Counties with the most pre-war homes in Kansas

Written by:
October 20, 2025
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Counties with the most pre-war homes in Kansas

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 Kansas 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. Coffey County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.7% (1,142 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (32 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1971
- National rank: #408
- Total homes built: 3,985

#49. Atchison County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.7% (1,954 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (28 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1969
- National rank: #405
- Total homes built: 6,811

#48. Neosho County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.0% (2,093 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1960
- National rank: #394
- Total homes built: 7,227

#47. Cherokee County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.9% (2,735 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (21 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1968
- National rank: #352
- Total homes built: 9,140

#46. Gove County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.0% (400 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1958
- National rank: #349
- Total homes built: 1,332

#45. Barber County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.1% (741 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (3 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1956
- National rank: #347
- Total homes built: 2,461

#44. Russell County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.3% (1,119 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (2 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1955
- National rank: #333
- Total homes built: 3,687

#43. Allen County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.4% (1,847 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (15 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1965
- National rank: #330
- Total homes built: 6,077

#42. Phillips County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.4% (851 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1958
- National rank: #329
- Total homes built: 2,797

#41. Labette County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.5% (2,898 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (19 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1959
- National rank: #325
- Total homes built: 9,508

#40. Rooks County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.5% (806 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (5 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1954
- National rank: #323
- Total homes built: 2,643

#39. Rice County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.5% (1,337 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (38 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1955
- National rank: #322
- Total homes built: 4,384

#38. Pratt County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.8% (1,348 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (20 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1955
- National rank: #314
- Total homes built: 4,375

#37. Chase County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.9% (432 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (8 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1958
- National rank: #310
- Total homes built: 1,397

#36. Ellsworth County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.4% (976 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1961
- National rank: #294
- Total homes built: 3,110

#35. Clay County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.7% (1,249 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (26 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1961
- National rank: #281
- Total homes built: 3,940

#34. Kingman County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.4% (1,191 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (13 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1957
- National rank: #254
- Total homes built: 3,673

#33. Greenwood County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.5% (1,196 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (36 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1958
- National rank: #249
- Total homes built: 3,682

#32. Marion County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.6% (1,852 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (6 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1957
- National rank: #240
- Total homes built: 5,673

#31. Doniphan County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.7% (1,103 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (29 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1970
- National rank: #238
- Total homes built: 3,375

#30. Anderson County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.7% (1,168 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (2 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1962
- National rank: #236
- Total homes built: 3,569

#29. Decatur County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.0% (543 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1954
- National rank: #229
- Total homes built: 1,643

#28. Woodson County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.5% (617 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1960
- National rank: #211
- Total homes built: 1,842

#27. Chautauqua County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.7% (665 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.6% (32 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1960
- National rank: #203
- Total homes built: 1,971

#26. Rawlins County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.7% (460 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (4 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1956
- National rank: #201
- Total homes built: 1,363

#25. Brown County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 34.0% (1,526 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (15 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1962
- National rank: #187
- Total homes built: 4,489

#24. Wabaunsee County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 34.8% (1,090 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1966
- National rank: #162
- Total homes built: 3,135

#23. Mitchell County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 34.8% (1,088 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1957
- National rank: #160
- Total homes built: 3,124

#22. Bourbon County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 34.9% (2,362 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (5 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1958
- National rank: #157
- Total homes built: 6,768

#21. Ottawa County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 35.0% (940 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (20 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1964
- National rank: #155
- Total homes built: 2,684

#20. Marshall County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 35.4% (1,684 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (6 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1960
- National rank: #148
- Total homes built: 4,758

#19. Dickinson County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 35.6% (3,126 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (47 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1956
- National rank: #143
- Total homes built: 8,793

#18. Montgomery County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 35.9% (5,584 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (64 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1956
- National rank: #137
- Total homes built: 15,566

#17. Pawnee County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 37.1% (1,129 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1955
- National rank: #112
- Total homes built: 3,045

#16. Elk County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 37.1% (557 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1955
- National rank: #111
- Total homes built: 1,502

#15. Morris County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 37.9% (1,135 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.8% (54 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1955
- National rank: #91
- Total homes built: 2,991

#14. Washington County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 38.3% (1,046 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (4 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1954
- National rank: #84
- Total homes built: 2,731

#13. Stafford County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 38.6% (812 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1952
- National rank: #80
- Total homes built: 2,104

#12. Cloud County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 39.2% (1,759 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (16 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1953
- National rank: #73
- Total homes built: 4,490

#11. Osborne County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 39.6% (802 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1951
- National rank: #68
- Total homes built: 2,027

#10. Norton County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 40.1% (983 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (37 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1951
- National rank: #57
- Total homes built: 2,454

#9. Smith County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 40.1% (812 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1954
- National rank: #55
- Total homes built: 2,023

#8. Cheyenne County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 40.3% (591 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1949
- National rank: #50
- Total homes built: 1,465

#7. Clark County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 40.6% (433 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1949
- National rank: #46
- Total homes built: 1,066

#6. Rush County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 41.1% (699 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1950
- National rank: #42
- Total homes built: 1,701

#5. Edwards County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 45.1% (699 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1945
- National rank: #21
- Total homes built: 1,551

#4. Republic County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 48.7% (1,302 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (36 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1941
- National rank: #6
- Total homes built: 2,672

#3. Comanche County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 49.2% (517 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1942
- National rank: #5
- Total homes built: 1,050

#2. Jewell County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 51.5% (906 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1939
- National rank: #4
- Total homes built: 1,760

#1. Lincoln County

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 56.9% (948 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (8 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1939
- National rank: #3
- Total homes built: 1,667

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