Cherokee County, North Carolina
35,669 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 | 37.5% | 13,195 of 35,213 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 5 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 56.8% | Estimated from 13,086 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 14 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 40.3% | 14,358 of 35,669 parcels in all | 22.8% | 19 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.1% | 24 of 35,640 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 98 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 83.0% | 29,581 of 35,640 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 51 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.1% | 387 of 35,640 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 71 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 13,195 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 6,513 | 49.4% |
| Georgia | 3,595 | 27.2% |
| Tennessee | 776 | 5.9% |
| South Carolina | 395 | 3.0% |
| Alabama | 216 | 1.6% |
| Texas | 178 | 1.3% |
| Ohio | 160 | 1.2% |
| California | 104 | 0.8% |
| New York | 92 | 0.7% |
| Virginia | 92 | 0.7% |
| 41 other states and territories | 1,071 | 8.1% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 3 | under 0.1% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $935/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 70 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +30.8% | +35.5% (median county) | 81 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $232,300 | $220,100 (median county) | 47 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 20.7 | 16.3 (median county) | 21 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +7.0% | +9.3% | 31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County | 37.5% | 56.8% | 40.3% | 0.1% | 83.0% | 1.1% | $935 | +30.8% | 20.7 | +7.0% |
| Clay County | 37.6% | no data | 44.4% | 0.8% | 81.0% | 1.1% | $1,039 | +31.9% | 22.3 | +7.6% |
| Graham County | 31.3% | no data | 43.9% | 0.2% | 87.1% | 0.9% | $925 | +33.5% | 15.4 | +1.4% |
| Macon County | 38.6% | 59.4% | 38.2% | 0.2% | 79.2% | 0.8% | $987 | +30.0% | 21.3 | +2.9% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Fannin County, GA, Monroe County, TN, Polk County, TN, Union County, GA.