Clay County, North Carolina
17,025 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 | 37.6% | 6,161 of 16,404 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 4 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | no data | no data | 39.6% | no data |
| Vacant lots | 44.4% | 7,567 of 17,025 parcels in all | 22.8% | 12 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.8% | 132 of 16,683 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 70 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 81.0% | 13,513 of 16,683 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 65 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.1% | 189 of 16,683 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 66 of 99 |
- Absentee owners: no data. For fewer than half of this county's in-state parcels could the owner's mailing address be compared with the property's address.
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 6,161 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 2,534 | 41.1% |
| Georgia | 2,505 | 40.7% |
| South Carolina | 165 | 2.7% |
| Tennessee | 156 | 2.5% |
| Alabama | 82 | 1.3% |
| Texas | 78 | 1.3% |
| Illinois | 58 | 0.9% |
| Ohio | 58 | 0.9% |
| New York | 55 | 0.9% |
| Virginia | 51 | 0.8% |
| 39 other states and territories | 419 | 6.8% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,039/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 55 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +31.9% | +35.5% (median county) | 78 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $278,400 | $220,100 (median county) | 28 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 22.3 | 16.3 (median county) | 9 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +7.6% | +9.3% | 26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 37.6% | no data | 44.4% | 0.8% | 81.0% | 1.1% | $1,039 | +31.9% | 22.3 | +7.6% |
| Cherokee County | 37.5% | 56.8% | 40.3% | 0.1% | 83.0% | 1.1% | $935 | +30.8% | 20.7 | +7.0% |
| 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: Rabun County, GA, Towns County, GA, Union County, GA.