Madison County, North Carolina
21,381 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 | 19.8% | 3,866 of 19,518 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 18 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | no data | no data | 39.6% | no data |
| Vacant lots | 36.0% | 7,695 of 21,381 parcels in all | 22.8% | 30 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.4% | 75 of 19,985 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 87 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 83.0% | 16,596 of 19,985 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 49 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.6% | 322 of 19,985 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 34 of 99 |
- Absentee owners: no data. For fewer than half of this county's in-state parcels could the owner's mailing address be compared with the property's address.
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 3,866 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 1,396 | 36.1% |
| South Carolina | 488 | 12.6% |
| Tennessee | 470 | 12.2% |
| Georgia | 412 | 10.7% |
| Texas | 182 | 4.7% |
| Virginia | 127 | 3.3% |
| Ohio | 68 | 1.8% |
| Alabama | 59 | 1.5% |
| California | 57 | 1.5% |
| Michigan | 55 | 1.4% |
| 40 other states and territories | 545 | 14.1% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 7 | 0.2% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,835/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 1 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +22.5% | +35.5% (median county) | 94 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $284,600 | $220,100 (median county) | 25 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 12.9 | 16.3 (median county) | 78 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +7.2% | +9.3% | 28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | 19.8% | no data | 36.0% | 0.4% | 83.0% | 1.6% | $1,835 | +22.5% | 12.9 | +7.2% |
| Buncombe County | 10.5% | 44.7% | 16.7% | 0.2% | 76.6% | 0.9% | $1,835 | +22.5% | 17.8 | +10.2% |
| Haywood County | 21.2% | 49.6% | 27.5% | 0.7% | 87.2% | 1.2% | $1,230 | +48.7% | 18.9 | +4.7% |
| Yancey County | 21.4% | 51.6% | no data | 0.7% | 84.6% | 0.9% | $935 | +34.9% | 21.7 | +2.7% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Cocke County, TN, Greene County, TN, Unicoi County, TN.