Mitchell County, North Carolina
17,671 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% | 3,382 of 17,064 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 17 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 55.1% | Estimated from 7,412 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 17 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 46.3% | 8,178 of 17,671 parcels in all | 22.8% | 7 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 2.5% | 445 of 17,509 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 27 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 79.7% | 13,950 of 17,509 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 72 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.4% | 242 of 17,509 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 46 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 3,382 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 1,209 | 35.7% |
| South Carolina | 808 | 23.9% |
| Tennessee | 391 | 11.6% |
| Georgia | 166 | 4.9% |
| Texas | 103 | 3.0% |
| Virginia | 72 | 2.1% |
| Maryland | 67 | 2.0% |
| Kentucky | 61 | 1.8% |
| New York | 56 | 1.7% |
| California | 53 | 1.6% |
| 38 other states and territories | 396 | 11.7% |
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) | $220,100 | $220,100 (median county) | 50 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 19.8 | 16.3 (median county) | 26 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +1.7% | +9.3% | 92 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell County | 19.8% | 55.1% | 46.3% | 2.5% | 79.7% | 1.4% | $925 | +33.5% | 19.8 | +1.7% |
| Avery County | 25.7% | no data | 43.7% | 0.3% | 75.8% | 1.4% | $1,005 | +27.4% | 22.0 | +5.3% |
| McDowell County | 12.4% | 55.0% | 42.5% | 1.8% | 85.0% | 1.0% | $925 | +33.5% | 15.4 | +3.6% |
| 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: Carter County, TN, Unicoi County, TN.