Swain County, North Carolina
12,669 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 | 36.6% | 4,579 of 12,505 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 6 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | no data | no data | 39.6% | no data |
| Vacant lots | 44.0% | 5,569 of 12,669 parcels in all | 22.8% | 13 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 2.1% | 261 of 12,655 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 37 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 82.8% | 10,480 of 12,655 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 53 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 0.6% | 80 of 12,655 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 97 of 99 |
- Absentee owners: no data. For fewer than half of this county's in-state parcels could the owner's mailing address be compared with the property's address.
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 4,579 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 2,324 | 50.8% |
| Georgia | 702 | 15.3% |
| South Carolina | 425 | 9.3% |
| Tennessee | 168 | 3.7% |
| Alabama | 135 | 2.9% |
| Texas | 110 | 2.4% |
| Virginia | 94 | 2.1% |
| Ohio | 54 | 1.2% |
| Louisiana | 48 | 1.0% |
| California | 46 | 1.0% |
| 41 other states and territories | 473 | 10.3% |
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) | $207,000 | $220,100 (median county) | 57 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 18.6 | 16.3 (median county) | 33 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +7.1% | +9.3% | 30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swain County | 36.6% | no data | 44.0% | 2.1% | 82.8% | 0.6% | $925 | +33.5% | 18.6 | +7.1% |
| Graham County | 31.3% | no data | 43.9% | 0.2% | 87.1% | 0.9% | $925 | +33.5% | 15.4 | +1.4% |
| Haywood County | 21.2% | 49.6% | 27.5% | 0.7% | 87.2% | 1.2% | $1,230 | +48.7% | 18.9 | +4.7% |
| Jackson County | 40.2% | 72.0% | 42.2% | 1.1% | 71.3% | 1.0% | $964 | +34.3% | 24.6 | +6.9% |
| Macon County | 38.6% | 59.4% | 38.2% | 0.2% | 79.2% | 0.8% | $987 | +30.0% | 21.3 | +2.9% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Blount County, TN, Sevier County, TN.