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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 Maryland with the oldest homes using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by median year the structure was built, with ties broken by the most homes 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 Maryland have the oldest homes.
#24. Charles County
– Median year homes built: 1990
— #2,961 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.7%
— #2,917 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 60,452
#23. Calvert County
– Median year homes built: 1990
— #2,946 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 3.9%
— #2,691 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 35,155
#22. St. Mary’s County
– Median year homes built: 1990
— #2,944 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.3%
— #2,613 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 45,109
#21. Howard County
– Median year homes built: 1988
— #2,849 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 2.1%
— #3,016 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 119,494
#20. Frederick County
– Median year homes built: 1988
— #2,795 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.6%
— #1,526 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 97,486
#19. Queen Anne’s County
– Median year homes built: 1987
— #2,732 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.4%
— #1,893 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 21,184
#18. Harford County
– Median year homes built: 1986
— #2,661 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.5%
— #2,379 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 100,210
#17. Cecil County
– Median year homes built: 1986
— #2,639 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.6%
— #1,723 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 42,658
#16. Worcester County
– Median year homes built: 1984
— #2,467 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 5.2%
— #2,437 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 56,310
#15. Anne Arundel County
– Median year homes built: 1982
— #2,245 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.6%
— #2,545 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 224,378
#14. Carroll County
– Median year homes built: 1982
— #2,173 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.4%
— #1,545 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 63,564
#13. Garrett County
– Median year homes built: 1982
— #2,167 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.7%
— #1,356 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 19,338
#12. Talbot County
– Median year homes built: 1982
— #2,162 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.7%
— #1,222 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 20,247
#11. Wicomico County
– Median year homes built: 1981
— #2,060 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 10.0%
— #1,690 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 42,382
#10. Caroline County
– Median year homes built: 1980
— #1,895 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.8%
— #1,086 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 13,588
#9. Montgomery County
– Median year homes built: 1979
— #1,864 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.7%
— #2,538 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 389,202
#8. Somerset County
– Median year homes built: 1979
— #1,751 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.9%
— #1,005 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 11,437
#7. Prince George’s County
– Median year homes built: 1976
— #1,493 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 4.3%
— #2,608 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 333,041
#6. Kent County
– Median year homes built: 1976
— #1,373 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.7%
— #764 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 10,686
#5. Dorchester County
– Median year homes built: 1975
— #1,269 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.6%
— #959 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 16,747
#4. Washington County
– Median year homes built: 1974
— #1,166 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.0%
— #928 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 61,506
#3. Baltimore County
– Median year homes built: 1972
— #1,026 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 8.0%
— #1,931 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 337,052
#2. Allegany County
– Median year homes built: 1956
— #191 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.8%
— #277 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 32,900
#1. Baltimore city
– Median year homes built: 1944
— #17 oldest among all counties nationwide
– Homes built 1939 or earlier: 45.5%
— #23 most among all counties nationwide
– Number of homes: 294,296