Rutherford County, North Carolina
57,678 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 | 15.5% | 8,736 of 56,516 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 29 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 49.9% | Estimated from 32,091 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 30 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 40.0% | 23,082 of 57,678 parcels in all | 22.8% | 20 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 2.4% | 1,389 of 57,672 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 31 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 82.4% | 47,493 of 57,672 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 56 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.8% | 1,050 of 57,672 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 27 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 8,736 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 3,070 | 35.1% |
| South Carolina | 2,333 | 26.7% |
| Georgia | 443 | 5.1% |
| Tennessee | 265 | 3.0% |
| New York | 252 | 2.9% |
| Virginia | 225 | 2.6% |
| Ohio | 223 | 2.6% |
| Illinois | 211 | 2.4% |
| Texas | 198 | 2.3% |
| California | 159 | 1.8% |
| 43 other states and territories | 1,355 | 15.5% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 2 | under 0.1% |
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) | $201,800 | $220,100 (median county) | 58 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 18.2 | 16.3 (median county) | 37 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +2.7% | +9.3% | 78 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutherford County | 15.5% | 49.9% | 40.0% | 2.4% | 82.4% | 1.8% | $925 | +33.5% | 18.2 | +2.7% |
| Buncombe County | 10.5% | 44.7% | 16.7% | 0.2% | 76.6% | 0.9% | $1,835 | +22.5% | 17.8 | +10.2% |
| Burke County | 5.4% | 51.2% | 31.6% | 1.0% | 84.1% | 1.3% | $1,095 | +58.0% | 14.1 | +5.2% |
| Cleveland County | 6.2% | 44.0% | 28.5% | 2.3% | 83.0% | 1.9% | $925 | +33.5% | 18.0 | +4.6% |
| Henderson County | 12.4% | 41.5% | 23.4% | 0.4% | 76.2% | 0.8% | $1,835 | +22.5% | 16.0 | +8.1% |
| McDowell County | 12.4% | 55.0% | 42.5% | 1.8% | 85.0% | 1.0% | $925 | +33.5% | 15.4 | +3.6% |
| Polk County | 21.9% | 51.7% | 33.5% | 1.2% | 79.8% | 1.3% | $983 | +28.0% | 26.7 | +6.3% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Cherokee County, SC, Spartanburg County, SC.