Lincoln County, North Carolina
56,862 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 | 4.1% | 2,279 of 55,989 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 88 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 32.3% | Estimated from 40,048 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 72 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 21.5% | 12,241 of 56,862 parcels in all | 22.8% | 70 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 1.9% | 1,103 of 56,592 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 40 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 86.1% | 48,748 of 56,592 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 25 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.0% | 580 of 56,592 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 74 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 2,279 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| California | 323 | 14.2% |
| South Carolina | 276 | 12.1% |
| Florida | 262 | 11.5% |
| Arizona | 249 | 10.9% |
| New York | 176 | 7.7% |
| Texas | 136 | 6.0% |
| Georgia | 132 | 5.8% |
| Virginia | 90 | 3.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 75 | 3.3% |
| Ohio | 58 | 2.5% |
| 38 other states and territories | 498 | 21.9% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 2 | 0.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 2 | 0.1% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,054/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 52 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +25.0% | +35.5% (median county) | 89 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $321,000 | $220,100 (median county) | 20 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 25.4 | 16.3 (median county) | 4 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +12.1% | +9.3% | 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 4.1% | 32.3% | 21.5% | 1.9% | 86.1% | 1.0% | $1,054 | +25.0% | 25.4 | +12.1% |
| Burke County | 5.4% | 51.2% | 31.6% | 1.0% | 84.1% | 1.3% | $1,095 | +58.0% | 14.1 | +5.2% |
| Catawba County | 4.9% | 40.0% | 23.0% | 2.6% | 78.0% | 1.2% | $1,095 | +58.0% | 18.4 | +9.7% |
| Cleveland County | 6.2% | 44.0% | 28.5% | 2.3% | 83.0% | 1.9% | $925 | +33.5% | 18.0 | +4.6% |
| Gaston County | 8.8% | 34.7% | 15.9% | 2.0% | 77.5% | 1.3% | $1,686 | +46.5% | 13.1 | +8.4% |
| Iredell County | 8.1% | 35.3% | 20.1% | 1.3% | 80.8% | 0.9% | $1,340 | +45.2% | 20.0 | +17.6% |
| Mecklenburg County | 12.6% | 31.2% | 7.7% | 0.1% | 73.6% | 1.5% | $1,686 | +46.5% | 20.1 | +11.8% |