Durham County, North Carolina
133,075 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 | 8.3% | 10,891 of 130,553 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 52 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 41.0% | Estimated from 118,672 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 49 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 15.3% | 20,356 of 133,075 parcels in all | 22.8% | 85 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.7% | 932 of 133,075 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 71 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 73.7% | 98,057 of 133,075 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 97 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.9% | 2,471 of 133,075 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 26 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 10,891 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| California | 1,656 | 15.2% |
| South Carolina | 1,176 | 10.8% |
| Florida | 1,113 | 10.2% |
| Texas | 956 | 8.8% |
| Virginia | 921 | 8.5% |
| New York | 708 | 6.5% |
| Georgia | 512 | 4.7% |
| New Jersey | 421 | 3.9% |
| Arizona | 420 | 3.9% |
| Maryland | 402 | 3.7% |
| 42 other states and territories | 2,594 | 23.8% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 12 | 0.1% |
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) | $389,400 | $220,100 (median county) | 8 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 19.0 | 16.3 (median county) | 30 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +12.9% | +9.3% | 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham County | 8.3% | 41.0% | 15.3% | 0.7% | 73.7% | 1.9% | $1,711 | +50.9% | 19.0 | +12.9% |
| Chatham County | 4.5% | 35.8% | 25.3% | 2.1% | 79.3% | 1.0% | $1,711 | +50.9% | 21.7 | +12.1% |
| Granville County | 6.0% | 38.0% | 28.8% | 1.9% | 86.0% | 1.1% | $1,200 | +44.6% | 17.2 | +5.7% |
| Orange County | 5.7% | no data | 16.8% | 1.0% | 77.3% | 2.2% | $1,711 | +50.9% | 22.4 | +5.7% |
| Person County | 5.2% | 36.4% | 29.2% | 6.0% | 86.9% | 0.6% | $948 | +25.2% | 18.8 | +3.9% |
| Wake County | 6.0% | 24.2% | 8.9% | 0.4% | 76.4% | 1.0% | $1,750 | +45.8% | 22.0 | +16.3% |