Union County, North Carolina
117,539 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 | 8.0% | 9,264 of 115,103 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 55 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 27.4% | Estimated from 89,392 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 77 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | no data | no data | 22.8% | no data |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.9% | 1,078 of 116,318 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 68 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 78.2% | 90,993 of 116,318 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 78 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.0% | 1,212 of 116,318 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 73 of 99 |
- Vacant lots: no data. This county's parcel records don't show which parcels have a building on them.
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 9,264 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 2,049 | 22.1% |
| California | 1,344 | 14.5% |
| South Carolina | 1,190 | 12.8% |
| Texas | 1,031 | 11.1% |
| Florida | 895 | 9.7% |
| Georgia | 768 | 8.3% |
| New York | 393 | 4.2% |
| Maryland | 230 | 2.5% |
| Virginia | 211 | 2.3% |
| New Jersey | 184 | 2.0% |
| 40 other states and territories | 964 | 10.4% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 3 | under 0.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 2 | under 0.1% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,686/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 12 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +46.5% | +35.5% (median county) | 31 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $417,300 | $220,100 (median county) | 5 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 20.6 | 16.3 (median county) | 22 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +13.7% | +9.3% | 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 8.0% | 27.4% | no data | 0.9% | 78.2% | 1.0% | $1,686 | +46.5% | 20.6 | +13.7% |
| Anson County | 8.8% | 60.6% | 50.0% | 2.9% | 82.2% | 1.5% | $1,138 | +64.2% | 10.9 | +2.9% |
| Cabarrus County | 8.6% | no data | 11.2% | 1.4% | 79.7% | 0.9% | $1,686 | +46.5% | 17.5 | +12.7% |
| Mecklenburg County | 12.6% | 31.2% | 7.7% | 0.1% | 73.6% | 1.5% | $1,686 | +46.5% | 20.1 | +11.8% |
| Stanly County | 4.7% | 40.3% | 26.9% | 2.5% | 85.3% | 1.1% | $925 | +33.5% | 21.8 | +6.8% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Chesterfield County, SC, Lancaster County, SC.