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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 West 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 West Virginia have the oldest homes.
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1 / 55#55. Berkeley County
- Median year homes built: 1995
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.4% (4,922 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.4% (736 homes)
- Total homes built: 52,511
#54. Jefferson County
- Median year homes built: 1990
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.8% (2,371 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (179 homes)
- Total homes built: 24,276
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3 / 55#53. Putnam County
- Median year homes built: 1988
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.5% (1,360 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (190 homes)
- Total homes built: 24,891
#52. Monongalia County
- Median year homes built: 1988
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.5% (5,738 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (456 homes)
- Total homes built: 49,795
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5 / 55#51. Hampshire County
- Median year homes built: 1987
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.3% (1,290 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (44 homes)
- Total homes built: 12,581
#50. Wirt County
- Median year homes built: 1986
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.9% (298 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (23 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,723
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7 / 55#49. Hardy County
- Median year homes built: 1984
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.7% (879 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (90 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,217
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8 / 55#48. Morgan County
- Median year homes built: 1984
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.3% (1,040 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (85 homes)
- Total homes built: 9,182
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9 / 55#47. Clay County
- Median year homes built: 1983
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.9% (234 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 3.0% (119 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,945
#46. Lincoln County
- Median year homes built: 1983
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.1% (580 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (57 homes)
- Total homes built: 9,581
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11 / 55#45. Jackson County
- Median year homes built: 1982
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.8% (750 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (93 homes)
- Total homes built: 12,882
#44. Mingo County
- Median year homes built: 1982
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.7% (893 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (9 homes)
- Total homes built: 11,554
#43. Pocahontas County
- Median year homes built: 1982
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.5% (925 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (21 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,846
#42. Preston County
- Median year homes built: 1982
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.5% (2,358 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (115 homes)
- Total homes built: 15,215
#41. Tucker County
- Median year homes built: 1982
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.6% (869 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (5 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,665
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16 / 55#40. Logan County
- Median year homes built: 1981
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.4% (2,126 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 14,806
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17 / 55#39. Nicholas County
- Median year homes built: 1980
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.0% (1,256 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (106 homes)
- Total homes built: 12,540
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18 / 55#38. Grant County
- Median year homes built: 1980
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.6% (655 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (12 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,660
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19 / 55#37. Upshur County
- Median year homes built: 1979
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.7% (1,541 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (72 homes)
- Total homes built: 11,237
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20 / 55#36. Taylor County
- Median year homes built: 1979
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.9% (1,856 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (36 homes)
- Total homes built: 7,440
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21 / 55#35. Monroe County
- Median year homes built: 1978
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.3% (894 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (14 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,263
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22 / 55#34. Pendleton County
- Median year homes built: 1978
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.9% (700 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (8 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,708
#33. Roane County
- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.5% (826 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (49 homes)
- Total homes built: 7,157
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24 / 55#32. Greenbrier County
- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.5% (2,946 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (77 homes)
- Total homes built: 17,883
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25 / 55#31. Braxton County
- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.3% (1,086 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (28 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,278
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26 / 55#30. Lewis County
- Median year homes built: 1977
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.2% (1,736 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (123 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,188
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27 / 55#29. Mason County
- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.4% (1,512 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (39 homes)
- Total homes built: 12,192
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28 / 55#28. Mineral County
- Median year homes built: 1976
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.8% (1,977 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (184 homes)
- Total homes built: 12,526
#27. Boone County
- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.5% (860 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (17 homes)
- Total homes built: 10,167
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30 / 55#26. Raleigh County
- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.1% (3,151 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (35 homes)
- Total homes built: 34,637
#25. Wyoming County
- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.0% (994 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (21 homes)
- Total homes built: 9,975
#24. Wayne County
- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.8% (2,148 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (19 homes)
- Total homes built: 18,238
#23. Pleasants County
- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.2% (552 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (16 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,218
#22. Randolph County
- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.4% (2,538 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (18 homes)
- Total homes built: 13,090
#21. Barbour County
- Median year homes built: 1975
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.8% (1,696 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (20 homes)
- Total homes built: 7,131
#20. Calhoun County
- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.2% (422 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (9 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,199
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37 / 55#19. Mercer County
- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.6% (4,867 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (151 homes)
- Total homes built: 29,358
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38 / 55#18. Webster County
- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.7% (737 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,408
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39 / 55#17. Gilmer County
- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.4% (606 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,118
#16. Summers County
- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.9% (1,304 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (10 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,556
#15. Ritchie County
- Median year homes built: 1974
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.6% (990 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (8 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,187
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42 / 55#14. Doddridge County
- Median year homes built: 1973
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.3% (953 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (18 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,248
#13. Fayette County
- Median year homes built: 1972
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.8% (3,786 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (48 homes)
- Total homes built: 19,134
#12. Wood County
- Median year homes built: 1969
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.1% (6,474 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (302 homes)
- Total homes built: 40,296
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45 / 55#11. Cabell County
- Median year homes built: 1969
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.6% (7,639 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (275 homes)
- Total homes built: 46,084
#10. Tyler County
- Median year homes built: 1968
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.9% (1,197 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (7 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,144
#9. Kanawha County
- Median year homes built: 1966
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.8% (12,463 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (479 homes)
- Total homes built: 90,388
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48 / 55#8. Brooke County
- Median year homes built: 1965
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.0% (2,245 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (46 homes)
- Total homes built: 10,700
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49 / 55#7. Wetzel County
- Median year homes built: 1963
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.3% (1,848 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (16 homes)
- Total homes built: 7,302
#6. Harrison County
- Median year homes built: 1963
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.1% (7,967 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (143 homes)
- Total homes built: 30,537
#5. Marion County
- Median year homes built: 1960
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.4% (7,211 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (108 homes)
- Total homes built: 26,283
#4. Marshall County
- Median year homes built: 1960
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.9% (4,108 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (20 homes)
- Total homes built: 14,736
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53 / 55#3. Hancock County
- Median year homes built: 1959
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.4% (2,332 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Total homes built: 14,218
#2. McDowell County
- Median year homes built: 1959
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.0% (2,624 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (13 homes)
- Total homes built: 9,380
#1. Ohio County
- Median year homes built: 1957
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.4% (6,870 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (25 homes)
- Total homes built: 21,179
