Counties with the oldest homes in Arizona

By Stacker

Published August 27, 2022 9:33 AM

Alan Levine // Wikimedia Commons

Counties with the oldest homes in Arizona

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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Arizona 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 Arizona have the oldest homes.

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zeesstof // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Pinal County

– Median year homes built: 2002
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.0% (1,723 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 59.5% (105,865 homes)
– Total homes built: 177,933

InSapphoWeTrust // Wikicommons

#14. Mohave County

– Median year homes built: 1993
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.5% (609 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 33.9% (39,165 homes)
– Total homes built: 115,466

Ken Lund // Flickr

#13. Yuma County

– Median year homes built: 1993
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.3% (1,224 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 35.2% (32,907 homes)
– Total homes built: 93,612

Martha.baden // Wikimedia

#12. Yavapai County

– Median year homes built: 1993
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.9% (2,265 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 32.1% (38,093 homes)
– Total homes built: 118,531

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#11. Maricopa County

– Median year homes built: 1990
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.9% (16,136 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 30.2% (532,667 homes)
– Total homes built: 1,765,880

United States Bureau of Land Management // Wikimedia Commons

#10. La Paz County

– Median year homes built: 1988
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 0.9% (144 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 26.0% (4,247 homes)
– Total homes built: 16,308

HildaWeges Photography // Shutterstock

#9. Coconino County

– Median year homes built: 1988
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.8% (1,202 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 25.7% (17,176 homes)
– Total homes built: 66,807

Ixnayonthetimmay // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Navajo County

– Median year homes built: 1988
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.5% (1,434 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 27.4% (15,949 homes)
– Total homes built: 58,230

Andreas F. Borchert // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Apache County

– Median year homes built: 1987
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 1.3% (430 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 20.7% (6,805 homes)
– Total homes built: 32,943

Elnogalense // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Santa Cruz County

– Median year homes built: 1987
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.1% (764 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 24.0% (4,422 homes)
– Total homes built: 18,412

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Wars // Wikimedia Commons

#5. Graham County

– Median year homes built: 1987
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.7% (784 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 27.2% (3,718 homes)
– Total homes built: 13,678

Jay Yuan // Shutterstock

#4. Pima County

– Median year homes built: 1985
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.1% (9,650 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 23.4% (108,524 homes)
– Total homes built: 463,236

Clay Gilliland // Flickr

#3. Cochise County

– Median year homes built: 1985
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 7.3% (4,473 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 24.4% (15,007 homes)
– Total homes built: 61,380

Alan Levine // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Gila County

– Median year homes built: 1983
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.3% (1,772 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 20.5% (6,909 homes)
– Total homes built: 33,714

Bill Morrow // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Greenlee County

– Median year homes built: 1978
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.3% (236 homes)
– Homes built since 2000: 14.5% (647 homes)
– Total homes built: 4,465

Article Topic Follows: stacker-Arizona

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