Chatham County, North Carolina
48,850 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 | 4.5% | 2,128 of 47,596 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 85 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 35.8% | Estimated from 34,767 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 61 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 25.3% | 12,382 of 48,850 parcels in all | 22.8% | 59 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 2.1% | 1,031 of 48,691 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 36 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 79.3% | 38,627 of 48,691 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 74 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.0% | 491 of 48,691 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 75 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 2,128 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 227 | 10.7% |
| Virginia | 196 | 9.2% |
| California | 170 | 8.0% |
| Texas | 165 | 7.8% |
| Maryland | 139 | 6.5% |
| New York | 135 | 6.3% |
| Georgia | 133 | 6.2% |
| South Carolina | 113 | 5.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 89 | 4.2% |
| New Jersey | 69 | 3.2% |
| 40 other states and territories | 692 | 32.5% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,711/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 8 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +50.9% | +35.5% (median county) | 15 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $446,200 | $220,100 (median county) | 4 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 21.7 | 16.3 (median county) | 15 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +12.1% | +9.3% | 14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatham County | 4.5% | 35.8% | 25.3% | 2.1% | 79.3% | 1.0% | $1,711 | +50.9% | 21.7 | +12.1% |
| Alamance County | 4.0% | 29.9% | 17.3% | 2.8% | 83.4% | 0.7% | $1,348 | +52.3% | 14.9 | +12.7% |
| Durham County | 8.3% | 41.0% | 15.3% | 0.7% | 73.7% | 1.9% | $1,711 | +50.9% | 19.0 | +12.9% |
| Harnett County | 7.2% | 38.7% | 23.1% | 0.4% | 77.3% | 3.1% | $980 | +24.1% | 20.9 | +11.3% |
| Lee County | 5.0% | 35.0% | 26.8% | 1.2% | 81.1% | 1.2% | $1,136 | +46.2% | 17.6 | +7.1% |
| Moore County | 8.7% | 43.6% | 31.0% | 2.4% | 82.9% | 1.3% | $1,358 | +73.4% | 21.6 | +9.4% |
| Orange County | 5.7% | no data | 16.8% | 1.0% | 77.3% | 2.2% | $1,711 | +50.9% | 22.4 | +5.7% |
| Randolph County | 2.8% | 31.5% | 27.4% | 1.4% | 84.9% | 1.7% | $1,330 | +54.8% | 12.3 | +3.9% |
| Wake County | 6.0% | 24.2% | 8.9% | 0.4% | 76.4% | 1.0% | $1,750 | +45.8% | 22.0 | +16.3% |