One of the most important factors you need to consider when buying a home is its age. The age of a house impacts everything from its condition to its architectural style, yard size, and even your homeowners insurance. Unfortunately, in many cities, finding a home that’s the right age can be difficult or extremely expensive. To aid in your home search, we conducted a study on 150 cities to determine which have the oldest and newest homes. This article reviews the study’s results and discusses its findings.


    Main Findings

    • The cities with the most new houses are:
      • Austin, TX (11.4%)
      • Provo, UT (10.8%)
      • Myrtle Beach, SC (10.0%)
      • Boise, ID (8.9%)
      • Raleigh, NC (8.7%)
    • The cities that house the oldest homes are:
      • Scranton, PA (33.4%)
      • Boston, MA (32.1%)
      • Providence, RI (29.6%)
      • Springfield, MA (29.1%)
      • Buffalo, NY (28.4%)
    • Most cities with newer homes are located in Southern or Western states, with Texas holding five of the top 15 spots.
    • Most cities with the oldest homes are in the Northeastern U.S., with New York holding five of the top 15 spots and Pennsylvania right behind with four.

    Average Age of Homes in the U.S.

    For this study, we gathered data from the U.S. Census Bureau on the year-built date of the homes for the top 150 most populated cities. We then used the percentage of homes built before 1940 as our metric for older homes and those built in 2014 or sooner for newer homes. In total, across all the cities we analyzed, the median build date for houses was 1974, meaning the average house on the market for most cities is just under 50 years old. Below, we’ll look at which cities have the oldest homes and which have the newest, and then present our full dataset.

    Cities With the Most and Least New Homes

    After analyzing the data, we found that the top five cities with the highest percentage of new homes are: Austin, TX, at 11.4% (over 90,000 homes), Provo, UT, at 10.8% (over 18,000 homes), Myrtle Beach, SC, at 10.0% (over 19,000 homes), Boise, ID, at 8.9% (just over 24,000 homes), and Raleigh, NC, at 8.7% (over 34,000 homes). We noticed some similarities between these cities: they’re all situated within the Sun Belt and experiencing some degree of economic boom. Utah, for example, has gained the nickname “Mini Silicon Valley” for its rapidly growing tech sector.

    Following Raleigh, we have Charleston, SC, at 8.4%, Nashville, TN, at 8.3%, Houston, TX, at 8.1%, San Antonio, TX, at 7.5%, and Des Moines, IA, at 7.3%. As we can see, most of the cities with the newest homes still sit within the Sun Belt.

    The final five spots are occupied by Fort Collins, CO, at 7.3%, Dallas, TX, at 7.1%, Naples, FL, at 7.1%, Fayetteville, AR, at 7.0%, and Killeen, TX, at 7.00%. We can see that Texas holds three cities within the top 10 and a total of five out of 15 cities with the newest homes. Considering the massive number of businesses moving into Texas and its favorable property tax laws, it should be no surprise that many new homes have been constructed there.

    For the cities with the least number of new homes, we have:

    1. Rockford, IL, at 0.5%
    2. Youngstown, OH, at 0.8%
    3. Scranton, PA, at 1.0%
    4. Providence, RI, at 1.1%
    5. New Haven, CT, at 1.1%
    6. Modesto, CA, at 1.2%
    7. Flint, MI, at 1.2%
    8. Dayton, OH, at 1.2%
    9. Springfield, MA, at 1.3%
    10. Hartford, CT, at 1.4%
    11. Peoria, IL, at 1.4%
    12. Reading, PA, at 1.4%
    13. Hickory, NC, at 1.5%
    14. Canton, OH, at 1.5%
    15. Cleveland, OH, at 1.5%

    This list has the highest diversity within the entire study. While many states still exist within the Rust Belt, the only state with a majority of locations is Ohio, with four spots. There are even several cities that, regionally speaking, stand out, specifically Modesto and Hickory. Both sit within states experiencing economic prosperity, making their position on this list surprising.

    Cities With the Most And Least Older Homes

    On the other end of the spectrum, we have cities with the highest number of older homes. Occupying the top five spots are Scranton, PA, at 33.4% (over 76,000 homes), Boston, MA, at 32.1 (over 595,000 homes), Providence, RI, at 29.6% (over 188,000 homes), Springfield, MA, at 29.1% (nearly 79,000 homes), and Buffalo, NY, at 28.4% (over 137,000). Unsurprisingly, the top five spots on this list are dominated by Legacy Cities. A Legacy City is a location that experienced a population boom in the first half of the 20th century, only to see a population decline as local industry lessened. These cities typically have some of the oldest homes in America, with plenty of them and less incentive to create new ones.

