Counties with the oldest homes in Utah
Counties with the oldest homes in Utah
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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Utah 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 Utah have the oldest homes.
#29. Wasatch County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.9% (919 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.6% (405 homes)
- Total homes built: 15,446
#28. Washington County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.0% (809 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 4.9% (3,880 homes)
- Total homes built: 78,993
#27. Utah County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.6% (7,266 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 3.8% (7,630 homes)
- Total homes built: 203,308
#26. Tooele County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.7% (1,377 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 4.3% (1,040 homes)
- Total homes built: 24,138
#25. Morgan County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.0% (535 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 3.3% (128 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,833
#24. Iron County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.5% (579 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.5% (560 homes)
- Total homes built: 22,824
#23. Summit County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.1% (811 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (213 homes)
- Total homes built: 26,206
#22. Kane County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.2% (325 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (79 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,264
#21. Davis County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.2% (2,551 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.1% (2,467 homes)
- Total homes built: 118,581
#20. Cache County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.5% (4,777 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.6% (1,170 homes)
- Total homes built: 45,454
#19. Rich County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.5% (274 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (15 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,217
#18. Uintah County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.7% (375 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (82 homes)
- Total homes built: 13,775
#17. San Juan County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.8% (157 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (22 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,612
#16. Grand County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.6% (247 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (57 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,333
#15. Duchesne County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.4% (485 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (68 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,943
#14. Salt Lake County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.2% (31,854 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.7% (7,648 homes)
- Total homes built: 440,166
#13. Sanpete County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.2% (2,315 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (132 homes)
- Total homes built: 10,442
#12. Weber County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.9% (9,723 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.8% (1,751 homes)
- Total homes built: 98,595
#11. Garfield County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.8% (388 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (21 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,589
#10. Wayne County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.4% (263 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (7 homes)
- Total homes built: 1,713
#9. Juab County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.8% (786 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (58 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,972
#8. Box Elder County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.2% (2,684 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.9% (390 homes)
- Total homes built: 20,280
#7. Daggett County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.3% (27 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (1 homes)
- Total homes built: 1,155
#6. Emery County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.7% (479 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (29 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,099
#5. Sevier County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.4% (1,603 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (92 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,705
#4. Piute County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.2% (180 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (5 homes)
- Total homes built: 892
#3. Beaver County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.3% (652 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (13 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,928
#2. Millard County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.5% (1,223 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (46 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,990
#1. Carbon County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.1% (1,644 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (22 homes)
- Total homes built: 9,629