Watauga County, North Carolina
47,388 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 | 20.3% | 9,355 of 46,183 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 16 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 63.4% | Estimated from 20,138 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 8 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 38.6% | 18,271 of 47,388 parcels in all | 22.8% | 22 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.3% | 124 of 46,870 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 90 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 74.5% | 34,897 of 46,870 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 95 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.4% | 658 of 46,870 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 45 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 9,355 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 4,690 | 50.1% |
| South Carolina | 1,305 | 13.9% |
| Tennessee | 561 | 6.0% |
| Georgia | 480 | 5.1% |
| Virginia | 324 | 3.5% |
| Texas | 310 | 3.3% |
| New York | 201 | 2.1% |
| California | 162 | 1.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 115 | 1.2% |
| Ohio | 112 | 1.2% |
| 42 other states and territories | 1,091 | 11.7% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 2 | 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 | $1,177/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 39 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +42.5% | +35.5% (median county) | 42 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $358,900 | $220,100 (median county) | 12 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 25.4 | 16.3 (median county) | 3 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +5.0% | +9.3% | 48 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watauga County | 20.3% | 63.4% | 38.6% | 0.3% | 74.5% | 1.4% | $1,177 | +42.5% | 25.4 | +5.0% |
| Ashe County | 16.4% | no data | 48.1% | 1.0% | 86.7% | 1.8% | $925 | +33.5% | 21.9 | +4.1% |
| Avery County | 25.7% | no data | 43.7% | 0.3% | 75.8% | 1.4% | $1,005 | +27.4% | 22.0 | +5.3% |
| Caldwell County | 5.2% | 39.5% | 28.6% | 0.5% | 88.8% | 1.2% | $1,095 | +58.0% | 14.6 | +3.0% |
| Wilkes County | 6.4% | 42.6% | 33.1% | 0.5% | 86.5% | 1.1% | $925 | +33.5% | 15.2 | +2.3% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Johnson County, TN.