New Hanover County, North Carolina
103,489 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 | 7.0% | 7,133 of 101,767 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 59 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 36.0% | Estimated from 87,815 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 60 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 9.2% | 9,483 of 103,489 parcels in all | 22.8% | 89 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 1.6% | 1,630 of 103,316 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 48 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 75.6% | 78,158 of 103,316 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 92 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.5% | 1,526 of 103,316 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 39 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 7,133 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 963 | 13.5% |
| Virginia | 929 | 13.0% |
| New York | 706 | 9.9% |
| Florida | 573 | 8.0% |
| California | 542 | 7.6% |
| Ohio | 321 | 4.5% |
| Maryland | 317 | 4.4% |
| Georgia | 295 | 4.1% |
| New Jersey | 290 | 4.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 278 | 3.9% |
| 42 other states and territories | 1,907 | 26.7% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 10 | 0.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 2 | under 0.1% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,659/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 16 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +55.2% | +35.5% (median county) | 10 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $387,800 | $220,100 (median county) | 9 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 19.5 | 16.3 (median county) | 27 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +12.6% | +9.3% | 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hanover County | 7.0% | 36.0% | 9.2% | 1.6% | 75.6% | 1.5% | $1,659 | +55.2% | 19.5 | +12.6% |
| Brunswick County | 16.4% | 52.2% | 38.5% | 0.4% | 74.4% | 1.3% | $1,426 | +69.6% | 20.4 | +29.1% |
| Pender County | 9.9% | 45.1% | 29.9% | 1.7% | 80.2% | 1.5% | $1,166 | +38.3% | 21.4 | +15.6% |