Pender County, North Carolina
55,025 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 | 9.9% | 5,342 of 53,889 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 39 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 45.1% | Estimated from 32,036 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 38 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 29.9% | 16,466 of 55,025 parcels in all | 22.8% | 45 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 1.7% | 905 of 54,757 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 46 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 80.2% | 43,930 of 54,757 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 67 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.5% | 836 of 54,757 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 38 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 5,342 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 639 | 12.0% |
| South Carolina | 544 | 10.2% |
| California | 512 | 9.6% |
| New York | 497 | 9.3% |
| Maryland | 352 | 6.6% |
| Michigan | 321 | 6.0% |
| Florida | 310 | 5.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 307 | 5.7% |
| Georgia | 304 | 5.7% |
| Texas | 288 | 5.4% |
| 40 other states and territories | 1,258 | 23.5% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 7 | 0.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 3 | 0.1% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,166/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 41 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +38.3% | +35.5% (median county) | 48 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $299,000 | $220,100 (median county) | 23 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 21.4 | 16.3 (median county) | 18 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +15.6% | +9.3% | 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pender County | 9.9% | 45.1% | 29.9% | 1.7% | 80.2% | 1.5% | $1,166 | +38.3% | 21.4 | +15.6% |
| Bladen County | 9.2% | no data | 46.1% | 1.6% | 86.0% | 1.5% | $925 | +33.5% | 12.2 | +3.1% |
| Brunswick County | 16.4% | 52.2% | 38.5% | 0.4% | 74.4% | 1.3% | $1,426 | +69.6% | 20.4 | +29.1% |
| Columbus County | 10.6% | 63.8% | 50.6% | 2.3% | 85.0% | 2.4% | $925 | +33.5% | 13.2 | +1.2% |
| Duplin County | no data | no data | 31.5% | 2.7% | 86.8% | 1.4% | $980 | +40.2% | 11.7 | +2.2% |
| New Hanover County | 7.0% | 36.0% | 9.2% | 1.6% | 75.6% | 1.5% | $1,659 | +55.2% | 19.5 | +12.6% |
| Onslow County | no data | no data | 19.9% | 2.2% | 85.5% | 1.1% | $1,173 | +31.2% | 16.8 | +8.3% |
| Sampson County | 5.2% | no data | no data | 0.6% | 86.9% | 0.9% | $925 | +33.5% | 13.6 | +3.6% |