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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Oregon 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 Oregon have the oldest homes.
#36. Deschutes County
- Median year homes built: 1997
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.1% (3,012 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.4% (2,301 homes)
- Total homes built: 97,064
#35. Crook County
- Median year homes built: 1994
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.5% (400 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 3.6% (415 homes)
- Total homes built: 11,524
#34. Jefferson County
- Median year homes built: 1990
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.1% (220 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.5% (261 homes)
- Total homes built: 10,455
Yanqiang Dai // Shutterstock
4 / 36#33. Washington County
- Median year homes built: 1990
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.8% (6,780 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.4% (3,262 homes)
- Total homes built: 240,409
Cynthia Liang // Shutterstock
5 / 36#32. Polk County
- Median year homes built: 1989
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.6% (2,282 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (530 homes)
- Total homes built: 34,446
#31. Yamhill County
- Median year homes built: 1989
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.6% (3,495 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (436 homes)
- Total homes built: 40,744
#30. Clackamas County
- Median year homes built: 1985
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.7% (11,556 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (2,247 homes)
- Total homes built: 172,599
#29. Jackson County
- Median year homes built: 1984
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.4% (6,231 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (1,295 homes)
- Total homes built: 97,083
Manuela Durson // Shutterstock
9 / 36#28. Curry County
- Median year homes built: 1982
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.0% (520 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (115 homes)
- Total homes built: 13,123
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10 / 36#27. Josephine County
- Median year homes built: 1981
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.6% (2,595 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (210 homes)
- Total homes built: 39,217
#26. Lincoln County
- Median year homes built: 1981
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.9% (2,884 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (218 homes)
- Total homes built: 32,373
#25. Tillamook County
- Median year homes built: 1981
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.9% (2,847 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (148 homes)
- Total homes built: 19,093
kenneth korb // Shutterstock
13 / 36#24. Columbia County
- Median year homes built: 1981
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.5% (3,404 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (150 homes)
- Total homes built: 21,980
#23. Hood River County
- Median year homes built: 1981
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.2% (1,958 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.4% (141 homes)
- Total homes built: 10,210
Bob Pool // Shutterstock
15 / 36#22. Morrow County
- Median year homes built: 1980
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.4% (547 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (45 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,813
#21. Marion County
- Median year homes built: 1979
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.2% (10,722 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.6% (2,147 homes)
- Total homes built: 130,600
cpaulfell // Shutterstock
17 / 36#20. Benton County
- Median year homes built: 1979
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.4% (3,416 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (538 homes)
- Total homes built: 40,565
#19. Linn County
- Median year homes built: 1978
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.0% (4,746 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (691 homes)
- Total homes built: 52,740
Bob Pool // Shutterstock
19 / 36#18. Umatilla County
- Median year homes built: 1978
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.5% (3,651 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (108 homes)
- Total homes built: 31,693
#17. Lane County
- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.4% (10,788 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (1,373 homes)
- Total homes built: 168,316
#16. Douglas County
- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.1% (4,092 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (633 homes)
- Total homes built: 50,257
#15. Klamath County
- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.7% (5,171 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (250 homes)
- Total homes built: 33,004
#14. Clatsop County
- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.7% (5,289 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (143 homes)
- Total homes built: 23,251
Tomas Nevesely // Shutterstock
24 / 36#13. Wheeler County
- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.0% (253 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (5 homes)
- Total homes built: 905
Hugh K Telleria // Shutterstock
25 / 36#12. Malheur County
- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.1% (1,291 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (33 homes)
- Total homes built: 11,678
#11. Harney County
- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.7% (583 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (31 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,718
#10. Wallowa County
- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.8% (943 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (57 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,334
#9. Coos County
- Median year homes built: 1973
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.5% (3,962 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (307 homes)
- Total homes built: 31,698
Dominic Gentilcore PhD // Shutterstock
29 / 36#8. Lake County
- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.0% (675 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,223
#7. Wasco County
- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.4% (2,106 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (64 homes)
- Total homes built: 12,102
Dee Browning // Shutterstock
31 / 36#6. Grant County
- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.5% (724 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (45 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,147
#5. Union County
- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.9% (3,292 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (35 homes)
- Total homes built: 11,786
Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock
33 / 36#4. Multnomah County
- Median year homes built: 1971
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.1% (84,889 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (3,565 homes)
- Total homes built: 367,704
#3. Baker County
- Median year homes built: 1967
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.1% (2,704 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (49 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,687
Arpad Jasko // Shutterstock
35 / 36#2. Gilliam County
- Median year homes built: 1958
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.7% (286 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 1,111
#1. Sherman County
- Median year homes built: 1956
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 37.9% (371 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.8% (18 homes)
- Total homes built: 979
