Gaston County, North Carolina
117,252 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 | 8.8% | 10,202 of 115,657 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 46 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 34.7% | Estimated from 84,552 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 66 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 15.9% | 18,617 of 117,252 parcels in all | 22.8% | 82 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 2.0% | 2,361 of 117,210 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 38 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 77.5% | 90,863 of 117,210 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 82 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.3% | 1,543 of 117,210 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 54 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 10,202 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 1,719 | 16.8% |
| Arizona | 1,694 | 16.6% |
| California | 1,556 | 15.3% |
| Florida | 783 | 7.7% |
| New York | 737 | 7.2% |
| Texas | 737 | 7.2% |
| Georgia | 627 | 6.1% |
| Illinois | 316 | 3.1% |
| Virginia | 257 | 2.5% |
| Maryland | 211 | 2.1% |
| 41 other states and territories | 1,453 | 14.2% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 4 | under 0.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 108 | 1.1% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,686/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 12 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +46.5% | +35.5% (median county) | 31 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $266,000 | $220,100 (median county) | 29 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 13.1 | 16.3 (median county) | 77 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +8.4% | +9.3% | 22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaston County | 8.8% | 34.7% | 15.9% | 2.0% | 77.5% | 1.3% | $1,686 | +46.5% | 13.1 | +8.4% |
| Cleveland County | 6.2% | 44.0% | 28.5% | 2.3% | 83.0% | 1.9% | $925 | +33.5% | 18.0 | +4.6% |
| Lincoln County | 4.1% | 32.3% | 21.5% | 1.9% | 86.1% | 1.0% | $1,054 | +25.0% | 25.4 | +12.1% |
| Mecklenburg County | 12.6% | 31.2% | 7.7% | 0.1% | 73.6% | 1.5% | $1,686 | +46.5% | 20.1 | +11.8% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: York County, SC.