Commercial Real Estate Market in Marion, NC
Updated monthly: sale, lease, property records, location trend, and more… · Last update: August 31
151 active listings and 921 off-market properties in Marion, NC. Commercial property asks $1,947/SF to buy and $9.57/SF/Yr to lease.
Market Trends
Marion, NC spans 249.1 square miles in McDowell County, North Carolina. Figures below refresh monthly; last updated 31 August 2026.
Office
Office vacancy in Marion, NC runs 20.2% across the South region in 2025, up from 14.4% in 2019.
Vacancy Rate % in South region
Retail
Retail vacancy in Marion, NC runs 5.4% across the South region in 2025, down from 7% in 2020.
Vacancy Rate % in South region
Industrial
Industrial vacancy in Marion, NC runs 7.9% across the South region in 2025, up from 6% in 2019. Nearly 2.3x the 2022 low of 3.5%.
Vacancy Rate % in South region
Multifamily
Multifamily vacancy in Marion, NC runs 11.3% across the South region in 2025, up from 8.5% in 2022.
Vacancy Rate % in South region
Zoning & Land Use
Land Use Mix share of zoned land by category
- Residential 36.1%
- Industrial 25.5%
- Commercial 22.3%
- Civic 9%
- Mixed use 5.9%
- Open space 1.3%
Largest Zones share of zoned land by district
Neighborhood Residential
Industrial
General Business
Single Family Residential
Mixed Use Residential
Marion, NC zones 4,214 acres across 10 districts. Commercial zoning covers 22.3% of zoned land, residential 36.1%, open space 1.3% and industrial 25.5%. The largest single district is Neighborhood Residential at 28.5%. For commercial buyers the practical constraint is that only 47.8% of land carries a commercial or industrial designation.
Neighborhood Residential (R2)
The R-2 district is established as a district in which the principal use of land is for medium-density, single-family residential purposes, and under special conditions allows nonresidential land-uses that by size, operation, and location accessibility provide direct access to goods and services that benefit residents living within the same district.
Market overview
Demographics & Economy
Marion, NC has 29,669 residents in 14,141 households. Density runs 119 people per square mile. Median household income here is $55,036 and median gross rent $712 a month.
29,669
Population
14,141
Households
2.1
Avg Household Size
43
Median Age
16%
College-Educated
85%
High-School Grad
249.1 sq mi
ZIP Area
119
Density / Sq Mi
$55,036
Median Household Income
$37,382
Median Earnings
$712
Median Rent
$166,100
Median Home Value
Tools
Nearby Markets
| Market | Average Sale Price, $/SF | Average Lease Price, $/SF/Yr |
|---|---|---|
| Glenwood | — | — |
| Nebo | — | — |
| Bridgewater | — | — |
| Old Fort | — | — |
Commercial property in Marion, NC asks $1,947/SF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average price per square foot for commercial property in Marion?
Commercial property in Marion, NC asks an average of $1,947 per square foot. The 6 most recent recorded sales traded at a median of $188/SF, so asking sits 939% above the achieved median.
How much does it cost to lease commercial space in Marion?
Asking lease rates in Marion, NC average $9.57 per square foot per year.
What zoning applies to commercial property in Marion?
Marion, NC zones 4,214 acres across 10 districts, of which 22.3% is commercial and 25.5% industrial. The largest single district is Neighborhood Residential at 28.5% of zoned land. The R-2 district is established as a district in which the principal use of land is for medium-density, single-family residential purposes, and under special conditions allows nonresidential land-uses that by size, operation, and location accessibility provide direct access to goods and services that benefit residents living within the same district. Residential zoning covers 36.1% and open space 1.3%.
Where does Realmo's Marion market data come from?
Realmo compiles Marion, NC figures from 6 recent recorded sales, 144 active sale listings, 7 active lease listings, 921 tracked off-market properties, the current Marion zoning release. Sale and lease figures refresh monthly; vacancy annually. Last updated 31 August 2026.
Methodology & data sources
- Asking prices and averages
- Computed from 144 active for-sale and 7 active for-lease listings in Marion, NC. These are ASKING figures from live listings, not closed-transaction prices, and a segment carried by a handful of listings reads as indicative rather than an average.
- Vacancy rates
- Published per-sector market series, taken at the metro level where one exists and otherwise at the Census-region level — a chart reading "in <region> region" is a regional number, not this city's.
- Zoning and land use
- The current municipal zoning release: 4,214 zoned acres across 10 districts. Shares are of zoned land, so parcels the release leaves unclassified are excluded from the mix.
- Refresh
- The monthly aggregates close at the end of the previous month, so 31 August 2026 — not today — is the honest last update.
- Known limitations
- office vacancy is reported at South region level, retail vacancy is reported at South region level, industrial vacancy is reported at South region level and asking prices run materially above recent closed pricing.
- Coverage
- Metrics below the 10-observation threshold fall back one geographic level. The geography used is named on each figure.
Compiled by the Realmo Data team · reviewed 31 August 2026 · report a data issue