    After Buffalo comes New York City at 27.9%, Worcester, MA, at 27.6%, Rochester, NY, at 26.5%, Reading, PA, at 25.8%, and Albany, NY, at 25.4%. As we get into the top 10, we can see some clear patterns developing. First, most of the states on this list are located in the Rust Belt, the only exception being Providence. Second, New York state occupies most of this list, with four out of 10 positions. New York’s prominence on this list is not surprising, as it is one of the oldest states in the U.S.

    Rounding out our top 15 cities with the highest number of older homes are Pittsburg, PA, at 24.9%, Allentown, PA, at 24.5%, Syracuse, NY, at 24.1%, Davenport, IA, at 23.3%, and New Haven, CT, at 22.9%. The results show that the majority are located in the U.S.’s Northeastern region. New York still holds the most spots at five, with Pennsylvania right behind at four.

    The cities with the least number of old homes are:

    1. Las Vegas, NV, at 0.4%
    2. Naples, FL, at 0.4%
    3. Anchorage, AK, at 0.5%
    4. Cape Coral, FL, at 0.6
    5. Palm Bay, FL, at 0.9%
    6. Phoenix, AZ, at 0.9%
    7. McAllen, TX, at 1.0%
    8. Myrtle Beach, SC, at 1.1%
    9. Ocala. FL, at 1.2%
    10. Port St. Lucie, FL, at 1.2%
    11. Orlando, FL, at 1.5%
    12. North Port, FL, at 1.6%
    13. Tallahassee, FL, at 1.8%
    14. Deltona, FL, at 1.8%
    15. Tucson, AZ, at 1.9%

    Analyzing this data, we can see several patterns emerge. First, Florida holds the lion’s share of positions, accounting for eight of the 15 cities with the least number of old homes. Second, each city either belongs to the Southern coast or lies within the Sun Belt, except for Anchorage, Alaska, the only notable outlier.

    Full Data

    This table shows the results of our study. You can sort by city, state, percentage of oldest homes, and percentage of newest homes.

