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 Florida 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. Gilchrist County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.9% (73 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 3.8% (295 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1997
- National rank: #3,079
- Total homes built: 7,697
#49. Osceola County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.0% (1,648 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 3.6% (5,905 homes)
- Median year homes built: 2001
- National rank: #3,074
- Total homes built: 164,195
#48. Walton County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.1% (660 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.7% (1,603 homes)
- Median year homes built: 2000
- National rank: #3,063
- Total homes built: 58,894
#47. Indian River County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.1% (970 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.7% (1,432 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1991
- National rank: #3,060
- Total homes built: 85,093
#46. Okeechobee County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.2% (220 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (283 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1988
- National rank: #3,058
- Total homes built: 18,532
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6 / 50#45. Sarasota County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.3% (3,319 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.4% (6,287 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1987
- National rank: #3,050
- Total homes built: 260,272
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7 / 50#44. Seminole County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.3% (2,515 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (2,251 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1988
- National rank: #3,049
- Total homes built: 197,167
#43. Marion County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.3% (2,459 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.3% (4,174 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1992
- National rank: #3,045
- Total homes built: 183,453
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9 / 50#42. Orange County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.5% (8,371 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.8% (10,439 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1993
- National rank: #3,035
- Total homes built: 576,450
#41. Martin County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.5% (1,232 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (851 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1986
- National rank: #3,029
- Total homes built: 82,297
#40. Leon County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.5% (2,074 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (1,114 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1988
- National rank: #3,026
- Total homes built: 135,906
#39. Bay County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.6% (1,667 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.8% (2,985 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1992
- National rank: #3,019
- Total homes built: 106,209
#38. Highlands County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.6% (936 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (342 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1986
- National rank: #3,016
- Total homes built: 58,086
#37. Manatee County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.6% (3,512 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 3.2% (6,903 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1990
- National rank: #3,015
- Total homes built: 214,510
#36. Nassau County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.7% (729 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 5.6% (2,436 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1998
- National rank: #3,012
- Total homes built: 43,565
#35. Palm Beach County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.7% (12,094 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (7,753 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1986
- National rank: #3,010
- Total homes built: 713,855
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17 / 50#34. Liberty County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.7% (55 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (28 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1992
- National rank: #3,008
- Total homes built: 3,209
#33. Lake County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.1% (3,841 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.4% (4,411 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1996
- National rank: #2,954
- Total homes built: 182,666
#32. Volusia County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.1% (5,892 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.8% (4,898 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1986
- National rank: #2,951
- Total homes built: 277,851
#31. Columbia County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.2% (674 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.0% (587 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1991
- National rank: #2,936
- Total homes built: 30,066
#30. Levy County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.3% (478 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (315 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1991
- National rank: #2,935
- Total homes built: 21,197
#29. Dixie County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.3% (214 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (121 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1988
- National rank: #2,929
- Total homes built: 9,365
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23 / 50#28. Baker County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.5% (250 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (75 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1994
- National rank: #2,901
- Total homes built: 10,013
#27. St. Johns County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.6% (3,344 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 6.1% (7,760 homes)
- Median year homes built: 2002
- National rank: #2,874
- Total homes built: 127,144
#26. Alachua County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.7% (3,333 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.7% (2,199 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1987
- National rank: #2,867
- Total homes built: 125,702
#25. Hillsborough County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.9% (17,694 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.0% (12,406 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1990
- National rank: #2,831
- Total homes built: 618,220
#24. Polk County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.9% (9,715 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.8% (9,073 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1991
- National rank: #2,818
- Total homes built: 329,750
#23. Gulf County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.1% (287 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.5% (229 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1996
- National rank: #2,781
- Total homes built: 9,142
#22. Miami-Dade County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.2% (34,455 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (11,618 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1980
- National rank: #2,776
- Total homes built: 1,085,414
Susan C. Brown // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Holmes County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.2% (275 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (95 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1983
- National rank: #2,773
- Total homes built: 8,642
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31 / 50#20. Bradford County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.3% (357 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.8% (200 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1985
- National rank: #2,745
- Total homes built: 10,826
#19. Pinellas County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.5% (18,092 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (3,228 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1976
- National rank: #2,713
- Total homes built: 518,180
#18. Escambia County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.6% (5,325 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.7% (2,530 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1983
- National rank: #2,691
- Total homes built: 147,678
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34 / 50#17. Washington County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.7% (408 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (87 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1987
- National rank: #2,664
- Total homes built: 10,962
#16. Suwannee County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.8% (731 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (38 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1991
- National rank: #2,644
- Total homes built: 19,063
#15. DeSoto County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.9% (614 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (141 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1989
- National rank: #2,634
- Total homes built: 15,713
#14. Calhoun County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.9% (223 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 3.4% (192 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1987
- National rank: #2,630
- Total homes built: 5,663
#13. Lafayette County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.3% (142 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (25 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1989
- National rank: #2,558
- Total homes built: 3,334
#12. Gadsden County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.5% (851 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.4% (260 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1983
- National rank: #2,523
- Total homes built: 19,100
#11. Jackson County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.7% (934 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (244 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1982
- National rank: #2,482
- Total homes built: 20,061
#10. Jefferson County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.8% (326 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.8% (126 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1988
- National rank: #2,455
- Total homes built: 6,815
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Union County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.9% (232 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.7% (82 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1991
- National rank: #2,440
- Total homes built: 4,772
#8. Duval County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.0% (22,079 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.4% (10,542 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1986
- National rank: #2,423
- Total homes built: 445,946
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44 / 50#7. Hamilton County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.2% (292 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (48 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1989
- National rank: #2,388
- Total homes built: 5,638
#6. Putnam County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.7% (2,098 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (473 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1984
- National rank: #2,278
- Total homes built: 36,614
#5. Monroe County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.0% (3,238 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (655 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1982
- National rank: #2,224
- Total homes built: 54,418
#4. Taylor County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.5% (732 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (110 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1986
- National rank: #2,115
- Total homes built: 11,177
#3. Franklin County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.0% (596 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (81 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1986
- National rank: #2,025
- Total homes built: 8,476
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49 / 50#2. Hardee County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.3% (722 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (54 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1985
- National rank: #1,979
- Total homes built: 9,884
#1. Madison County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.9% (743 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (55 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1987
- National rank: #1,768
- Total homes built: 8,392
