Counties with the oldest homes in Vermont
Counties with the oldest homes in Vermont
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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Vermont with the oldest homes using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by median year the structure was built according to 2020 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 Vermont have the oldest homes.
#14. Chittenden County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.0% (12,653 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 19.9% (14,039 homes)
- Total homes built: 70,460
#13. Grand Isle County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.3% (974 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 19.2% (1,022 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,322
#12. Lamoille County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.2% (2,650 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 17.2% (2,377 homes)
- Total homes built: 13,817
#11. Orleans County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.2% (4,290 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 18.3% (3,239 homes)
- Total homes built: 17,726
#10. Franklin County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.5% (6,018 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 20.2% (4,590 homes)
- Total homes built: 22,706
#9. Addison County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.7% (4,865 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 17.2% (3,023 homes)
- Total homes built: 17,577
#8. Orange County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.8% (4,461 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 15.4% (2,391 homes)
- Total homes built: 15,516
#7. Windsor County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.9% (9,059 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 12.0% (4,185 homes)
- Total homes built: 35,016
#6. Windham County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.8% (8,546 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 11.8% (3,642 homes)
- Total homes built: 30,778
#5. Essex County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.2% (1,523 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 17.9% (935 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,209
#4. Washington County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.1% (8,978 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 12.4% (3,833 homes)
- Total homes built: 30,894
#3. Caledonia County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.9% (5,252 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 16.2% (2,666 homes)
- Total homes built: 16,452
#2. Rutland County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.2% (10,796 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 8.4% (2,911 homes)
- Total homes built: 34,552
#1. Bennington County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.9% (5,922 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 10.1% (2,130 homes)
- Total homes built: 21,189