Chowan County, North Carolina
12,845 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 | 17.1% | 2,127 of 12,447 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 22 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 63.1% | Estimated from 8,829 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 9 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | no data | no data | 22.8% | no data |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 1.1% | 141 of 12,717 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 61 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 87.0% | 11,063 of 12,717 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 14 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.6% | 207 of 12,717 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 32 of 99 |
- Vacant lots: no data. This county's parcel records don't show which parcels have a building on them.
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 2,127 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 1,018 | 47.9% |
| New York | 152 | 7.1% |
| Maryland | 147 | 6.9% |
| Florida | 120 | 5.6% |
| Georgia | 84 | 3.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 71 | 3.3% |
| New Jersey | 49 | 2.3% |
| California | 41 | 1.9% |
| South Carolina | 39 | 1.8% |
| Texas | 33 | 1.6% |
| 34 other states and territories | 372 | 17.5% |
| 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 | $1,220/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 33 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +51.0% | +35.5% (median county) | 14 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $235,800 | $220,100 (median county) | 45 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 16.1 | 16.3 (median county) | 52 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +2.5% | +9.3% | 83 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chowan County | 17.1% | 63.1% | no data | 1.1% | 87.0% | 1.6% | $1,220 | +51.0% | 16.1 | +2.5% |
| Bertie County | 15.7% | 74.4% | 42.7% | 5.7% | 85.6% | 2.4% | $1,044 | +50.6% | 7.9 | +2.0% |
| Gates County | 15.9% | 47.1% | 34.6% | 5.9% | 89.3% | 1.8% | $1,709 | +130.0% | 8.3 | +2.3% |
| Hertford County | 14.1% | 50.5% | 36.0% | 4.3% | 82.6% | 2.5% | $925 | +20.4% | 10.7 | +0.7% |
| Perquimans County | 21.7% | no data | no data | 3.0% | 88.7% | 1.4% | $999 | +21.1% | 19.3 | +3.4% |
| Washington County | 11.7% | no data | 32.3% | 7.6% | 84.8% | 2.4% | $925 | +33.5% | 11.3 | +0.3% |