Photo by Robert Yandura on Unsplash
Article courtesy of ProGuard
- Detroit, Michigan, is among the US cities with the most historic homes for sale.
- 25.9% of homes listed for sale in the city are over a century old.
- The study analyzed the percentage of Zillow listings for properties in each city that are over a century old to reveal the cities with the most historic housing markets.
New data has uncovered the cities with the oldest homes on the market, with Detroit, Michigan, ranking among the top.
The study, carried out by residential protection plan experts at ProGuard, analyzed Zillow sale listings for the 100 most populated cities in the US by filtering the search criteria to include only properties constructed over a century ago. The study aimed to identify the cities with the highest concentration of historic homes for sale.
Detroit, Michigan,
ranks 17th overall among US cities with the oldest homes on the market, making it a great location for Michiganders looking for a house with historic charm. In the city, 25.9% of listed homes are over 100 years old.
Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson for ProGuard said:
“This research shows just how much historic character is still present in cities across America. Older homes tend to have more of a unique charm, making them popular among a lot of homebuyers. If you are interested in purchasing an older home, perhaps consider looking in one of these top ten cities.
“That said, it is always important to remember that older homes can come with some issues. Homes that have stood for over 100 years may need maintenance and repair work, as well as structural updates in some cases, to ensure that they remain safe and livable. The best way to avoid any surprises when looking at buying an older home is to have a property survey done before purchasing, so you are aware of any work that may need doing, and that way, you can factor it into your budget.”
The top 30 cities with the most historic homes for sale
| Rank | City | State | Percentage of listed properties which are over 100 years old |
| 1 | Baltimore | Maryland | 61.4% |
| 2 | St. Louis | Missouri | 60.2% |
| 3 | Cleveland | Ohio | 56.1% |
| 4 | St. Paul | Minnesota | 55.2% |
| 5 | Toledo | Ohio | 54.7% |
| 6 | Buffalo | New York | 46.1% |
| 7 | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | 43.7% |
| 8 | San Francisco | California | 42.5% |
| 9 | Fort Wayne | Indiana | 39.3% |
| 10 | Minneapolis | Minnesota | 38.8% |
| 11 | Boston | Massachusetts | 36.9% |
| 12 | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 36.2% |
| 13 | Columbus | Ohio | 33.3% |
| 14 | Oakland | California | 31.2% |
| 15 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 30.2% |
| 16 | Chicago | Illinois | 27.4% |
| 17 | Detroit | Michigan | 25.9% |
| 18 | Cincinnati | Ohio | 25.5% |
| 19 | Washington | District of Columbia | 25.2% |
| 20 | Newark | New Jersey | 25.1% |
| 21 | New York City | New York | 20.9% |
| 22 | Kansas City | Missouri | 19.2% |
| 23 | Indianapolis | Indiana | 17.6% |
| 24 | Louisville | Kentucky | 17.1% |
| 25 | Dallas | Texas | 16.7% |
| 26 | Richmond | Virginia | 16.3% |
| 27 | Long Beach | California | 16.0% |
| 28 | Los Angeles | California | 15.4% |
| 29 | Spokane | Washington | 13.9% |
| 30 | Portland | Oregon | 12.6% |
Source:
Zillow, World Population Review
Methodology:
By taking the 100 most populated U.S. cities, the study used the Zillow search tool to identify which areas offer the oldest buildings for sale. The search tool allowed us to filter listings based on a specified age range, so for this research, we could note the number of buildings constructed before 1925 (properties over 100 years old). The final result is determined once the total number of properties for sale is compared.