Catawba County, North Carolina
93,505 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 | 4.9% | 4,543 of 92,297 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 81 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 40.0% | Estimated from 72,451 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 53 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 23.0% | 21,483 of 93,505 parcels in all | 22.8% | 65 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 2.6% | 2,400 of 93,345 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 26 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 78.0% | 72,785 of 93,345 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 80 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.2% | 1,165 of 93,345 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 58 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 4,543 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 562 | 12.4% |
| South Carolina | 400 | 8.8% |
| California | 388 | 8.5% |
| New York | 378 | 8.3% |
| Virginia | 359 | 7.9% |
| Arizona | 337 | 7.4% |
| Texas | 294 | 6.5% |
| Georgia | 287 | 6.3% |
| New Jersey | 148 | 3.3% |
| Ohio | 144 | 3.2% |
| 40 other states and territories | 1,245 | 27.4% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 1 | under 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) | $241,600 | $220,100 (median county) | 40 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 18.4 | 16.3 (median county) | 35 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +9.7% | +9.3% | 19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catawba County | 4.9% | 40.0% | 23.0% | 2.6% | 78.0% | 1.2% | $1,095 | +58.0% | 18.4 | +9.7% |
| Alexander County | 3.0% | 38.2% | 32.4% | 0.3% | 92.6% | 0.5% | $1,095 | +58.0% | 16.1 | +3.7% |
| Burke County | 5.4% | 51.2% | 31.6% | 1.0% | 84.1% | 1.3% | $1,095 | +58.0% | 14.1 | +5.2% |
| Caldwell County | 5.2% | 39.5% | 28.6% | 0.5% | 88.8% | 1.2% | $1,095 | +58.0% | 14.6 | +3.0% |
| Iredell County | 8.1% | 35.3% | 20.1% | 1.3% | 80.8% | 0.9% | $1,340 | +45.2% | 20.0 | +17.6% |
| Lincoln County | 4.1% | 32.3% | 21.5% | 1.9% | 86.1% | 1.0% | $1,054 | +25.0% | 25.4 | +12.1% |