Gates County, North Carolina
7,997 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 | 15.9% | 1,238 of 7,777 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 25 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 47.1% | Estimated from 4,443 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 35 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 34.6% | 2,765 of 7,997 parcels in all | 22.8% | 33 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 5.9% | 465 of 7,922 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 6 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 89.3% | 7,073 of 7,922 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 4 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.8% | 143 of 7,922 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 28 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 1,238 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 759 | 61.3% |
| New York | 91 | 7.4% |
| Maryland | 55 | 4.4% |
| Florida | 45 | 3.6% |
| Alabama | 34 | 2.7% |
| New Jersey | 34 | 2.7% |
| Connecticut | 29 | 2.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 25 | 2.0% |
| Georgia | 23 | 1.9% |
| South Carolina | 22 | 1.8% |
| 25 other states and territories | 119 | 9.6% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 2 | 0.2% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,709/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 11 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +130.0% | +35.5% (median county) | 1 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $170,800 | $220,100 (median county) | 72 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 8.3 | 16.3 (median county) | 98 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +2.3% | +9.3% | 85 of 99 |
Rent growth here is more than twice that of North Carolina's median county. HUD can reset a county's fair market rent by a large step in a single year, so this may not match what rents actually did.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gates County | 15.9% | 47.1% | 34.6% | 5.9% | 89.3% | 1.8% | $1,709 | +130.0% | 8.3 | +2.3% |
| Camden County | 15.7% | 47.0% | 16.6% | 1.9% | 84.5% | 2.0% | $1,287 | +18.0% | 21.8 | +9.5% |
| Chowan County | 17.1% | 63.1% | no data | 1.1% | 87.0% | 1.6% | $1,220 | +51.0% | 16.1 | +2.5% |
| Hertford County | 14.1% | 50.5% | 36.0% | 4.3% | 82.6% | 2.5% | $925 | +20.4% | 10.7 | +0.7% |
| Pasquotank County | 9.6% | 43.4% | 24.8% | 1.3% | 84.1% | 1.9% | $1,216 | +47.6% | 16.1 | +3.9% |
| Perquimans County | 21.7% | no data | no data | 3.0% | 88.7% | 1.4% | $999 | +21.1% | 19.3 | +3.4% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Southampton County, VA, Suffolk city, VA.