Counties with the oldest homes in Illinois

Written by:
September 25, 2025
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Counties with the oldest homes in Illinois

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, 11.4% 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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Illinois with the oldest homes using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by median year the structure was built according to 2023 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 Illinois have the oldest homes.

#50. Alexander County

- Median year homes built: 1969
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.2% (598 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,964

#49. Clark County

- Median year homes built: 1969
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.6% (1,729 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 7,333

#48. Pulaski County

- Median year homes built: 1968
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.9% (566 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (1 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,845

#47. Edwards County

- Median year homes built: 1968
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.8% (664 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (16 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,045

#46. Douglas County

- Median year homes built: 1968
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.0% (2,124 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (57 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,492

#45. Calhoun County

- Median year homes built: 1968
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.9% (780 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (5 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,298

#44. Wabash County

- Median year homes built: 1967
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.3% (1,318 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (1 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,416

#43. Cass County

- Median year homes built: 1967
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.8% (1,405 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (42 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,665

#42. Moultrie County

- Median year homes built: 1967
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.5% (1,585 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (40 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,205

#41. Peoria County

- Median year homes built: 1966
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.0% (17,827 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (225 homes)
- Total homes built: 84,992

#40. Morgan County

- Median year homes built: 1966
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.2% (3,787 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (52 homes)
- Total homes built: 15,033

#39. Macoupin County

- Median year homes built: 1966
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.3% (5,556 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (60 homes)
- Total homes built: 21,108

#38. McDonough County

- Median year homes built: 1966
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.8% (3,776 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (13 homes)
- Total homes built: 13,598

#37. Crawford County

- Median year homes built: 1965
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.8% (1,847 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (12 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,461

#36. Franklin County

- Median year homes built: 1965
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.0% (4,070 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (65 homes)
- Total homes built: 18,468

#35. Shelby County

- Median year homes built: 1965
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.3% (2,841 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (22 homes)
- Total homes built: 10,054

#34. Macon County

- Median year homes built: 1964
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.6% (9,265 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (131 homes)
- Total homes built: 49,699

#33. Adams County

- Median year homes built: 1964
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.6% (7,147 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (86 homes)
- Total homes built: 30,283

#32. Logan County

- Median year homes built: 1964
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.5% (3,051 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (4 homes)
- Total homes built: 11,984

#31. Edgar County

- Median year homes built: 1964
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.6% (2,352 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (10 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,236

#30. LaSalle County

- Median year homes built: 1963
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.2% (12,557 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (233 homes)
- Total homes built: 49,838

#29. Montgomery County

- Median year homes built: 1963
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.8% (3,486 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (56 homes)
- Total homes built: 12,528

#28. Lawrence County

- Median year homes built: 1963
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.9% (1,835 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (6 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,358

#27. Christian County

- Median year homes built: 1963
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.4% (4,777 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (27 homes)
- Total homes built: 15,190

#26. Hancock County

- Median year homes built: 1963
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.2% (2,882 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (14 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,959

#25. Rock Island County

- Median year homes built: 1962
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.8% (15,204 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (218 homes)
- Total homes built: 66,742

#24. Mason County

- Median year homes built: 1962
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.5% (1,885 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (10 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,615

#23. Marshall County

- Median year homes built: 1962
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.8% (1,679 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (3 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,824

#22. Lee County

- Median year homes built: 1962
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.4% (4,565 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (31 homes)
- Total homes built: 14,993

#21. Scott County

- Median year homes built: 1962
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.7% (807 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (1 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,393

#20. White County

- Median year homes built: 1961
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.1% (1,356 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (25 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,751

#19. Cook County

- Median year homes built: 1961
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.9% (634,463 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (7,617 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,270,349

#18. De Witt County

- Median year homes built: 1961
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.3% (2,145 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (18 homes)
- Total homes built: 7,312

#17. Henry County

- Median year homes built: 1961
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.4% (6,538 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (83 homes)
- Total homes built: 22,208

#16. Livingston County

- Median year homes built: 1961
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.0% (4,938 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (145 homes)
- Total homes built: 15,930

#15. Whiteside County

- Median year homes built: 1960
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.7% (6,653 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (49 homes)
- Total homes built: 25,850

#14. Iroquois County

- Median year homes built: 1960
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.3% (3,752 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (2 homes)
- Total homes built: 12,818

#13. Pike County

- Median year homes built: 1960
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.3% (2,280 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (4 homes)
- Total homes built: 7,296

#12. Brown County

- Median year homes built: 1960
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.9% (740 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (12 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,321

#11. Mercer County

- Median year homes built: 1960
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 34.0% (2,472 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (15 homes)
- Total homes built: 7,279

#10. Fulton County

- Median year homes built: 1959
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.4% (4,675 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (6 homes)
- Total homes built: 15,883

#9. Carroll County

- Median year homes built: 1959
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.5% (2,742 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (12 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,190

#8. Stephenson County

- Median year homes built: 1959
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.7% (7,213 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (22 homes)
- Total homes built: 21,375

#7. Vermilion County

- Median year homes built: 1958
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 36.2% (12,463 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (100 homes)
- Total homes built: 34,390

#6. Bureau County

- Median year homes built: 1957
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.3% (5,203 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (13 homes)
- Total homes built: 15,646

#5. Stark County

- Median year homes built: 1956
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.6% (868 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (3 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,584

#4. Warren County

- Median year homes built: 1956
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 34.7% (2,636 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (4 homes)
- Total homes built: 7,598

#3. Knox County

- Median year homes built: 1956
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 35.9% (8,551 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (14 homes)
- Total homes built: 23,788

#2. Greene County

- Median year homes built: 1956
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 37.5% (2,178 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (16 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,801

#1. Ford County

- Median year homes built: 1955
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 35.3% (2,213 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (40 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,263

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