Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
442,290 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 | 12.6% | 54,707 of 435,195 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 32 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 31.2% | Estimated from 325,123 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 74 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 7.7% | 34,179 of 442,290 parcels in all | 22.8% | 91 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.1% | 233 of 442,277 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 99 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 73.6% | 325,696 of 442,277 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 98 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.5% | 6,840 of 442,277 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 36 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 54,707 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 10,989 | 20.1% |
| California | 7,066 | 12.9% |
| Georgia | 5,625 | 10.3% |
| Texas | 5,445 | 10.0% |
| South Carolina | 4,938 | 9.0% |
| New York | 3,353 | 6.1% |
| Florida | 3,329 | 6.1% |
| New Jersey | 1,818 | 3.3% |
| Virginia | 1,662 | 3.0% |
| Illinois | 1,191 | 2.2% |
| 43 other states and territories | 9,251 | 16.9% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 3 | under 0.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 37 | 0.1% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,686/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 12 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +46.5% | +35.5% (median county) | 31 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $406,800 | $220,100 (median county) | 6 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 20.1 | 16.3 (median county) | 24 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +11.8% | +9.3% | 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg County | 12.6% | 31.2% | 7.7% | 0.1% | 73.6% | 1.5% | $1,686 | +46.5% | 20.1 | +11.8% |
| Cabarrus County | 8.6% | no data | 11.2% | 1.4% | 79.7% | 0.9% | $1,686 | +46.5% | 17.5 | +12.7% |
| 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% |
| Lincoln County | 4.1% | 32.3% | 21.5% | 1.9% | 86.1% | 1.0% | $1,054 | +25.0% | 25.4 | +12.1% |
| Union County | 8.0% | 27.4% | no data | 0.9% | 78.2% | 1.0% | $1,686 | +46.5% | 20.6 | +13.7% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Lancaster County, SC, York County, SC.