Stokes County, North Carolina
31,982 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 | 3.2% | 1,001 of 31,509 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 93 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 34.3% | Estimated from 22,087 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 68 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 31.1% | 9,943 of 31,982 parcels in all | 22.8% | 42 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.4% | 128 of 31,742 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 83 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 90.8% | 28,830 of 31,742 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 2 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 0.7% | 237 of 31,742 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 91 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 1,001 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 213 | 21.3% |
| Florida | 144 | 14.4% |
| Texas | 108 | 10.8% |
| South Carolina | 71 | 7.1% |
| Georgia | 61 | 6.1% |
| Maryland | 45 | 4.5% |
| California | 39 | 3.9% |
| Tennessee | 39 | 3.9% |
| New York | 38 | 3.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 28 | 2.8% |
| 36 other states and territories | 215 | 21.5% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,232/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 28 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +49.3% | +35.5% (median county) | 22 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $196,700 | $220,100 (median county) | 62 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 13.3 | 16.3 (median county) | 74 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +4.3% | +9.3% | 57 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stokes County | 3.2% | 34.3% | 31.1% | 0.4% | 90.8% | 0.7% | $1,232 | +49.3% | 13.3 | +4.3% |
| Forsyth County | 6.7% | 33.5% | 12.5% | 1.8% | 77.9% | 1.9% | $1,232 | +49.3% | 16.9 | +8.2% |
| Guilford County | 5.9% | no data | 12.5% | 0.4% | 75.6% | 2.1% | $1,330 | +54.8% | 16.3 | +5.7% |
| Rockingham County | 4.5% | 37.8% | 21.8% | 2.8% | 86.4% | 1.3% | $1,040 | +50.1% | 13.5 | +2.8% |
| Surry County | 4.3% | 35.4% | 23.8% | 0.9% | 86.8% | 1.1% | $925 | +33.5% | 16.0 | +2.8% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Henry County, VA, Patrick County, VA.