Counties with the most pre-war homes in Ohio
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 Ohio 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 in 1939 or earlier based on 2023 5-year estimates.
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#50. Morrow County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.0% (2,925 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (109 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1979
- National rank: #870
- Total homes built: 14,615
#49. Summit County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.3% (50,098 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (1,062 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1965
- National rank: #849
- Total homes built: 247,239
#48. Fayette County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.3% (2,579 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (38 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1970
- National rank: #848
- Total homes built: 12,694
#47. Washington County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.7% (5,805 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (100 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1973
- National rank: #828
- Total homes built: 27,979
#46. Stark County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.0% (35,129 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (767 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1966
- National rank: #816
- Total homes built: 167,525
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#45. Athens County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.0% (5,560 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (164 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1978
- National rank: #811
- Total homes built: 26,466
#44. Meigs County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.2% (2,262 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (55 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1978
- National rank: #802
- Total homes built: 10,669
#43. Shelby County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.2% (4,267 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (67 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1974
- National rank: #799
- Total homes built: 20,113
#42. Erie County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.4% (8,202 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (91 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1966
- National rank: #789
- Total homes built: 38,400
#41. Muskingum County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.5% (8,626 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (184 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1972
- National rank: #730
- Total homes built: 38,343
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#40. Miami County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.5% (10,584 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (435 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1970
- National rank: #729
- Total homes built: 47,028
#39. Hancock County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.9% (7,762 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (187 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1972
- National rank: #709
- Total homes built: 33,871
#38. Carroll County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.2% (3,104 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (24 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1973
- National rank: #695
- Total homes built: 13,391
#37. Guernsey County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.3% (4,424 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (40 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1972
- National rank: #690
- Total homes built: 19,024
#36. Morgan County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.5% (1,720 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (76 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1975
- National rank: #677
- Total homes built: 7,311
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#35. Paulding County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.5% (2,008 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (19 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1969
- National rank: #676
- Total homes built: 8,533
#34. Allen County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.6% (10,545 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (115 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1965
- National rank: #673
- Total homes built: 44,697
#33. Jefferson County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.8% (7,392 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (69 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1958
- National rank: #664
- Total homes built: 31,118
#32. Logan County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.0% (5,704 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (171 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1973
- National rank: #655
- Total homes built: 23,797
#31. Lucas County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.0% (48,174 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (1,050 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1962
- National rank: #653
- Total homes built: 200,764
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#30. Monroe County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.4% (1,744 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (59 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1974
- National rank: #638
- Total homes built: 7,147
#29. Hamilton County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.4% (92,845 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (1,792 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1963
- National rank: #637
- Total homes built: 380,414
#28. Perry County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.8% (3,722 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (136 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1978
- National rank: #619
- Total homes built: 15,021
#27. Clark County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.8% (15,152 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (56 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1963
- National rank: #616
- Total homes built: 61,092
#26. Ashland County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.1% (5,643 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (193 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1968
- National rank: #602
- Total homes built: 22,517
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#25. Putnam County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.1% (3,487 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (21 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1972
- National rank: #598
- Total homes built: 13,870
#24. Knox County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.4% (6,618 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (170 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1972
- National rank: #581
- Total homes built: 26,038
#23. Tuscarawas County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.6% (10,448 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (135 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1970
- National rank: #570
- Total homes built: 40,840
#22. Huron County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.7% (6,566 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (68 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1967
- National rank: #567
- Total homes built: 25,575
#21. Defiance County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.3% (4,353 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (28 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1967
- National rank: #536
- Total homes built: 16,570
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#20. Preble County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.4% (4,789 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (37 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1972
- National rank: #517
- Total homes built: 18,106
#19. Harrison County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.8% (1,982 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (35 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1965
- National rank: #504
- Total homes built: 7,397
#18. Auglaize County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.8% (5,374 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (131 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1971
- National rank: #501
- Total homes built: 20,034
#17. Columbiana County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.8% (12,379 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (164 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1964
- National rank: #500
- Total homes built: 46,133
#16. Belmont County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 26.9% (8,500 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (53 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1964
- National rank: #496
- Total homes built: 31,599
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#15. Williams County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.0% (4,480 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (0 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1966
- National rank: #488
- Total homes built: 16,574
#14. Fulton County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.7% (4,899 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (87 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1970
- National rank: #465
- Total homes built: 17,708
#13. Coshocton County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.0% (4,570 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (106 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1968
- National rank: #444
- Total homes built: 16,321
#12. Cuyahoga County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.2% (173,565 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (2,165 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1957
- National rank: #434
- Total homes built: 615,513
#11. Hardin County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.4% (3,674 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (78 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1969
- National rank: #421
- Total homes built: 12,921
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#10. Sandusky County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.2% (7,741 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (25 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1960
- National rank: #381
- Total homes built: 26,475
#9. Marion County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.6% (8,094 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (74 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1963
- National rank: #366
- Total homes built: 27,381
#8. Ashtabula County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.3% (14,048 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (140 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1962
- National rank: #336
- Total homes built: 46,362
#7. Henry County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.6% (3,683 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (17 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1963
- National rank: #321
- Total homes built: 12,053
#6. Champaign County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.7% (5,192 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (122 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1968
- National rank: #317
- Total homes built: 16,904
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#5. Van Wert County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.0% (3,892 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (74 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1960
- National rank: #309
- Total homes built: 12,574
#4. Darke County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.0% (7,014 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (75 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1963
- National rank: #308
- Total homes built: 22,643
#3. Crawford County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.1% (6,378 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (90 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1958
- National rank: #265
- Total homes built: 19,844
#2. Wyandot County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.3% (3,196 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.0% (2 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1962
- National rank: #259
- Total homes built: 9,885
#1. Seneca County
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 36.7% (8,792 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (65 homes)
- Median year homes built: 1958
- National rank: #118
- Total homes built: 23,968
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This story was originally published October 20, 2025 at 9:32 AM.