Jackson County, North Carolina
41,375 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 | 40.2% | 16,334 of 40,650 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 2 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 72.0% | Estimated from 14,364 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 2 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 42.2% | 17,448 of 41,375 parcels in all | 22.8% | 18 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 1.1% | 445 of 41,086 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 63 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 71.3% | 29,280 of 41,086 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 99 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.0% | 412 of 41,086 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 77 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 16,334 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 7,324 | 44.8% |
| Georgia | 3,101 | 19.0% |
| South Carolina | 1,916 | 11.7% |
| Alabama | 564 | 3.5% |
| Tennessee | 552 | 3.4% |
| Texas | 549 | 3.4% |
| Louisiana | 305 | 1.9% |
| Virginia | 220 | 1.3% |
| California | 205 | 1.3% |
| Ohio | 149 | 0.9% |
| 42 other states and territories | 1,444 | 8.8% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 2 | under 0.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 3 | under 0.1% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $964/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 66 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +34.3% | +35.5% (median county) | 52 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $284,700 | $220,100 (median county) | 24 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 24.6 | 16.3 (median county) | 5 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +6.9% | +9.3% | 32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 40.2% | 72.0% | 42.2% | 1.1% | 71.3% | 1.0% | $964 | +34.3% | 24.6 | +6.9% |
| Haywood County | 21.2% | 49.6% | 27.5% | 0.7% | 87.2% | 1.2% | $1,230 | +48.7% | 18.9 | +4.7% |
| Macon County | 38.6% | 59.4% | 38.2% | 0.2% | 79.2% | 0.8% | $987 | +30.0% | 21.3 | +2.9% |
| Swain County | 36.6% | no data | 44.0% | 2.1% | 82.8% | 0.6% | $925 | +33.5% | 18.6 | +7.1% |
| Transylvania County | 25.3% | no data | 35.1% | 1.9% | 78.0% | 1.2% | $1,363 | +64.9% | 22.8 | +3.7% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Oconee County, SC.