    Cities

    States

    Oldest Homes %

    Newest Homes %

    Austin

    TX

    2.2%

    11.4%

    Provo

    UT

    4.2%

    10.8%

    Myrtle Beach

    SC

    1.1%

    10.0%

    Boise City

    ID

    4.7%

    8.9%

    Raleigh

    NC

    2.5%

    8.7%

    Charleston

    SC

    3.3%

    8.4%

    Nashville

    TN

    4.4%

    8.3%

    Houston

    TX

    2.3%

    8.1%

    San Antonio

    TX

    4.2%

    7.5%

    Des Moines

    IA

    14.8%

    7.3%

    Fort Collins

    CO

    5.1%

    7.3%

    Dallas

    TX

    2.6%

    7.1%

    Naples

    FL

    0.4%

    7.1%

    Fayetteville

    AR

    3.1%

    7.0%

    Killeen

    TX

    2.3%

    7.0%

    Charlotte

    NC

    3.9%

    6.9%

    Durham

    NC

    4.9%

    6.9%

    Salisbury

    MD

    7.3%

    6.9%

    Orlando

    FL

    1.5%

    6.7%

    Savannah

    GA

    6.9%

    6.6%

    North Port

    FL

    1.6%

    6.4%

    Jacksonville

    FL

    3.6%

    6.3%

    Salt Lake City

    UT

    7.4%

    6.3%

    McAllen

    TX

    1.0%

    6.3%

    Greenville

    SC

    4.0%

    5.9%

    Baton Rouge

    LA

    3.6%

    5.9%

    El Paso

    TX

    4.2%

    5.9%

    Huntsville

    AL

    2.1%

    5.7%

    Denver

    CO

    6.3%

    5.6%

    Lincoln

    NE

    13.8%

    5.5%

    Seattle

    WA

    9.8%

    5.4%

    Oklahoma City

    OK

    5.8%

    5.4%

    Lakeland

    FL

    3.2%

    5.4%

    Columbia

    SC

    3.3%

    5.3%

    Augusta

    GA

    4.4%

    5.2%

    Ogden

    UT

    6.4%

    5.2%

    Cape Coral

    FL

    0.6%

    5.1%

    Little Rock

    AR

    3.5%

    5.1%

    Lafayette

    LA

    4.6%

    5.1%

    Corpus Christi

    TX

    3.0%

    5.1%

    Las Vegas

    NV

    0.4%

    5.0%

    Madison

    WI

    13.6%

    5.0%

    Reno

    NV

    2.4%

    5.0%

    Atlanta

    GA

    2.7%

    4.9%

    Colorado Springs

    CO

    4.9%

    4.8%

    Pensacola

    FL

    2.6%

    4.8%

    Phoenix

    AZ

    0.9%

    4.7%

    Portland

    OR

    11.8%

    4.7%

    Tulsa

    OK

    6.2%

    4.5%

    Indianapolis

    IN

    11.5%

    4.4%

    Tampa

    FL

    2.5%

    4.3%

    Omaha

    NE

    16.1%

    4.2%

    Asheville

    NC

    8.6%

    4.2%

    Beaumont

    TX

    3.6%

    4.2%

    Washington

    DC

    8.0%

    4.1%

    Spokane

    WA

    13.5%

    4.1%

    Richmond

    VA

    8.4%

    4.0%

    Knoxville

    TN

    6.1%

    3.9%

    Lexington

    KY

    7.0%

    3.9%

    Fayetteville

    NC

    2.3%

    3.9%

    Port St. Lucie

    FL

    1.2%

    3.9%

    Chattanooga

    TN

    6.9%

    3.8%

    Columbus

    OH

    11.5%

    3.7%

    Virginia Beach

    VA

    5.4%

    3.7%

    San Jose

    CA

    4.9%

    3.7%

    Montgomery

    AL

    4.2%

    3.7%

    Minneapolis

    MN

    13.6%

    3.6%

    Greensboro

    NC

    5.4%

    3.6%

    Visalia

    CA

    5.4%

    3.6%

    Springfield

    MO

    8.1%

    3.5%

    Shreveport

    LA

    4.2%

    3.5%

    Kansas City

    MO

    11.0%

    3.4%

    Grand Rapids

    MI

    14.8%

    3.4%

    Jackson

    MS

    3.0%

    3.4%

    Birmingham

    AL

    6.5%

    3.3%

    Winston-Salem

    NC

    5.8%

    3.3%

    Louisville County

    KY

    11.7%

    3.2%

    Bakersfield

    CA

    4.1%

    3.2%

    Palm Bay

    FL

    0.9%

    3.2%

    Salem

    OR

    7.7%

    3.2%

    Fresno

    CA

    5.5%

    3.1%

    Wichita

    KS

    10.3%

    3.1%

    Stockton

    CA

    6.7%

    3.1%

    Gulfport

    MS

    2.9%

    3.1%

    Baltimore

    MD

    13.6%

    3.0%

    Deltona

    FL

    1.8%

    3.0%

    Lancaster

    PA

    20.0%

    3.0%

    Eugene

    OR

    6.9%

    3.0%

    Miami

    FL

    2.1%

    2.9%

    Memphis

    TN

    4.7%

    2.9%

    Tucson

    AZ

    1.9%

    2.9%

    Albany

    NY

    25.4%

    2.9%

    Urban Honolulu

    HI

    3.2%

    2.9%

    Portland

    ME

    22.5%

    2.9%

    Riverside

    CA

    2.8%

    2.8%

    Ocala

    FL

    1.2%

    2.8%

    Boston

    MA

    32.1%

    2.7%

    Tallahassee

    FL

    1.8%

    2.7%

    Albuquerque

    NM

    3.0%

    2.6%

    Vallejo

    CA

    5.1%

    2.6%

    St. Louis

    MO

    15.1%

    2.5%

    Cincinnati

    OH

    16.2%

    2.5%

    Sacramento

    CA

    4.2%

    2.5%

    San Diego

    CA

    4.2%

    2.4%

    Bridgeport

    CT

    19.5%

    2.4%

    Harrisburg

    PA

    18.0%

    2.4%

    Fort Wayne

    IN

    13.5%

    2.4%

    Ann Arbor

    MI

    11.4%

    2.4%

    Anchorage

    AK

    0.5%

    2.4%

    New Orleans

    LA

    11.5%

    2.3%

    Mobile

    AL

    4.1%

