Counties with the oldest homes in Texas
Counties with the oldest homes in Texas
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, 12.8% 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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Texas with the oldest homes using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by median year the structure was built, with ties broken by the most homes 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 Texas have the oldest homes.
You may also like: People who retire comfortably avoid these financial advisor mistakes
#30. Carson County
- Median year homes built: 1964
--- #535 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.0%
--- #1,068 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,796
#29. Cochran County
- Median year homes built: 1963
--- #501 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.6%
--- #2,943 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,347
#28. Hale County
- Median year homes built: 1963
--- #500 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.4%
--- #1,753 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 13,401
#27. Sherman County
- Median year homes built: 1963
--- #494 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.5%
--- #1,236 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,416
#26. Baylor County
- Median year homes built: 1963
--- #493 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.9%
--- #1,206 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,645
#25. Wheeler County
- Median year homes built: 1963
--- #489 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.8%
--- #937 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,721
#24. Swisher County
- Median year homes built: 1962
--- #454 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.3%
--- #2,059 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 3,196
#23. Crosby County
- Median year homes built: 1962
--- #453 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.0%
--- #1,799 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,914
#22. Fisher County
- Median year homes built: 1962
--- #452 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.3%
--- #1,467 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,210
#21. Haskell County
- Median year homes built: 1962
--- #450 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.7%
--- #1,091 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 3,469
#20. Cottle County
- Median year homes built: 1962
--- #441 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.9%
--- #699 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,145
#19. Winkler County
- Median year homes built: 1961
--- #401 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.7%
--- #3,180 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 3,044
#18. Potter County
- Median year homes built: 1961
--- #400 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.1%
--- #1,792 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 49,951
#17. Floyd County
- Median year homes built: 1961
--- #399 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.3%
--- #1,463 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,972
#16. Wilbarger County
- Median year homes built: 1961
--- #395 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.4%
--- #844 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 6,240
#15. Throckmorton County
- Median year homes built: 1961
--- #394 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.6%
--- #775 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,028
#14. Foard County
- Median year homes built: 1961
--- #382 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.6%
--- #512 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 873
#13. Collingsworth County
- Median year homes built: 1960
--- #345 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.9%
--- #643 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,489
#12. Gray County
- Median year homes built: 1959
--- #312 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.2%
--- #1,473 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 10,030
#11. Hardeman County
- Median year homes built: 1959
--- #289 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.8%
--- #361 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,344
#10. Briscoe County
- Median year homes built: 1958
--- #276 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.3%
--- #1,551 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 997
#9. Kenedy County
- Median year homes built: 1958
--- #275 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.4%
--- #1,378 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 277
#8. Mitchell County
- Median year homes built: 1958
--- #274 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.5%
--- #1,108 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 4,079
#7. Knox County
- Median year homes built: 1958
--- #273 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.4%
--- #969 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 2,033
#6. Runnels County
- Median year homes built: 1957
--- #239 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.4%
--- #783 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 5,249
#5. Dickens County
- Median year homes built: 1955
--- #168 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.3%
--- #973 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,357
#4. Roberts County
- Median year homes built: 1954
--- #133 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 35.2%
--- #204 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 426
#3. Hall County
- Median year homes built: 1952
--- #82 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 38.8%
--- #116 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 1,916
#2. Terrell County
- Median year homes built: 1950
--- #51 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 39.7%
--- #93 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 785
#1. Motley County
- Median year homes built: 1946
--- #24 oldest among all counties nationwide
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 44.7%
--- #28 most among all counties nationwide
- Number of homes: 778
