Counties with the oldest homes in Wyoming
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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Wyoming 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 Wyoming have the oldest homes.
#23. Teton County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.5% (492 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 24.4% (3,422 homes)
- Total homes built: 14,015
#22. Campbell County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.7% (559 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 35.8% (7,279 homes)
- Total homes built: 20,339
#21. Crook County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.2% (263 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 34.1% (1,250 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,662
#20. Lincoln County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.1% (1,063 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 24.1% (2,300 homes)
- Total homes built: 9,551
#19. Sublette County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.1% (371 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 26.0% (1,573 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,054
#18. Uinta County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.8% (798 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 14.2% (1,289 homes)
- Total homes built: 9,077
#17. Johnson County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.7% (774 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 22.2% (1,033 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,645
#16. Park County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.1% (1,325 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 21.7% (3,155 homes)
- Total homes built: 14,569
#15. Sweetwater County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.1% (2,206 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 22.2% (4,409 homes)
- Total homes built: 19,842
#14. Albany County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.3% (2,965 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 22.7% (4,404 homes)
- Total homes built: 19,414
#13. Laramie County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.4% (5,005 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 22.3% (9,797 homes)
- Total homes built: 43,841
#12. Converse County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.2% (813 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 24.6% (1,644 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,691
#11. Fremont County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.1% (1,636 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 17.4% (3,131 homes)
- Total homes built: 18,029
#10. Sheridan County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.4% (2,769 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 19.1% (2,877 homes)
- Total homes built: 15,053
#9. Natrona County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.6% (3,580 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 24.1% (8,957 homes)
- Total homes built: 37,160
#8. Platte County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.1% (882 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 16.2% (788 homes)
- Total homes built: 4,869
#7. Goshen County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.6% (1,000 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 17.3% (1,044 homes)
- Total homes built: 6,028
#6. Carbon County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.1% (1,591 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 11.2% (986 homes)
- Total homes built: 8,809
#5. Weston County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.7% (597 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 14.9% (532 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,571
#4. Hot Springs County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.2% (402 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 10.8% (286 homes)
- Total homes built: 2,641
#3. Big Horn County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.2% (996 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 11.3% (617 homes)
- Total homes built: 5,468
#2. Washakie County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.6% (524 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 10.2% (394 homes)
- Total homes built: 3,861
#1. Niobrara County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 36.5% (477 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 10.4% (136 homes)
- Total homes built: 1,306