Lee County, North Carolina
34,854 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 | 5.0% | 1,701 of 33,964 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 80 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 35.0% | Estimated from 23,262 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 65 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 26.8% | 9,348 of 34,854 parcels in all | 22.8% | 57 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 1.2% | 405 of 34,385 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 60 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 81.1% | 27,886 of 34,385 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 64 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.2% | 426 of 34,385 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 60 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 1,701 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 238 | 14.0% |
| Virginia | 164 | 9.6% |
| Georgia | 142 | 8.3% |
| New York | 138 | 8.1% |
| Maryland | 104 | 6.1% |
| California | 100 | 5.9% |
| Texas | 87 | 5.1% |
| South Carolina | 86 | 5.1% |
| New Jersey | 80 | 4.7% |
| New Hampshire | 63 | 3.7% |
| 37 other states and territories | 487 | 28.6% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 3 | 0.2% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 9 | 0.5% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,136/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 45 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +46.2% | +35.5% (median county) | 35 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $240,200 | $220,100 (median county) | 42 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 17.6 | 16.3 (median county) | 40 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +7.1% | +9.3% | 29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 5.0% | 35.0% | 26.8% | 1.2% | 81.1% | 1.2% | $1,136 | +46.2% | 17.6 | +7.1% |
| Chatham County | 4.5% | 35.8% | 25.3% | 2.1% | 79.3% | 1.0% | $1,711 | +50.9% | 21.7 | +12.1% |
| Harnett County | 7.2% | 38.7% | 23.1% | 0.4% | 77.3% | 3.1% | $980 | +24.1% | 20.9 | +11.3% |
| Moore County | 8.7% | 43.6% | 31.0% | 2.4% | 82.9% | 1.3% | $1,358 | +73.4% | 21.6 | +9.4% |