Counties with the oldest homes in Virginia

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

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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Virginia 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 Virginia have the oldest homes.

#50. Lee County

- Median year homes built: 1978
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.5% (1,032 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (23 homes)
- Total homes built: 10,857

#49. Wythe County

- Median year homes built: 1978
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.3% (1,871 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (56 homes)
- Total homes built: 14,016

#48. Northampton County

- Median year homes built: 1978
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.1% (1,502 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (91 homes)
- Total homes built: 7,456

#47. Amherst County

- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.2% (1,179 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (49 homes)
- Total homes built: 14,301

#46. Poquoson city

- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.1% (451 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (20 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,945

#45. Arlington County

- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.8% (9,471 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (1,427 homes)
- Total homes built: 120,746

#44. Radford city

- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.0% (647 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (33 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,457

#43. Bath County

- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.0% (802 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,336

#42. Pulaski County

- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.5% (1,452 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (42 homes)
- Total homes built: 17,039

#41. Richmond County

- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.5% (456 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (52 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,959

#40. Grayson County

- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.3% (1,367 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (25 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,961

#39. Page County

- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.5% (2,317 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (99 homes)
- Total homes built: 11,878

#38. Henry County

- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.0% (1,263 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (39 homes)
- Total homes built: 25,445

#37. Hampton city

- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.6% (4,150 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (347 homes)
- Total homes built: 62,503

#36. Alexandria city

- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.6% (6,914 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (632 homes)
- Total homes built: 80,570

#35. Smyth County

- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.3% (1,547 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (27 homes)
- Total homes built: 15,080

#34. Scott County

- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.0% (1,299 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (13 homes)
- Total homes built: 11,776

#33. Halifax County

- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.4% (2,154 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (10 homes)
- Total homes built: 17,382

#32. Tazewell County

- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.6% (2,491 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (47 homes)
- Total homes built: 19,804

#31. Lunenburg County

- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.5% (974 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,903

#30. Norton city

- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.3% (302 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 1,748

#29. Mathews County

- Median year homes built: 1973
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.9% (1,255 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (27 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,486

#28. Buena Vista city

- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.1% (298 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,944

#27. Nottoway County

- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.1% (1,212 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (66 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,683

#26. Highland County

- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.4% (595 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 1,839

#25. Falls Church city

- Median year homes built: 1971
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.7% (360 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.7% (105 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,360

#24. Giles County

- Median year homes built: 1971
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.4% (952 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.4% (116 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,316

#23. Salem city

- Median year homes built: 1971
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.4% (1,594 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (55 homes)
- Total homes built: 11,096

#22. Colonial Heights city

- Median year homes built: 1970
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.4% (438 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (32 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,126

#21. Hopewell city

- Median year homes built: 1970
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.2% (1,477 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (61 homes)
- Total homes built: 10,434

#20. Lynchburg city

- Median year homes built: 1970
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.1% (6,490 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (262 homes)
- Total homes built: 34,009

#19. Waynesboro city

- Median year homes built: 1969
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.9% (1,336 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.4% (149 homes)
- Total homes built: 10,395

#18. Petersburg city

- Median year homes built: 1969
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.9% (2,865 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (92 homes)
- Total homes built: 18,026

#17. Alleghany County

- Median year homes built: 1969
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.6% (1,710 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (9 homes)
- Total homes built: 7,916

#16. Galax city

- Median year homes built: 1968
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.6% (406 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (5 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,213

#15. Winchester city

- Median year homes built: 1968
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.5% (2,304 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (30 homes)
- Total homes built: 12,468

#14. Fairfax city

- Median year homes built: 1967
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.7% (62 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (121 homes)
- Total homes built: 9,317

#13. Charlottesville city

- Median year homes built: 1967
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.8% (3,627 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (108 homes)
- Total homes built: 21,559

#12. Franklin city

- Median year homes built: 1966
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.2% (438 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (10 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,897

#11. Portsmouth city

- Median year homes built: 1966
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.0% (5,197 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (134 homes)
- Total homes built: 43,233

#10. Bristol city

- Median year homes built: 1966
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.9% (1,633 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,654

#9. Norfolk city

- Median year homes built: 1964
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.2% (15,605 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (722 homes)
- Total homes built: 102,542

#8. Emporia city

- Median year homes built: 1963
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.9% (534 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,824

#7. Staunton city

- Median year homes built: 1963
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.2% (2,372 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (29 homes)
- Total homes built: 12,352

#6. Danville city

- Median year homes built: 1961
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.0% (3,794 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (28 homes)
- Total homes built: 22,309

#5. Martinsville city

- Median year homes built: 1959
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.9% (1,329 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 7,031

#4. Roanoke city

- Median year homes built: 1959
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.1% (12,296 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (157 homes)
- Total homes built: 48,931

#3. Richmond city

- Median year homes built: 1959
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.6% (32,283 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (1,216 homes)
- Total homes built: 112,848

#2. Lexington city

- Median year homes built: 1957
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.5% (887 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (13 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,644

#1. Covington city

- Median year homes built: 1949
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 36.7% (1,116 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,038

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