    2.2%

    Lansing

    MI

    16.2%

    2.1%

    York

    PA

    18.1%

    2.1%

    Manchester

    NH

    18.3%

    2.1%

    Philadelphia

    PA

    20.8%

    2.0%

    San Francisco

    CA

    19.1%

    2.0%

    Huntington

    WV

    10.7%

    2.0%

    Pittsburgh

    PA

    24.9%

    1.9%

    Milwaukee

    WI

    21.4%

    1.9%

    Allentown

    PA

    24.5%

    1.9%

    Santa Maria

    CA

    7.7%

    1.9%

    Los Angeles

    CA

    11.6%

    1.8%

    Toledo

    OH

    22.4%

    1.8%

    Poughkeepsie

    NY

    19.5%

    1.8%

    New York

    NY

    27.9%

    1.7%

    Detroit

    MI

    11.3%

    1.7%

    Rochester

    NY

    26.5%

    1.7%

    Santa Rosa

    CA

    7.8%

    1.7%

    Davenport

    IA

    23.3%

    1.7%

    Chicago

    IL

    19.6%

    1.6%

    Buffalo

    NY

    28.4%

    1.6%

    Worcester

    MA

    27.6%

    1.6%

    Akron

    OH

    17.7%

    1.6%

    Oxnard

    CA

    3.4%

    1.6%

    Cleveland

    OH

    21.6%

    1.5%

    Syracuse

    NY

    24.1%

    1.5%

    Canton

    OH

    20.0%

    1.5%

    Hickory

    NC

    5.3%

    1.5%

    Hartford

    CT

    18.1%

    1.4%

    Peoria

    IL

    19.8%

    1.4%

    Reading

    PA

    25.8%

    1.4%

    Springfield

    MA

    29.1%

    1.3%

    Dayton

    OH

    14.9%

    1.2%

    Modesto

    CA

    5.9%

    1.2%

    Flint

    MI

    10.8%

    1.2%

    Providence

    RI

    29.6%

    1.1%

    New Haven

    CT

    22.9%

    1.1%

    Scranton

    PA

    33.4%

    1.0%

    Youngstown

    OH

    19.1%

    0.8%

    Rockford

    IL

    14.3%

    0.5%


    Final Thoughts

    Cities with booming economies, typically in the Southern or Western regions, are experiencing tremendous growth. This expansion has resulted in more homes being built, making these cities climb to the top of the list for newer homes. Conversely, cities that have already experienced tremendous growth in the past, like those in the Rust Belt, already have plenty of housing from their previous economic boom. If you’re looking for newly constructed homes, try searching in cities along the Sun Belt. But, if you prefer an older, cheaper home, the Rust Belt has plenty available.

    One interesting observation is that Texas and New York have several parallels. Both occupy five top 15 positions for the number of newest and oldest homes, respectively. Furthermore, both states hold the top spots for the highest total number of new homes (Texas) and old homes (New York).


    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is The Average American Home Age by State?

    The average age of a typical American home is about 35 years old.


    What Costs More, an Older Home or a Newer Home?

    Multiple factors can affect the cost of a home, such as location and size. But, new homes are typically more expensive than older homes.


    Is There an Advantage to a Newer Home Over an Older Home?

    There are advantages to both newer and older homes. Newer homes are usually in better condition than older homes and have more up-to-date systems and construction. Older homes typically have a unique appearance, historic value, are cheaper, and come with larger lot sizes.



    Methodology

    To find the cities with the oldest and newest homes, we analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau. For this study, we defined “old homes” as any house built before 1940, and anything built in 2014 or later as “new homes”. We researched over 900 cities within the United States and analyzed the top 150 (based on total homes) for our study.

    Editorial Contributors
    avatar for Sam Wasson

    Sam Wasson

    Staff Writer

    Sam Wasson graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Film and Media Arts with an Emphasis in Entertainment Arts and Engineering. Sam brings over four years of content writing and media production experience to the Today’s Homeowner content team. He specializes in the pest control, landscaping, and moving categories. Sam aims to answer homeowners’ difficult questions by providing well-researched, accurate, transparent, and entertaining content to Today’s Homeowner readers.

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    Lora Novak

    Senior Editor

    Lora Novak meticulously proofreads and edits all commercial content for Today’s Homeowner to guarantee that it contains the most up-to-date information. Lora brings over 12 years of writing, editing, and digital marketing expertise. She’s worked on thousands of articles related to heating, air conditioning, ventilation, roofing, plumbing, lawn/garden, pest control, insurance, and other general homeownership topics.

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