Wood houses last centuries in the US, just ask anyone in the northeast part of the country. They will also last much longer than "bricks and concrete" because large parts of the US are subject to strong earthquakes, which makes that type of construction dangerous and expensive. Many areas that originally had brick and masonry construction were badly damaged in earthquakes, and subsequent housing was built with other materials. On the west coast of the US, for example, there is a clear transition period in construction materials before and after the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco in places as far away as Seattle once that risk was recognized. Wood and steel construction can survive strong earthquakes with minimal damage.