Buncombe County, North Carolina
134,741 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 | 10.5% | 14,002 of 133,504 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 37 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 44.7% | Estimated from 110,207 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 39 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 16.7% | 22,501 of 134,741 parcels in all | 22.8% | 79 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.2% | 266 of 134,736 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 97 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 76.6% | 103,236 of 134,736 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 88 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 0.9% | 1,202 of 134,736 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 83 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 14,002 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 4,067 | 29.0% |
| South Carolina | 1,902 | 13.6% |
| Georgia | 1,325 | 9.5% |
| Tennessee | 669 | 4.8% |
| California | 663 | 4.7% |
| Texas | 653 | 4.7% |
| New York | 506 | 3.6% |
| Virginia | 506 | 3.6% |
| Illinois | 271 | 1.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 243 | 1.7% |
| 43 other states and territories | 3,188 | 22.8% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 8 | 0.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 1 | under 0.1% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,835/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 1 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +22.5% | +35.5% (median county) | 94 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $391,800 | $220,100 (median county) | 7 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 17.8 | 16.3 (median county) | 39 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +10.2% | +9.3% | 18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buncombe County | 10.5% | 44.7% | 16.7% | 0.2% | 76.6% | 0.9% | $1,835 | +22.5% | 17.8 | +10.2% |
| Haywood County | 21.2% | 49.6% | 27.5% | 0.7% | 87.2% | 1.2% | $1,230 | +48.7% | 18.9 | +4.7% |
| Henderson County | 12.4% | 41.5% | 23.4% | 0.4% | 76.2% | 0.8% | $1,835 | +22.5% | 16.0 | +8.1% |
| Madison County | 19.8% | no data | 36.0% | 0.4% | 83.0% | 1.6% | $1,835 | +22.5% | 12.9 | +7.2% |
| McDowell County | 12.4% | 55.0% | 42.5% | 1.8% | 85.0% | 1.0% | $925 | +33.5% | 15.4 | +3.6% |
| Rutherford County | 15.5% | 49.9% | 40.0% | 2.4% | 82.4% | 1.8% | $925 | +33.5% | 18.2 | +2.7% |
| Transylvania County | 25.3% | no data | 35.1% | 1.9% | 78.0% | 1.2% | $1,363 | +64.9% | 22.8 | +3.7% |
| Yancey County | 21.4% | 51.6% | no data | 0.7% | 84.6% | 0.9% | $935 | +34.9% | 21.7 | +2.7% |