Counties in Tennessee with the most pre-war homes

Written by:
June 22, 2022
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

Counties in Tennessee with the most pre-war homes

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 Tennessee 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 before 1939 based on 2020 5-year estimates.

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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#30. Franklin County

- Homes built before 1939: 7.6%
- Homes built since 2000: 18.7%
- Median year built: 1983
- Total homes: 19,508
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Washington County

- Homes built before 1939: 7.7%
- Homes built since 2000: 24.5%
- Median year built: 1984
- Total homes: 60,778
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#28. Roane County

- Homes built before 1939: 7.8%
- Homes built since 2000: 17.8%
- Median year built: 1978
- Total homes: 25,690
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Ichabod // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Bedford County

- Homes built before 1939: 7.8%
- Homes built since 2000: 25.5%
- Median year built: 1987
- Total homes: 19,345
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#26. Claiborne County

- Homes built before 1939: 7.8%
- Homes built since 2000: 24.4%
- Median year built: 1984
- Total homes: 15,539

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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Dickson County

- Homes built before 1939: 7.8%
- Homes built since 2000: 22.2%
- Median year built: 1986
- Total homes: 22,097
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Gibson County

- Homes built before 1939: 8.0%
- Homes built since 2000: 19.8%
- Median year built: 1975
- Total homes: 22,662
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Ichabod // Wikimedia Commons

#23. Marshall County

- Homes built before 1939: 8.1%
- Homes built since 2000: 23.6%
- Median year built: 1987
- Total homes: 13,775
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#22. Loudon County

- Homes built before 1939: 8.1%
- Homes built since 2000: 32.1%
- Median year built: 1991
- Total homes: 23,393
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Christina Blust // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Humphreys County

- Homes built before 1939: 8.1%
- Homes built since 2000: 18.0%
- Median year built: 1979
- Total homes: 8,983

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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Hamilton County

- Homes built before 1939: 8.2%
- Homes built since 2000: 21.9%
- Median year built: 1978
- Total homes: 163,605
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#19. Morgan County

- Homes built before 1939: 8.3%
- Homes built since 2000: 24.5%
- Median year built: 1984
- Total homes: 9,055
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Overton County

- Homes built before 1939: 8.3%
- Homes built since 2000: 19.3%
- Median year built: 1980
- Total homes: 10,385
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Flickr user chiacomo // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Lake County

- Homes built before 1939: 8.3%
- Homes built since 2000: 13.5%
- Median year built: 1976
- Total homes: 2,592
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Jackson County

- Homes built before 1939: 8.4%
- Homes built since 2000: 18.2%
- Median year built: 1985
- Total homes: 5,919

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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Weakley County

- Homes built before 1939: 8.4%
- Homes built since 2000: 17.8%
- Median year built: 1978
- Total homes: 15,613
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#14. Haywood County

- Homes built before 1939: 8.4%
- Homes built since 2000: 16.5%
- Median year built: 1977
- Total homes: 8,419
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Thomas R Machnitzki (thomasmachnitzki.com) // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Obion County

- Homes built before 1939: 9.3%
- Homes built since 2000: 12.9%
- Median year built: 1974
- Total homes: 14,615
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Cj4258 // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Henry County

- Homes built before 1939: 9.4%
- Homes built since 2000: 17.1%
- Median year built: 1982
- Total homes: 17,270
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Crockett County

- Homes built before 1939: 9.5%
- Homes built since 2000: 14.0%
- Median year built: 1976
- Total homes: 6,427

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#10. Grundy County

- Homes built before 1939: 9.6%
- Homes built since 2000: 21.0%
- Median year built: 1983
- Total homes: 6,467
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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Houston County

- Homes built before 1939: 9.9%
- Homes built since 2000: 17.6%
- Median year built: 1980
- Total homes: 4,238
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Smith County

- Homes built before 1939: 9.9%
- Homes built since 2000: 17.0%
- Median year built: 1982
- Total homes: 8,838
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Clay County

- Homes built before 1939: 10.2%
- Homes built since 2000: 21.0%
- Median year built: 1985
- Total homes: 4,367
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Ichabod // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Lincoln County

- Homes built before 1939: 10.6%
- Homes built since 2000: 21.7%
- Median year built: 1982
- Total homes: 15,624

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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#5. Carter County

- Homes built before 1939: 11.1%
- Homes built since 2000: 15.7%
- Median year built: 1978
- Total homes: 28,236
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Ichabod // Wikimedia Commons

#4. Giles County

- Homes built before 1939: 11.2%
- Homes built since 2000: 18.9%
- Median year built: 1981
- Total homes: 14,156
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#3. Perry County

- Homes built before 1939: 11.7%
- Homes built since 2000: 20.2%
- Median year built: 1986
- Total homes: 4,681
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Hancock County

- Homes built before 1939: 12.1%
- Homes built since 2000: 19.6%
- Median year built: 1983
- Total homes: 3,609
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Unicoi County

- Homes built before 1939: 13.2%
- Homes built since 2000: 14.1%
- Median year built: 1976
- Total homes: 8,914

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