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.
You may also like: The Brine Boom: Pickles are popping off in grocery aisles in Arkansas
1 / 50
#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
2 / 50
#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
3 / 50
#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
4 / 50
#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
5 / 50
#46. Poinsett County
6 / 50
#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
7 / 50
#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
8 / 50
#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
9 / 50
#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
10 / 50
#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
You may also like: Hottest Octobers in Arkansas since 1895
11 / 50
#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
12 / 50
#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
13 / 50
#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
14 / 50
#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
15 / 50
#36. Monroe County
16 / 50
#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
17 / 50
#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
18 / 50
#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
19 / 50
#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
20 / 50
#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
You may also like: Highest-rated beer in Arkansas
21 / 50
#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
22 / 50
#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
23 / 50
#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
24 / 50
#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 / 50
#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
27 / 50
#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
28 / 50
#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
29 / 50
#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
30 / 50
#21. Garland County
31 / 50
#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
32 / 50
#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
33 / 50
#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
34 / 50
#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
35 / 50
#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
You may also like: Coldest Decembers in Arkansas since 1895
36 / 50
#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
37 / 50
#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
38 / 50
#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
39 / 50
#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
40 / 50
#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
You may also like: Best public middle schools in Arkansas
41 / 50
#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
42 / 50
#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
43 / 50
#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
44 / 50
#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
45 / 50
#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
You may also like: Coldest Novembers in Arkansas since 1895
46 / 50
#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
47 / 50
#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
48 / 50
#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
49 / 50
#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