Forsyth County, North Carolina
166,755 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 | 6.7% | 10,896 of 162,998 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 62 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 33.5% | Estimated from 140,273 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 69 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 12.5% | 20,811 of 166,755 parcels in all | 22.8% | 87 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 1.8% | 3,040 of 166,367 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 44 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 77.9% | 129,634 of 166,367 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 81 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.9% | 3,096 of 166,367 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 25 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 10,896 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| California | 1,858 | 17.1% |
| Georgia | 1,414 | 13.0% |
| Texas | 1,277 | 11.7% |
| Florida | 920 | 8.4% |
| Arizona | 606 | 5.6% |
| Virginia | 572 | 5.2% |
| New York | 526 | 4.8% |
| South Carolina | 500 | 4.6% |
| Tennessee | 351 | 3.2% |
| Michigan | 344 | 3.2% |
| 43 other states and territories | 2,522 | 23.1% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 6 | 0.1% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,232/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 28 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +49.3% | +35.5% (median county) | 22 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $250,400 | $220,100 (median county) | 34 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 16.9 | 16.3 (median county) | 45 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +8.2% | +9.3% | 24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forsyth County | 6.7% | 33.5% | 12.5% | 1.8% | 77.9% | 1.9% | $1,232 | +49.3% | 16.9 | +8.2% |
| Davidson County | 3.4% | 32.9% | 19.8% | 0.2% | 84.0% | 0.6% | $960 | +36.2% | 19.0 | +6.3% |
| Davie County | 3.2% | 28.3% | 22.1% | 0.5% | 87.2% | 0.7% | $1,232 | +49.3% | 17.2 | +6.5% |
| Guilford County | 5.9% | no data | 12.5% | 0.4% | 75.6% | 2.1% | $1,330 | +54.8% | 16.3 | +5.7% |
| Rockingham County | 4.5% | 37.8% | 21.8% | 2.8% | 86.4% | 1.3% | $1,040 | +50.1% | 13.5 | +2.8% |
| Stokes County | 3.2% | 34.3% | 31.1% | 0.4% | 90.8% | 0.7% | $1,232 | +49.3% | 13.3 | +4.3% |
| Surry County | 4.3% | 35.4% | 23.8% | 0.9% | 86.8% | 1.1% | $925 | +33.5% | 16.0 | +2.8% |
| Yadkin County | 2.3% | 43.2% | 35.1% | 0.7% | 88.7% | 0.7% | $1,232 | +49.3% | 12.3 | +4.4% |