Macon County, North Carolina
44,699 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 | 38.6% | 17,032 of 44,157 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 3 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 59.4% | Estimated from 16,604 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 12 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 38.2% | 17,094 of 44,699 parcels in all | 22.8% | 25 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.2% | 98 of 44,512 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 96 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 79.2% | 35,262 of 44,512 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 75 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 0.8% | 335 of 44,512 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 90 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 17,032 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 7,942 | 46.6% |
| Georgia | 4,470 | 26.2% |
| South Carolina | 1,197 | 7.0% |
| Alabama | 551 | 3.2% |
| Tennessee | 502 | 2.9% |
| Texas | 344 | 2.0% |
| Louisiana | 232 | 1.4% |
| Mississippi | 181 | 1.1% |
| Maryland | 176 | 1.0% |
| Virginia | 164 | 1.0% |
| 41 other states and territories | 1,272 | 7.5% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 1 | under 0.1% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $987/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 59 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +30.0% | +35.5% (median county) | 82 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $251,900 | $220,100 (median county) | 33 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 21.3 | 16.3 (median county) | 19 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +2.9% | +9.3% | 74 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macon County | 38.6% | 59.4% | 38.2% | 0.2% | 79.2% | 0.8% | $987 | +30.0% | 21.3 | +2.9% |
| Cherokee County | 37.5% | 56.8% | 40.3% | 0.1% | 83.0% | 1.1% | $935 | +30.8% | 20.7 | +7.0% |
| Clay County | 37.6% | no data | 44.4% | 0.8% | 81.0% | 1.1% | $1,039 | +31.9% | 22.3 | +7.6% |
| Graham County | 31.3% | no data | 43.9% | 0.2% | 87.1% | 0.9% | $925 | +33.5% | 15.4 | +1.4% |
| Jackson County | 40.2% | 72.0% | 42.2% | 1.1% | 71.3% | 1.0% | $964 | +34.3% | 24.6 | +6.9% |
| Swain County | 36.6% | no data | 44.0% | 2.1% | 82.8% | 0.6% | $925 | +33.5% | 18.6 | +7.1% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Oconee County, SC, Rabun County, GA.