Burke County, North Carolina
59,374 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 | 5.4% | 3,134 of 58,430 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 75 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 51.2% | Estimated from 44,963 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 26 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 31.6% | 18,791 of 59,374 parcels in all | 22.8% | 40 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 1.0% | 601 of 59,350 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 64 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 84.1% | 49,896 of 59,350 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 41 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.3% | 795 of 59,350 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 50 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 3,134 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 802 | 25.6% |
| South Carolina | 405 | 12.9% |
| Georgia | 194 | 6.2% |
| Virginia | 171 | 5.5% |
| California | 158 | 5.0% |
| Texas | 151 | 4.8% |
| Illinois | 146 | 4.7% |
| Tennessee | 139 | 4.4% |
| New York | 114 | 3.6% |
| Ohio | 83 | 2.6% |
| 41 other states and territories | 769 | 24.5% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 2 | 0.1% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,095/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 46 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +58.0% | +35.5% (median county) | 6 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $185,400 | $220,100 (median county) | 67 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 14.1 | 16.3 (median county) | 67 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +5.2% | +9.3% | 47 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burke County | 5.4% | 51.2% | 31.6% | 1.0% | 84.1% | 1.3% | $1,095 | +58.0% | 14.1 | +5.2% |
| Avery County | 25.7% | no data | 43.7% | 0.3% | 75.8% | 1.4% | $1,005 | +27.4% | 22.0 | +5.3% |
| Caldwell County | 5.2% | 39.5% | 28.6% | 0.5% | 88.8% | 1.2% | $1,095 | +58.0% | 14.6 | +3.0% |
| Catawba County | 4.9% | 40.0% | 23.0% | 2.6% | 78.0% | 1.2% | $1,095 | +58.0% | 18.4 | +9.7% |
| Cleveland County | 6.2% | 44.0% | 28.5% | 2.3% | 83.0% | 1.9% | $925 | +33.5% | 18.0 | +4.6% |
| Lincoln County | 4.1% | 32.3% | 21.5% | 1.9% | 86.1% | 1.0% | $1,054 | +25.0% | 25.4 | +12.1% |
| 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% |