Wilkes County, North Carolina
52,847 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 | 6.4% | 3,311 of 51,990 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 67 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 42.6% | Estimated from 29,304 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 46 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | 33.1% | 17,484 of 52,847 parcels in all | 22.8% | 35 of 91 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.5% | 239 of 52,408 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 80 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 86.5% | 45,355 of 52,408 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 22 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 1.1% | 585 of 52,408 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 68 of 99 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 3,311 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 1,048 | 31.7% |
| South Carolina | 468 | 14.1% |
| Virginia | 223 | 6.7% |
| Georgia | 204 | 6.2% |
| Texas | 142 | 4.3% |
| Ohio | 119 | 3.6% |
| California | 110 | 3.3% |
| New York | 108 | 3.3% |
| Maryland | 107 | 3.2% |
| Tennessee | 103 | 3.1% |
| 41 other states and territories | 677 | 20.4% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 2 | 0.1% |
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) | $168,800 | $220,100 (median county) | 74 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 15.2 | 16.3 (median county) | 59 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +2.3% | +9.3% | 86 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes County | 6.4% | 42.6% | 33.1% | 0.5% | 86.5% | 1.1% | $925 | +33.5% | 15.2 | +2.3% |
| Alexander County | 3.0% | 38.2% | 32.4% | 0.3% | 92.6% | 0.5% | $1,095 | +58.0% | 16.1 | +3.7% |
| Alleghany County | 18.3% | 59.7% | 38.4% | 0.5% | 79.7% | 2.6% | $978 | +41.1% | 18.3 | +4.7% |
| Ashe County | 16.4% | no data | 48.1% | 1.0% | 86.7% | 1.8% | $925 | +33.5% | 21.9 | +4.1% |
| Caldwell County | 5.2% | 39.5% | 28.6% | 0.5% | 88.8% | 1.2% | $1,095 | +58.0% | 14.6 | +3.0% |
| Iredell County | 8.1% | 35.3% | 20.1% | 1.3% | 80.8% | 0.9% | $1,340 | +45.2% | 20.0 | +17.6% |
| Surry County | 4.3% | 35.4% | 23.8% | 0.9% | 86.8% | 1.1% | $925 | +33.5% | 16.0 | +2.8% |
| Watauga County | 20.3% | 63.4% | 38.6% | 0.3% | 74.5% | 1.4% | $1,177 | +42.5% | 25.4 | +5.0% |
| Yadkin County | 2.3% | 43.2% | 35.1% | 0.7% | 88.7% | 0.7% | $1,232 | +49.3% | 12.3 | +4.4% |