Counties with the oldest homes in Washington

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

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can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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

#39. Franklin County

- Median year homes built: 1997
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.6% (1,107 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.5% (759 homes)
- Total homes built: 30,488

#38. Clark County

- Median year homes built: 1993
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.1% (8,314 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 2.5% (4,950 homes)
- Total homes built: 201,114

#37. Thurston County

- Median year homes built: 1991
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.6% (5,709 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.4% (1,708 homes)
- Total homes built: 123,333

#36. Kittitas County

- Median year homes built: 1991
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.8% (2,870 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (266 homes)
- Total homes built: 24,326

#35. Island County

- Median year homes built: 1990
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.5% (1,464 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (422 homes)
- Total homes built: 42,398

#34. Snohomish County

- Median year homes built: 1989
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.9% (16,176 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.8% (5,898 homes)
- Total homes built: 327,893

#33. Mason County

- Median year homes built: 1988
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.4% (1,492 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (430 homes)
- Total homes built: 33,751

#32. San Juan County

- Median year homes built: 1988
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.9% (685 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (106 homes)
- Total homes built: 13,951

#31. Whatcom County

- Median year homes built: 1988
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.1% (11,340 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (1,558 homes)
- Total homes built: 101,928

#30. Benton County

- Median year homes built: 1987
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.4% (1,945 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.7% (1,406 homes)
- Total homes built: 81,792

#29. Grant County

- Median year homes built: 1987
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.4% (1,746 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (337 homes)
- Total homes built: 39,496

#28. Jefferson County

- Median year homes built: 1987
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.1% (1,962 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (282 homes)
- Total homes built: 19,359

#27. Ferry County

- Median year homes built: 1986
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.9% (200 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (23 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,105

#26. Kitsap County

- Median year homes built: 1986
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.1% (8,179 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (1,520 homes)
- Total homes built: 115,329

#25. Stevens County

- Median year homes built: 1985
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.1% (2,052 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (332 homes)
- Total homes built: 22,577

#24. Pierce County

- Median year homes built: 1985
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.1% (37,053 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (4,618 homes)
- Total homes built: 365,748

#23. Skagit County

- Median year homes built: 1985
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.4% (6,984 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (574 homes)
- Total homes built: 56,472

#22. Douglas County

- Median year homes built: 1984
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.1% (1,435 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (196 homes)
- Total homes built: 17,721

#21. Skamania County

- Median year homes built: 1984
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.2% (484 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (17 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,899

#20. Pend Oreille County

- Median year homes built: 1984
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.0% (724 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (123 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,036

#19. King County

- Median year homes built: 1983
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.0% (109,135 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (11,640 homes)
- Total homes built: 988,330

#18. Klickitat County

- Median year homes built: 1983
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.1% (1,515 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (130 homes)
- Total homes built: 10,722

#17. Clallam County

- Median year homes built: 1982
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.5% (2,867 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (408 homes)
- Total homes built: 38,295

#16. Okanogan County

- Median year homes built: 1982
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.4% (2,075 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (127 homes)
- Total homes built: 22,015

#15. Chelan County

- Median year homes built: 1982
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.2% (5,022 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (448 homes)
- Total homes built: 38,129

#14. Lewis County

- Median year homes built: 1979
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.7% (6,031 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (433 homes)
- Total homes built: 36,037

#13. Wahkiakum County

- Median year homes built: 1979
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.9% (505 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (22 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,207

#12. Spokane County

- Median year homes built: 1978
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.1% (32,239 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (2,662 homes)
- Total homes built: 228,156

#11. Whitman County

- Median year homes built: 1978
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.8% (3,563 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (116 homes)
- Total homes built: 21,232

#10. Asotin County

- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.8% (1,398 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (82 homes)
- Total homes built: 10,165

#9. Pacific County

- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.9% (2,901 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (24 homes)
- Total homes built: 16,220

#8. Adams County

- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.5% (853 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.9% (129 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,844

#7. Yakima County

- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.7% (12,554 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (723 homes)
- Total homes built: 91,647

#6. Cowlitz County

- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.1% (6,472 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (395 homes)
- Total homes built: 45,884

#5. Grays Harbor County

- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.8% (8,325 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (217 homes)
- Total homes built: 36,568

#4. Walla Walla County

- Median year homes built: 1973
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.4% (5,400 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (204 homes)
- Total homes built: 25,219

#3. Lincoln County

- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.7% (1,500 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (66 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,840

#2. Garfield County

- Median year homes built: 1953
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 39.2% (479 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 1,223

#1. Columbia County

- Median year homes built: 1948
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 38.9% (863 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (21 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,218

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