Pre-war homes—those built before 1939—are architectural gems. They are sturdy, charming, and often what people are referring to when they look at the prevalent colorless, linear designs of today and lament "they just don't make them like they used to."
In some ways, that's a good thing. Pre-war homes often contained materials we know to be hazardous today, like asbestos and lead. But their signature characteristics, including hardwood floors, nickel accents, ornate crown molding, and high ceilings, are among the features many people look for in a dream home.
Preserving the history of these properties, many of which you'll find on the National Register of Historic Places, is labor that often extends beyond the scope of an individual homeowner. Depending on where these homes are located, special permission by local historic commissions may be required before renovations can be done in an effort to preserve their historic architectural integrity.
Stacker compiled a list of counties in West Virginia with the most pre-war homes using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percent of homes that were built in 1939 or earlier based on 2023 5-year estimates.
Angel Cochran // Shutterstock
1 / 55#55. Putnam County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.5% (1,360 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (190 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1988
- National rank: #2,334
- Total homes built: 24,891
JNix // Shutterstock
2 / 55#54. Jackson County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.8% (750 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (93 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1982
- National rank: #2,252
- Total homes built: 12,882
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
3 / 55#53. Clay County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.9% (234 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 3.0% (119 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1983
- National rank: #2,228
- Total homes built: 3,945
#52. Lincoln County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.1% (580 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (57 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1983
- National rank: #2,206
- Total homes built: 9,581
#51. Mingo County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.7% (893 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (9 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1982
- National rank: #1,910
- Total homes built: 11,554
#50. Boone County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.5% (860 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (17 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1975
- National rank: #1,813
- Total homes built: 10,167
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
7 / 55#49. Raleigh County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.1% (3,151 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (35 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1975
- National rank: #1,737
- Total homes built: 34,637
Byron Key // Shutterstock
8 / 55#48. Berkeley County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.4% (4,922 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.4% (736 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1995
- National rank: #1,704
- Total homes built: 52,511
#47. Jefferson County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.8% (2,371 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (179 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1990
- National rank: #1,660
- Total homes built: 24,276
#46. Wyoming County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.0% (994 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (21 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1975
- National rank: #1,634
- Total homes built: 9,975
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
11 / 55#45. Nicholas County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.0% (1,256 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (106 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1980
- National rank: #1,627
- Total homes built: 12,540
Bob Couperthwaite // Shutterstock
12 / 55#44. Hampshire County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.3% (1,290 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (44 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1987
- National rank: #1,601
- Total homes built: 12,581
Nicole Glass Photography // Shutterstock
13 / 55#43. Hardy County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.7% (879 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (90 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1984
- National rank: #1,557
- Total homes built: 8,217
#42. Wirt County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.9% (298 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (23 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1986
- National rank: #1,534
- Total homes built: 2,723
Matt Levi Media // Shutterstock
15 / 55#41. Morgan County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.3% (1,040 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (85 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1984
- National rank: #1,506
- Total homes built: 9,182
#40. Monongalia County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.5% (5,738 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (456 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1988
- National rank: #1,483
- Total homes built: 49,795
#39. Roane County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.5% (826 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (49 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1977
- National rank: #1,480
- Total homes built: 7,157
mzglass96 // Shutterstock
18 / 55#38. Grant County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.6% (655 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (12 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1980
- National rank: #1,478
- Total homes built: 5,660
#37. Wayne County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.8% (2,148 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (19 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1975
- National rank: #1,457
- Total homes built: 18,238
Rosemarie Mosteller // Shutterstock
20 / 55#36. Mason County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.4% (1,512 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (39 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1976
- National rank: #1,417
- Total homes built: 12,192
#35. Calhoun County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.2% (422 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (9 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1974
- National rank: #1,357
- Total homes built: 3,199
#34. Pocahontas County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.5% (925 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (21 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1982
- National rank: #1,339
- Total homes built: 6,846
Steve Heap // Shutterstock
23 / 55#33. Upshur County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.7% (1,541 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (72 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1979
- National rank: #1,327
- Total homes built: 11,237
#32. Kanawha County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.8% (12,463 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (479 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1966
- National rank: #1,321
- Total homes built: 90,388
The American Explorer // Shutterstock
25 / 55#31. Monroe County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.3% (894 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (14 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1978
- National rank: #1,290
