Ashe County, North Carolina
38,836 parcels. Parcel data edition 2026-11-02.
Who owns the land
| Measure | County | Of what | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-state owners | 16.4% | 6,182 of 37,760 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 24 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | no data | no data | 39.6% | no data |
| Vacant lots | 48.1% | 18,683 of 38,836 parcels in all | 22.8% | 5 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 1.0% | 388 of 38,682 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 65 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 86.7% | 33,540 of 38,682 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 20 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.8% | 690 of 38,682 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 29 of 99 |
- Absentee owners: no data. For fewer than half of this county's in-state parcels could the owner's mailing address be compared with the property's address.
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 6,182 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 3,227 | 52.2% |
| South Carolina | 598 | 9.7% |
| Virginia | 408 | 6.6% |
| Georgia | 234 | 3.8% |
| Tennessee | 222 | 3.6% |
| Maryland | 166 | 2.7% |
| Texas | 162 | 2.6% |
| California | 123 | 2.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 111 | 1.8% |
| Ohio | 101 | 1.6% |
| 41 other states and territories | 810 | 13.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 20 | 0.3% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $925/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 72 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +33.5% | +35.5% (median county) | 54 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $243,100 | $220,100 (median county) | 37 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 21.9 | 16.3 (median county) | 12 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +4.1% | +9.3% | 58 of 99 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashe County | 16.4% | no data | 48.1% | 1.0% | 86.7% | 1.8% | $925 | +33.5% | 21.9 | +4.1% |
| Alleghany County | 18.3% | 59.7% | 38.4% | 0.5% | 79.7% | 2.6% | $978 | +41.1% | 18.3 | +4.7% |
| Watauga County | 20.3% | 63.4% | 38.6% | 0.3% | 74.5% | 1.4% | $1,177 | +42.5% | 25.4 | +5.0% |
| Wilkes County | 6.4% | 42.6% | 33.1% | 0.5% | 86.5% | 1.1% | $925 | +33.5% | 15.2 | +2.3% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Grayson County, VA, Johnson County, TN.