Counties with the oldest homes in New York
Explore the New York counties with the oldest homes, rich in history and architecture. Discover where to find colonial-era, Victorian, and pre-war properties.
By Chrisean CrossSept. 30 2025, Published 12:20 p.m. ET
Counties with the oldest homes in New York
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history can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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 New York 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 New York have the oldest homes.
#50. Dutchess County
- Median year homes built: 1971
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.0% (22,056 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (585 homes)
- Total homes built: 122,636
#49. Oswego County
- Median year homes built: 1971
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.0% (15,318 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (324 homes)
- Total homes built: 54,697
#48. Delaware County
- Median year homes built: 1971
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.2% (9,059 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (102 homes)
- Total homes built: 30,038
#47. Suffolk County
- Median year homes built: 1970
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 9.2% (53,297 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (2,553 homes)
- Total homes built: 579,790
#46. Rockland County
- Median year homes built: 1970
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 11.5% (12,523 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (598 homes)
- Total homes built: 108,576
#45. Essex County
- Median year homes built: 1970
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.7% (7,524 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (90 homes)
- Total homes built: 25,318
#44. Schuyler County
- Median year homes built: 1969
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.3% (2,844 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.8% (80 homes)
- Total homes built: 9,691
#43. Yates County
- Median year homes built: 1969
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.3% (4,112 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (132 homes)
- Total homes built: 13,143
#42. Livingston County
- Median year homes built: 1969
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.3% (9,046 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (79 homes)
- Total homes built: 27,198
#41. Putnam County
- Median year homes built: 1968
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 17.9% (6,857 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (93 homes)
- Total homes built: 38,369
#40. Hamilton County
- Median year homes built: 1968
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 23.0% (1,816 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (22 homes)
- Total homes built: 7,893
#39. Tioga County
- Median year homes built: 1968
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.3% (5,993 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (59 homes)
- Total homes built: 21,966
#38. Chenango County
- Median year homes built: 1967
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.1% (7,847 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (32 homes)
- Total homes built: 24,460
#37. Ulster County
- Median year homes built: 1966
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 25.3% (21,829 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (441 homes)
- Total homes built: 86,178
#36. Wayne County
- Median year homes built: 1966
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.0% (13,562 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (169 homes)
- Total homes built: 42,375
#35. Franklin County
- Median year homes built: 1966
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 34.5% (8,782 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (131 homes)
- Total homes built: 25,442
#34. Monroe County
- Median year homes built: 1965
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.7% (83,417 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (1,676 homes)
- Total homes built: 337,688
#33. Allegany County
- Median year homes built: 1965
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.6% (7,435 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (131 homes)
- Total homes built: 23,538
#32. Columbia County
- Median year homes built: 1965
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.6% (10,864 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (179 homes)
- Total homes built: 33,331
#31. Albany County
- Median year homes built: 1964
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.0% (39,633 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (684 homes)
- Total homes built: 146,959
#30. St. Lawrence County
- Median year homes built: 1964
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.6% (15,366 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (268 homes)
- Total homes built: 51,884
#29. Madison County
- Median year homes built: 1964
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 31.3% (9,612 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (74 homes)
- Total homes built: 30,676
#28. Steuben County
- Median year homes built: 1964
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.6% (15,510 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (223 homes)
- Total homes built: 47,565
#27. Onondaga County
- Median year homes built: 1963
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 22.8% (48,308 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (739 homes)
- Total homes built: 211,683
#26. Rensselaer County
- Median year homes built: 1962
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.7% (24,296 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (335 homes)
- Total homes built: 74,388
#25. Washington County
- Median year homes built: 1962
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 35.3% (10,271 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (59 homes)
- Total homes built: 29,111
#24. Cortland County
- Median year homes built: 1961
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 33.9% (7,068 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (73 homes)
- Total homes built: 20,842
#23. Cattaraugus County
- Median year homes built: 1961
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 35.0% (14,115 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (70 homes)
- Total homes built: 40,279
#22. Wyoming County
- Median year homes built: 1961
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 38.9% (7,087 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (99 homes)
- Total homes built: 18,204
#21. Broome County
- Median year homes built: 1959
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.3% (26,292 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (73 homes)
- Total homes built: 92,889
#20. Niagara County
- Median year homes built: 1958
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.9% (27,974 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (317 homes)
- Total homes built: 100,335
#19. Westchester County
- Median year homes built: 1958
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 28.0% (109,608 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (1,980 homes)
- Total homes built: 391,861
#18. Cayuga County
- Median year homes built: 1958
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 36.1% (13,269 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (183 homes)
- Total homes built: 36,768
#17. Erie County
- Median year homes built: 1957
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 29.7% (130,532 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (1,641 homes)
- Total homes built: 439,987
#16. Oneida County
- Median year homes built: 1957
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.0% (33,646 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (257 homes)
- Total homes built: 105,285
#15. Seneca County
- Median year homes built: 1957
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 36.6% (5,907 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (38 homes)
- Total homes built: 16,148
#14. Herkimer County
- Median year homes built: 1956
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 38.2% (12,406 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (179 homes)
- Total homes built: 32,449
#13. Genesee County
- Median year homes built: 1956
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 39.3% (10,241 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (52 homes)
- Total homes built: 26,090
#12. Nassau County
- Median year homes built: 1955
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 19.5% (93,213 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (2,097 homes)
- Total homes built: 477,860
#11. Schenectady County
- Median year homes built: 1955
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 32.3% (22,977 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (393 homes)
- Total homes built: 71,051
#10. Chemung County
- Median year homes built: 1955
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 34.3% (13,409 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (62 homes)
- Total homes built: 39,143
#9. Bronx County
- Median year homes built: 1954
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 34.3% (189,781 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (2,208 homes)
- Total homes built: 553,231
#8. Otsego County
- Median year homes built: 1954
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 41.1% (12,324 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (140 homes)
- Total homes built: 30,011
#7. Orleans County
- Median year homes built: 1954
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 42.1% (7,696 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.1% (11 homes)
- Total homes built: 18,275
#6. Queens County
- Median year homes built: 1953
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.3% (273,370 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.3% (2,969 homes)
- Total homes built: 903,598
#5. Fulton County
- Median year homes built: 1953
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 37.1% (10,455 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (47 homes)
- Total homes built: 28,169
#4. Chautauqua County
- Median year homes built: 1953
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 38.7% (25,650 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (124 homes)
- Total homes built: 66,328
#3. New York County
- Median year homes built: 1951
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 42.7% (392,000 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (2,169 homes)
- Total homes built: 918,806
#2. Montgomery County
- Median year homes built: 1944
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 47.2% (10,826 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (111 homes)
- Total homes built: 22,944
#1. Kings County
- Median year homes built: 1943
- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 47.1% (513,629 homes)
- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (6,096 homes)
- Total homes built: 1,090,187
