Counties with the oldest homes in Maine
Counties with the oldest homes in Maine
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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Maine 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 Maine have the oldest homes.
#16. Waldo County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.9% (4,842 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (215 homes)
- Total homes built: 22,118
#15. Hancock County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.3% (9,043 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (276 homes)
- Total homes built: 40,514
#14. York County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.9% (22,601 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (1,178 homes)
- Total homes built: 113,853
#13. Franklin County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.7% (3,944 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (69 homes)
- Total homes built: 21,089
#12. Somerset County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.9% (6,580 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (116 homes)
- Total homes built: 30,009
#11. Penobscot County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.0% (16,586 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (419 homes)
- Total homes built: 75,405
#10. Lincoln County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.3% (6,257 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (108 homes)
- Total homes built: 23,810
#9. Sagadahoc County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.4% (5,043 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (191 homes)
- Total homes built: 19,109
#8. Oxford County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.6% (8,244 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (305 homes)
- Total homes built: 36,558
#7. Piscataquis County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.5% (3,734 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (46 homes)
- Total homes built: 14,651
#6. Kennebec County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.2% (14,039 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (382 homes)
- Total homes built: 63,140
#5. Cumberland County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.8% (36,006 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (1,963 homes)
- Total homes built: 151,519
#4. Washington County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.1% (6,101 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (121 homes)
- Total homes built: 21,703
#3. Knox County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.4% (8,147 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (73 homes)
- Total homes built: 24,428
#2. Aroostook County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.3% (8,200 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (188 homes)
- Total homes built: 38,444
#1. Androscoggin County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.2% (13,147 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (344 homes)
- Total homes built: 50,202