Polk County, North Carolina
18,211 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 | 21.9% | 3,882 of 17,752 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 12 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 51.7% | Estimated from 9,387 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 23 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 33.5% | 6,098 of 18,211 parcels in all | 22.8% | 34 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 1.2% | 225 of 18,058 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 58 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 79.8% | 14,408 of 18,058 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 70 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.3% | 238 of 18,058 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 53 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 3,882 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 2,009 | 51.8% |
| Florida | 761 | 19.6% |
| Georgia | 210 | 5.4% |
| Texas | 96 | 2.5% |
| Tennessee | 83 | 2.1% |
| New York | 78 | 2.0% |
| Virginia | 72 | 1.9% |
| California | 61 | 1.6% |
| Ohio | 49 | 1.3% |
| Maryland | 47 | 1.2% |
| 39 other states and territories | 403 | 10.4% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 3 | 0.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 10 | 0.3% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $983/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 60 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +28.0% | +35.5% (median county) | 83 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $315,000 | $220,100 (median county) | 21 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 26.7 | 16.3 (median county) | 2 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +6.3% | +9.3% | 40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 21.9% | 51.7% | 33.5% | 1.2% | 79.8% | 1.3% | $983 | +28.0% | 26.7 | +6.3% |
| Henderson County | 12.4% | 41.5% | 23.4% | 0.4% | 76.2% | 0.8% | $1,835 | +22.5% | 16.0 | +8.1% |
| Rutherford County | 15.5% | 49.9% | 40.0% | 2.4% | 82.4% | 1.8% | $925 | +33.5% | 18.2 | +2.7% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Greenville County, SC, Spartanburg County, SC.