McDowell County, North Carolina
33,449 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 | 12.4% | 4,055 of 32,788 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 34 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 55.0% | Estimated from 16,485 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 18 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 42.5% | 14,200 of 33,449 parcels in all | 22.8% | 17 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 1.8% | 585 of 33,216 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 45 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 85.0% | 28,217 of 33,216 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 35 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.0% | 333 of 33,216 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 78 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 4,055 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 1,470 | 36.3% |
| South Carolina | 610 | 15.0% |
| Tennessee | 345 | 8.5% |
| Georgia | 259 | 6.4% |
| California | 193 | 4.8% |
| Virginia | 152 | 3.7% |
| Texas | 132 | 3.3% |
| Ohio | 86 | 2.1% |
| Illinois | 73 | 1.8% |
| Maryland | 62 | 1.5% |
| 41 other states and territories | 672 | 16.6% |
| 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 | $925/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 72 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +33.5% | +35.5% (median county) | 54 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $171,100 | $220,100 (median county) | 71 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 15.4 | 16.3 (median county) | 57 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +3.6% | +9.3% | 65 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDowell County | 12.4% | 55.0% | 42.5% | 1.8% | 85.0% | 1.0% | $925 | +33.5% | 15.4 | +3.6% |
| Avery County | 25.7% | no data | 43.7% | 0.3% | 75.8% | 1.4% | $1,005 | +27.4% | 22.0 | +5.3% |
| Buncombe County | 10.5% | 44.7% | 16.7% | 0.2% | 76.6% | 0.9% | $1,835 | +22.5% | 17.8 | +10.2% |
| Burke County | 5.4% | 51.2% | 31.6% | 1.0% | 84.1% | 1.3% | $1,095 | +58.0% | 14.1 | +5.2% |
| Mitchell County | 19.8% | 55.1% | 46.3% | 2.5% | 79.7% | 1.4% | $925 | +33.5% | 19.8 | +1.7% |
| Rutherford County | 15.5% | 49.9% | 40.0% | 2.4% | 82.4% | 1.8% | $925 | +33.5% | 18.2 | +2.7% |
| Yancey County | 21.4% | 51.6% | no data | 0.7% | 84.6% | 0.9% | $935 | +34.9% | 21.7 | +2.7% |