Counties with the oldest homes in Alabama

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can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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

#50. Randolph County

- Median year homes built: 1987

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.2% (1,022 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (95 homes)

- Total homes built: 12,461

#49. Coffee County

- Median year homes built: 1986

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.6% (881 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 1.2% (296 homes)

- Total homes built: 24,399

#48. Cleburne County

- Median year homes built: 1986

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.5% (310 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (41 homes)

- Total homes built: 6,853

#47. Hale County

- Median year homes built: 1986

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.1% (462 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 1.9% (145 homes)

- Total homes built: 7,514

#46. Bibb County

- Median year homes built: 1986

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.8% (618 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (81 homes)

- Total homes built: 9,090

#45. Coosa County

- Median year homes built: 1986

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.1% (613 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 1.8% (109 homes)

- Total homes built: 6,042

#44. Wilcox County

- Median year homes built: 1985

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.8% (147 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (20 homes)

- Total homes built: 5,314

#43. Marshall County

- Median year homes built: 1985

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.6% (1,508 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (366 homes)

- Total homes built: 41,531

#42. Conecuh County

- Median year homes built: 1985

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.9% (313 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (29 homes)

- Total homes built: 6,444

#41. Cullman County

- Median year homes built: 1985

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.3% (2,476 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 1.5% (604 homes)

- Total homes built: 39,538

#40. Perry County

- Median year homes built: 1985

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.3% (250 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 2.1% (84 homes)

- Total homes built: 3,961

#39. Houston County

- Median year homes built: 1984

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.9% (1,454 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (553 homes)

- Total homes built: 49,774

#38. Escambia County

- Median year homes built: 1984

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.5% (588 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (22 homes)

- Total homes built: 16,759

#37. DeKalb County

- Median year homes built: 1984

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.6% (1,713 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (293 homes)

- Total homes built: 30,853

#36. Tallapoosa County

- Median year homes built: 1984

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 6.4% (1,476 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (186 homes)

- Total homes built: 22,967