Yancey County, North Carolina
17,378 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 | 21.4% | 3,633 of 17,007 parcels with a known mailing state | 9.8% | 14 of 96 |
| Absentee owners | 51.6% | Estimated from 8,386 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 39.6% | 24 of 78 |
| Vacant lots | no data | no data | 22.8% | no data |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.7% | 118 of 17,282 parcels with an owner name | 1.3% | 73 of 99 |
| Owned by individuals | 84.6% | 14,627 of 17,282 parcels with an owner name | 80.2% | 38 of 99 |
| Publicly owned | 0.9% | 158 of 17,282 parcels with an owner name | 1.5% | 81 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 3,633 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 1,827 | 50.3% |
| South Carolina | 469 | 12.9% |
| Georgia | 257 | 7.1% |
| Tennessee | 204 | 5.6% |
| Virginia | 151 | 4.2% |
| Texas | 87 | 2.4% |
| California | 86 | 2.4% |
| Illinois | 50 | 1.4% |
| Ohio | 43 | 1.2% |
| Alabama | 35 | 1.0% |
| 41 other states and territories | 424 | 11.7% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | North Carolina | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $935/month | $1,095/month (median county) | 70 of 99 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +34.9% | +35.5% (median county) | 51 of 99 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $243,100 | $220,100 (median county) | 37 of 99 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 21.7 | 16.3 (median county) | 16 of 99 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +2.7% | +9.3% | 79 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yancey County | 21.4% | 51.6% | no data | 0.7% | 84.6% | 0.9% | $935 | +34.9% | 21.7 | +2.7% |
| Buncombe County | 10.5% | 44.7% | 16.7% | 0.2% | 76.6% | 0.9% | $1,835 | +22.5% | 17.8 | +10.2% |
| Madison County | 19.8% | no data | 36.0% | 0.4% | 83.0% | 1.6% | $1,835 | +22.5% | 12.9 | +7.2% |
| McDowell County | 12.4% | 55.0% | 42.5% | 1.8% | 85.0% | 1.0% | $925 | +33.5% | 15.4 | +3.6% |
| Mitchell County | 19.8% | 55.1% | 46.3% | 2.5% | 79.7% | 1.4% | $925 | +33.5% | 19.8 | +1.7% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Unicoi County, TN.