 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (34 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1989
- National rank: #2,298
- Total homes built: 5,469

#30. Lafayette County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.7% (225 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.6% (64 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1977
- National rank: #2,284
- Total homes built: 3,940

#29. Izard County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.8% (394 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (13 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1983
- National rank: #2,251
- Total homes built: 6,749

#28. Arkansas County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.9% (509 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (5 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1976
- National rank: #2,245
- Total homes built: 8,697

#27. Jackson County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.9% (418 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (24 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1974
- National rank: #2,241
- Total homes built: 7,106

#26. Boone County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.0% (1,037 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (211 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1984
- National rank: #2,221
- Total homes built: 17,395

#25. Franklin County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.0% (465 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (78 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1984
- National rank: #2,213
- Total homes built: 7,751

#24. Hempstead County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.2% (596 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (21 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1980
- National rank: #2,179
- Total homes built: 9,638

#23. Clark County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.3% (629 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (109 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1986
- National rank: #2,164
- Total homes built: 10,012

#22. Johnson County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.4% (732 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (90 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1985
- National rank: #2,152
- Total homes built: 11,523

#21. Garland County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.4% (3,347 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (410 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1984
- National rank: #2,148
- Total homes built: 52,570

#20. Polk County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.4% (616 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (48 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1985
- National rank: #2,145
- Total homes built: 9,647

#19. Phillips County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.6% (552 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (4 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1975
- National rank: #2,111
- Total homes built: 8,386

#18. Jefferson County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.7% (2,044 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (208 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1976
- National rank: #2,098
- Total homes built: 30,710

#17. Desha County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.7% (387 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (70 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1976
- National rank: #2,097
- Total homes built: 5,812

#16. Bradley County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.7% (343 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (12 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1977
- National rank: #2,078
- Total homes built: 5,082

#15. Yell County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.8% (632 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (64 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1983
- National rank: #2,066
- Total homes built: 9,300

#14. Drew County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.8% (564 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (41 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1984
- National rank: #2,062
- Total homes built: 8,292

#13. Howard County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.1% (436 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (20 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1979
- National rank: #2,016
- Total homes built: 6,162

#12. Pike County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.3% (386 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (32 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1983
- National rank: #1,990
- Total homes built: 5,319

#11. Nevada County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.4% (319 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (2 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1981
- National rank: #1,963
- Total homes built: 4,318

#10. Ouachita County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.6% (902 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (22 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1974
- National rank: #1,930
- Total homes built: 11,870

#9. Clay County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.7% (576 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (22 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1973
- National rank: #1,917
- Total homes built: 7,499

#8. Conway County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.8% (758 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (141 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1982
- National rank: #1,896
- Total homes built: 9,681

#7. Logan County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.9% (771 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (64 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1979
- National rank: #1,889
- Total homes built: 9,762

#6. Lee County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.0% (295 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (2 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1971
- National rank: #1,885
- Total homes built: 3,707

#5. Dallas County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.3% (290 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (9 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1978
- National rank: #1,829
- Total homes built: 3,490

#4. Carroll County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.3% (1,160 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (42 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1989
- National rank: #1,826
- Total homes built: 13,916

#3. Searcy County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.8% (461 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (51 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1980
- National rank: #1,661
- Total homes built: 4,721

#2. Madison County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.9% (836 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.2% (173 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1990
- National rank: #1,544
- Total homes built: 7,699

#1. Newton County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.1% (499 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (49 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1981
- National rank: #1,432
- Total homes built: 4,107

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