- Total homes built: 6,263
Jay Wiberg // Shutterstock
26 / 55#30. Logan County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.4% (2,126 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1981
- National rank: #1,280
- Total homes built: 14,806
#29. Preston County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.5% (2,358 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (115 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1982
- National rank: #1,191
- Total homes built: 15,215
Dennis Ray Dennison II // Shutterstock
28 / 55#28. Mineral County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.8% (1,977 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (184 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1976
- National rank: #1,166
- Total homes built: 12,526
#27. Wood County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.1% (6,474 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (302 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1969
- National rank: #1,142
- Total homes built: 40,296
Jerry Sharp // Shutterstock
30 / 55#26. Hancock County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.4% (2,332 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1959
- National rank: #1,122
- Total homes built: 14,218
Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock
31 / 55#25. Greenbrier County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.5% (2,946 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (77 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1977
- National rank: #1,117
- Total homes built: 17,883
Dee Browning // Shutterstock
32 / 55#24. Cabell County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.6% (7,639 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (275 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1969
- National rank: #1,107
- Total homes built: 46,084
Claire Salvail Photos // Shutterstock
33 / 55#23. Mercer County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.6% (4,867 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (151 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1974
- National rank: #1,106
- Total homes built: 29,358
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
34 / 55#22. Webster County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.7% (737 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1974
- National rank: #1,094
- Total homes built: 4,408
#21. Pleasants County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.2% (552 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (16 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1975
- National rank: #1,059
- Total homes built: 3,218
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
36 / 55#20. Braxton County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.3% (1,086 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (28 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1977
- National rank: #1,045
- Total homes built: 6,278
#19. Tucker County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.6% (869 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (5 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1982
- National rank: #963
- Total homes built: 4,665
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
38 / 55#18. Pendleton County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.9% (700 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (8 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1978
- National rank: #948
- Total homes built: 3,708
#17. Randolph County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.4% (2,538 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (18 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1975
- National rank: #914
- Total homes built: 13,090
The Old Major // Shutterstock
40 / 55#16. Gilmer County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.4% (606 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1974
- National rank: #911
- Total homes built: 3,118
#15. Fayette County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.8% (3,786 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (48 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1972
- National rank: #881
- Total homes built: 19,134
#14. Summers County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.9% (1,304 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (10 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1974
- National rank: #875
- Total homes built: 6,556
Gage Goulding // Shutterstock
43 / 55#13. Brooke County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.0% (2,245 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (46 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1965
- National rank: #812
- Total homes built: 10,700
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock
44 / 55#12. Lewis County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.2% (1,736 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (123 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1977
- National rank: #801
- Total homes built: 8,188
#11. Ritchie County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.6% (990 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (8 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1974
- National rank: #670
- Total homes built: 4,187
#10. Barbour County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.8% (1,696 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (20 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1975
- National rank: #661
- Total homes built: 7,131
Steve Heap // Shutterstock
47 / 55#9. Taylor County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.9% (1,856 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (36 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1979
- National rank: #609
- Total homes built: 7,440
Kenneth Keifer // Shutterstock
48 / 55#8. Wetzel County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.3% (1,848 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (16 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1963
- National rank: #591
- Total homes built: 7,302
#7. Harrison County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.1% (7,967 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (143 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1963
- National rank: #547
- Total homes built: 30,537
#6. Marion County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.4% (7,211 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (108 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1960
- National rank: #474
- Total homes built: 26,283
#5. Marshall County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.9% (4,108 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (20 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1960
- National rank: #453
- Total homes built: 14,736
#4. McDowell County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.0% (2,624 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (13 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1959
- National rank: #445
- Total homes built: 9,380
#3. Tyler County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.9% (1,197 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (7 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1968
- National rank: #398
- Total homes built: 4,144
Kenneth Keifer // Shutterstock
54 / 55#2. Doddridge County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.3% (953 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (18 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1973
- National rank: #377
- Total homes built: 3,248
#1. Ohio County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.4% (6,870 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (25 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1957
- National rank: #253
- Total homes built: 21,179
