Counties with the oldest homes in Missouri
Counties with the oldest homes in Missouri
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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Missouri 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 Missouri have the oldest homes.
#50. Monroe County
– Median year homes built: 1977
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.6% (879 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (29 homes)
– Total homes built: 4,476
#49. Nodaway County
– Median year homes built: 1977
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.2% (1,919 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (94 homes)
– Total homes built: 9,478
#48. Scott County
– Median year homes built: 1976
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.1% (1,704 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (56 homes)
– Total homes built: 16,833
#47. Daviess County
– Median year homes built: 1976
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.9% (988 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (16 homes)
– Total homes built: 4,140
#46. Reynolds County
– Median year homes built: 1975
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.4% (255 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (21 homes)
– Total homes built: 3,468
#45. New Madrid County
– Median year homes built: 1975
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.1% (636 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (23 homes)
– Total homes built: 7,886
#44. Stoddard County
– Median year homes built: 1975
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.5% (1,138 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (60 homes)
– Total homes built: 13,398
#43. Iron County
– Median year homes built: 1975
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.0% (611 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (5 homes)
– Total homes built: 4,704
#42. Vernon County
– Median year homes built: 1975
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.6% (1,664 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (34 homes)
– Total homes built: 8,949
#41. Mississippi County
– Median year homes built: 1974
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.3% (332 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (20 homes)
– Total homes built: 5,282
#40. Ray County
– Median year homes built: 1974
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 12.6% (1,250 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (32 homes)
– Total homes built: 9,901
#39. Lafayette County
– Median year homes built: 1974
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.6% (2,210 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 1.3% (178 homes)
– Total homes built: 14,183
#38. Pettis County
– Median year homes built: 1974
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.9% (2,955 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (153 homes)
– Total homes built: 18,608
#37. Gasconade County
– Median year homes built: 1974
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.4% (1,400 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (38 homes)
– Total homes built: 7,597
#36. Dade County
– Median year homes built: 1974
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.6% (743 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (36 homes)
– Total homes built: 3,790
#35. Cooper County
– Median year homes built: 1974
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.7% (1,582 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (37 homes)
– Total homes built: 7,276
#34. Randolph County
– Median year homes built: 1974
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.1% (2,501 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (134 homes)
– Total homes built: 10,811
#33. Barton County
– Median year homes built: 1973
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.5% (981 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (55 homes)
– Total homes built: 5,295
#32. Adair County
– Median year homes built: 1973
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.5% (2,216 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (61 homes)
– Total homes built: 11,380
#31. Gentry County
– Median year homes built: 1973
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.2% (622 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (6 homes)
– Total homes built: 2,928
#30. Caldwell County
– Median year homes built: 1973
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.8% (1,017 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (63 homes)
– Total homes built: 4,269
#29. Howard County
– Median year homes built: 1972
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.7% (952 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (41 homes)
– Total homes built: 4,381
#28. Macon County
– Median year homes built: 1972
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.1% (1,642 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (54 homes)
– Total homes built: 7,425
#27. Pemiscot County
– Median year homes built: 1971
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.0% (749 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (3 homes)
– Total homes built: 7,509
#26. Dunklin County
– Median year homes built: 1971
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.9% (1,463 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (19 homes)
– Total homes built: 13,451
#25. Mercer County
– Median year homes built: 1971
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.4% (275 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (9 homes)
– Total homes built: 1,908
#24. Audrain County
– Median year homes built: 1970
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.3% (1,931 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (111 homes)
– Total homes built: 10,566
#23. Jackson County
– Median year homes built: 1970
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.8% (62,735 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (2,650 homes)
– Total homes built: 333,385
#22. Saline County
– Median year homes built: 1970
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.9% (1,959 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (22 homes)
– Total homes built: 9,833
#21. Pike County
– Median year homes built: 1970
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.2% (1,614 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (65 homes)
– Total homes built: 7,629
#20. Marion County
– Median year homes built: 1970
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.0% (3,227 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (95 homes)
– Total homes built: 12,886
#19. Livingston County
– Median year homes built: 1969
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 14.2% (907 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 1.6% (101 homes)
– Total homes built: 6,376
#18. Chariton County
– Median year homes built: 1969
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.8% (865 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (28 homes)
– Total homes built: 3,797
#17. Harrison County
– Median year homes built: 1969
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.7% (955 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (20 homes)
– Total homes built: 4,023
#16. Scotland County
– Median year homes built: 1969
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.0% (577 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (23 homes)
– Total homes built: 2,215
#15. Clark County
– Median year homes built: 1969
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.5% (889 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (16 homes)
– Total homes built: 3,233
#14. St. Louis County
– Median year homes built: 1968
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.6% (42,898 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (1,732 homes)
– Total homes built: 445,472
#13. Lewis County
– Median year homes built: 1968
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.5% (927 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (22 homes)
– Total homes built: 4,315
#12. Shelby County
– Median year homes built: 1968
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.5% (722 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (28 homes)
– Total homes built: 2,952
#11. Holt County
– Median year homes built: 1968
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.7% (694 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (2 homes)
– Total homes built: 2,420
#10. Linn County
– Median year homes built: 1965
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.1% (1,028 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (39 homes)
– Total homes built: 6,007
#9. Sullivan County
– Median year homes built: 1965
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.8% (601 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (29 homes)
– Total homes built: 3,032
#8. Carroll County
– Median year homes built: 1964
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.4% (849 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
– Total homes built: 4,380
#7. Buchanan County
– Median year homes built: 1964
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.4% (10,147 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (217 homes)
– Total homes built: 38,415
#6. Knox County
– Median year homes built: 1964
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.6% (517 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
– Total homes built: 1,940
#5. Schuyler County
– Median year homes built: 1963
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.2% (556 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 1.8% (35 homes)
– Total homes built: 1,906
#4. Grundy County
– Median year homes built: 1962
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.2% (1,271 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (33 homes)
– Total homes built: 4,851
#3. Worth County
– Median year homes built: 1959
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 34.0% (379 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
– Total homes built: 1,115
#2. Atchison County
– Median year homes built: 1957
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 34.8% (950 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
– Total homes built: 2,726
#1. St. Louis city
– Median year homes built: 1939
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 58.3% (101,319 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (403 homes)
– Total homes built: 173,920 
