Columbia County, Florida
37,405 parcels. Parcel data edition 2026-10-26.
Who owns the land
| Measure | County | Of what | Florida | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-state owners | 5.3% | 1,903 of 36,009 parcels with a known mailing state | 14.1% | 59 of 63 |
| Absentee owners | 39.3% | Estimated from 27,690 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 38.9% | 34 of 58 |
| Vacant lots | 30.0% | 11,218 of 37,405 parcels in all | 19.1% | 32 of 67 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.3% | 126 of 37,399 parcels with an owner name | 0.5% | 44 of 67 |
| Owned by individuals | 84.8% | 31,726 of 37,399 parcels with an owner name | 80.5% | 10 of 67 |
| Publicly owned | 2.9% | 1,076 of 37,399 parcels with an owner name | 2.7% | 22 of 67 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 1,903 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 448 | 23.5% |
| North Carolina | 154 | 8.1% |
| California | 125 | 6.6% |
| Texas | 105 | 5.5% |
| New York | 97 | 5.1% |
| Tennessee | 72 | 3.8% |
| Virginia | 64 | 3.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 55 | 2.9% |
| Illinois | 51 | 2.7% |
| Alabama | 47 | 2.5% |
| 42 other states and territories | 675 | 35.5% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 3 | 0.2% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 7 | 0.4% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | Florida | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,318/month | $1,471/month (median county) | 44 of 67 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +51.7% | +49.3% (median county) | 25 of 67 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $194,900 | $276,000 (median county) | 47 of 67 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 12.3 | 15.3 (median county) | 49 of 67 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +3.7% | +9.0% | 54 of 67 |
Rent: HUD FMR (FY26); HUD sets one rent for a whole metro area. Rent change: HUD FMR, FY2021 to FY2026. Home value: Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average; price-to-rent divides it by twelve months of the HUD rent above. Housing units: Census Housing Unit Estimates (vintage 2025).
Compared with neighboring counties
| County | Out-of-state owners | Absentee owners | Vacant lots | Inherited (estate or heirs) | Owned by individuals | Publicly owned | 2BR rent | Rent change, 5 yrs | Price-to-rent | Housing units 2020-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County | 5.3% | 39.3% | 30.0% | 0.3% | 84.8% | 2.9% | $1,318 | +51.7% | 12.3 | +3.7% |
| Alachua County | 5.8% | 38.7% | 22.8% | under 0.1% | 82.6% | 2.1% | $1,493 | +37.9% | 16.1 | +7.5% |
| Baker County | 4.6% | 31.7% | 26.2% | 0.2% | 85.2% | 4.6% | $1,103 | +39.6% | 19.4 | +6.7% |
| Gilchrist County | 5.9% | 52.7% | 43.7% | 0.1% | 85.1% | 2.7% | $1,493 | +37.9% | 11.2 | +9.9% |
| Hamilton County | 16.1% | 55.8% | 62.5% | 0.6% | 83.2% | 4.6% | $981 | +33.7% | 9.4 | +1.9% |
| Suwannee County | 7.4% | 34.8% | 45.5% | 1.7% | 85.5% | 1.6% | $1,110 | +51.2% | 12.9 | +3.9% |
| Union County | 4.6% | 27.2% | 42.2% | 0.9% | 83.5% | 2.4% | $1,132 | +54.2% | 12.5 | +5.4% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Clinch County, GA, Echols County, GA.