Wake County, North Carolina
435,380 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 | 6.0% | 24,776 of 412,155 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 72 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 24.2% | Estimated from 369,529 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 78 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 8.9% | 38,560 of 435,380 parcels in all | 22.8% | 90 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.4% | 1,651 of 435,218 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 86 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 76.4% | 332,383 of 435,218 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 89 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.0% | 4,243 of 435,218 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 79 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 24,776 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| California | 4,681 | 18.9% |
| Arizona | 2,484 | 10.0% |
| Virginia | 2,205 | 8.9% |
| New York | 2,143 | 8.6% |
| Texas | 2,091 | 8.4% |
| Florida | 1,827 | 7.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,462 | 5.9% |
| Maryland | 1,225 | 4.9% |
| New Jersey | 1,132 | 4.6% |
| Georgia | 640 | 2.6% |
| 43 other states and territories | 4,886 | 19.7% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,750/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 4 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +45.8% | +35.5% (median county) | 36 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $461,300 | $220,100 (median county) | 1 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 22.0 | 16.3 (median county) | 11 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +16.3% | +9.3% | 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wake County | 6.0% | 24.2% | 8.9% | 0.4% | 76.4% | 1.0% | $1,750 | +45.8% | 22.0 | +16.3% |
| Chatham County | 4.5% | 35.8% | 25.3% | 2.1% | 79.3% | 1.0% | $1,711 | +50.9% | 21.7 | +12.1% |
| Durham County | 8.3% | 41.0% | 15.3% | 0.7% | 73.7% | 1.9% | $1,711 | +50.9% | 19.0 | +12.9% |
| Franklin County | 6.5% | no data | 26.3% | 1.3% | 85.1% | 0.7% | $1,750 | +45.8% | 13.5 | +17.3% |
| Granville County | 6.0% | 38.0% | 28.8% | 1.9% | 86.0% | 1.1% | $1,200 | +44.6% | 17.2 | +5.7% |
| Harnett County | 7.2% | 38.7% | 23.1% | 0.4% | 77.3% | 3.1% | $980 | +24.1% | 20.9 | +11.3% |
| Johnston County | 6.3% | 32.4% | 18.5% | 0.4% | 80.1% | 0.8% | $1,750 | +45.8% | 14.6 | +17.0% |
| Nash County | 6.7% | 40.8% | 24.4% | 1.4% | 79.1% | 2.0% | $1,143 | +47.7% | 13.9 | +4.4% |