New data has uncovered the cities with the oldest homes on the market, with Milwaukee, Wisconsin, ranking seventh.
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 properties constructed before 1925 (properties constructed over a century ago). The study aimed to identify the cities with the highest concentration of historic homes for sale.
Cities with the most historic homes in the US
| 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% |
Baltimore, Maryland, ranks number one, with 61.4% of listed properties over 100 years old. The city has 1,035 homes for sale dating back to before 1925, out of 1,685 properties.
St. Louis, Missouri, ranks second, where 60.2% of properties for sale out of 762 listings are over 100 years old. This brings the total of available historic houses to 459.
Cleveland, Ohio, takes the third spot, where the study found 56.1% of listed properties predated 1925, accounting for around 453 out of 808 total properties.
St. Paul, Minnesota, comes fourth, with 55.2% of its 424 available properties being constructed before 1925, encompassing a total of 234 homes.
In Ohio once more, Toledo features 54.7% of listed properties surpassing the century mark, with 175 homes out of a total of 320.
Ranked sixth is Buffalo, New York, at 46.1%, followed by Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at 43.7%, San Francisco, California, at 42.5%, Fort Wayne, Indiana, at 39.3%, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, at 38.8%.
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.”
