Counties with the oldest homes in New Hampshire

Counties with the oldest homes in New Hampshire

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can sometimes come with a cost: Many old homes come with asbestos, lead piping, knob-and-tube wiring, and other outdated building styles that can rack up a hefty price tag to modernize.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

#10. Rockingham County

- Median year homes built: 1982

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 13.2% (18,025 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 1.0% (1,405 homes)

- Total homes built: 136,681

#9. Carroll County

- Median year homes built: 1981

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 15.2% (6,116 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (186 homes)

- Total homes built: 40,110

#8. Grafton County

- Median year homes built: 1980

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 21.0% (10,787 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.9% (468 homes)

- Total homes built: 51,478

#7. Belknap County

- Median year homes built: 1979

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 16.6% (6,443 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.7% (261 homes)

- Total homes built: 38,718

#6. Strafford County

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Counties with the oldest homes in New Hampshire

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- Median year homes built: 1978

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 20.1% (11,311 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 1.1% (629 homes)

- Total homes built: 56,162

#5. Hillsborough County

- Median year homes built: 1977

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 18.6% (32,821 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.5% (883 homes)

- Total homes built: 176,753

#4. Merrimack County

- Median year homes built: 1977

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.8% (16,380 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.6% (364 homes)

- Total homes built: 66,080

#3. Sullivan County

- Median year homes built: 1974

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 24.4% (5,342 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.2% (54 homes)

- Total homes built: 21,905

#2. Cheshire County

- Median year homes built: 1972

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 27.4% (9,788 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (141 homes)

- Total homes built: 35,777

#1. Coos County

- Median year homes built: 1969

- Homes built 1939 or earlier: 30.2% (6,227 homes)

- Homes built since 2000: 0.4% (82 homes)

- Total homes built: 20,589