Data / Rankings / Housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US) / Cities in California

Cities in California by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US)

Truckee, CA had the highest housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US) of 376 cities in 2021, at 54.4%. Coachella, CA had the lowest, at 1.4%. The median was 5% and the figure for California was 7.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest54.4Truckee, CA
Lowest1.4Coachella, CA
Median5376 cities
California7.8History

Top 40 cities, 2021

Truckee, CA: 54.4 %Truckee, CA54.4South Lake Tahoe, CA: 44.6 %South Lake Tahoe, CA44.6Rancho Mirage, CA: 41.2 %Rancho Mirage, CA41.2La Quinta, CA: 37.3 %La Quinta, CA37.3Palm Desert, CA: 35.3 %Palm Desert, CA35.3Palm Springs, CA: 35.1 %Palm Springs, CA35.1Coronado, CA: 26.8 %Coronado, CA26.8Laguna Beach, CA: 24.4 %Laguna Beach, CA24.4Clearlake, CA: 23.4 %Clearlake, CA23.4Morro Bay, CA: 22.5 %Morro Bay, CA22.5Susanville, CA: 20.8 %Susanville, CA20.8Imperial, CA: 20 %Imperial, CA20Cathedral City, CA: 19.2 %Cathedral City, CA19.2Calexico, CA: 19.2 %Calexico, CA19.2Blythe, CA: 18.6 %Blythe, CA18.6Pacific Grove, CA: 18.2 %Pacific Grove, CA18.2Solana Beach, CA: 16.6 %Solana Beach, CA16.6Brawley, CA: 16.3 %Brawley, CA16.3Dana Point, CA: 16.1 %Dana Point, CA16.1Beverly Hills, CA: 15.7 %Beverly Hills, CA15.7Newport Beach, CA: 15.6 %Newport Beach, CA15.6Healdsburg, CA: 14.9 %Healdsburg, CA14.9Carpinteria, CA: 14.8 %Carpinteria, CA14.8Grover Beach, CA: 14.3 %Grover Beach, CA14.3El Centro, CA: 14.2 %El Centro, CA14.2Indio, CA: 13.7 %Indio, CA13.7Arcata, CA: 13 %Arcata, CA13San Marino, CA: 12.8 %San Marino, CA12.8Desert Hot Springs, CA: 12.5 %Desert Hot Springs, CA12.5Hermosa Beach, CA: 12.2 %Hermosa Beach, CA12.2California City, CA: 11.9 %California City, CA11.9Port Hueneme, CA: 11.9 %Port Hueneme, CA11.9Twentynine Palms, CA: 11.9 %Twentynine Palms, CA11.9Mill Valley, CA: 11.8 %Mill Valley, CA11.8Barstow, CA: 11.6 %Barstow, CA11.6Imperial Beach, CA: 11.2 %Imperial Beach, CA11.2Santa Monica, CA: 11.2 %Santa Monica, CA11.2Laguna Woods, CA: 11 %Laguna Woods, CA11Hillsborough, CA: 11 %Hillsborough, CA11San Francisco, CA: 10.8 %San Francisco, CA10.8Truckee, CA: 54.4 %Truckee, CA54.4South Lake Tahoe, CA: 44.6 %South Lake Tahoe, CA44.6Rancho Mirage, CA: 41.2 %Rancho Mirage, CA41.2La Quinta, CA: 37.3 %La Quinta, CA37.3Palm Desert, CA: 35.3 %Palm Desert, CA35.3Palm Springs, CA: 35.1 %Palm Springs, CA35.1Coronado, CA: 26.8 %Coronado, CA26.8Laguna Beach, CA: 24.4 %Laguna Beach, CA24.4Clearlake, CA: 23.4 %Clearlake, CA23.4Morro Bay, CA: 22.5 %Morro Bay, CA22.5Susanville, CA: 20.8 %Susanville, CA20.8Imperial, CA: 20 %Imperial, CA20Cathedral City, CA: 19.2 %Cathedral City, CA19.2Calexico, CA: 19.2 %Calexico, CA19.2Blythe, CA: 18.6 %Blythe, CA18.6Pacific Grove, CA: 18.2 %Pacific Grove, CA18.2Solana Beach, CA: 16.6 %Solana Beach, CA16.6Brawley, CA: 16.3 %Brawley, CA16.3Dana Point, CA: 16.1 %Dana Point, CA16.1Beverly Hills, CA: 15.7 %Beverly Hills, CA15.7Newport Beach, CA: 15.6 %Newport Beach, CA15.6Healdsburg, CA: 14.9 %Healdsburg, CA14.9Carpinteria, CA: 14.8 %Carpinteria, CA14.8Grover Beach, CA: 14.3 %Grover Beach, CA14.3El Centro, CA: 14.2 %El Centro, CA14.2Indio, CA: 13.7 %Indio, CA13.7Arcata, CA: 13 %Arcata, CA13San Marino, CA: 12.8 %San Marino, CA12.8Desert Hot Springs, CA: 12.5 %Desert Hot Springs, CA12.5Hermosa Beach, CA: 12.2 %Hermosa Beach, CA12.2California City, CA: 11.9 %California City, CA11.9Port Hueneme, CA: 11.9 %Port Hueneme, CA11.9Twentynine Palms, CA: 11.9 %Twentynine Palms, CA11.9Mill Valley, CA: 11.8 %Mill Valley, CA11.8Barstow, CA: 11.6 %Barstow, CA11.6Imperial Beach, CA: 11.2 %Imperial Beach, CA11.2Santa Monica, CA: 11.2 %Santa Monica, CA11.2Laguna Woods, CA: 11 %Laguna Woods, CA11Hillsborough, CA: 11 %Hillsborough, CA11San Francisco, CA: 10.8 %San Francisco, CA10.8
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2021 (%)
1Truckee, CA54.4
2South Lake Tahoe, CA44.6
3Rancho Mirage, CA41.2
4La Quinta, CA37.3
5Palm Desert, CA35.3
6Palm Springs, CA35.1
7Coronado, CA26.8
8Laguna Beach, CA24.4
9Clearlake, CA23.4
10Morro Bay, CA22.5
11Susanville, CA20.8
12Imperial, CA20
13Cathedral City, CA19.2
14Calexico, CA19.2
15Blythe, CA18.6
16Pacific Grove, CA18.2
17Solana Beach, CA16.6
18Brawley, CA16.3
19Dana Point, CA16.1
20Beverly Hills, CA15.7
21Newport Beach, CA15.6
22Healdsburg, CA14.9
23Carpinteria, CA14.8
24Grover Beach, CA14.3
25El Centro, CA14.2
26Indio, CA13.7
27Arcata, CA13
28San Marino, CA12.8
29Desert Hot Springs, CA12.5
30Hermosa Beach, CA12.2
31California City, CA11.9
32Port Hueneme, CA11.9
32Twentynine Palms, CA11.9
34Mill Valley, CA11.8
35Barstow, CA11.6
36Imperial Beach, CA11.2
37Santa Monica, CA11.2
38Laguna Woods, CA11
39Hillsborough, CA11
40San Francisco, CA10.8
41San Clemente, CA10.6
42West Hollywood, CA10.6
43Eureka, CA10.6
44Manhattan Beach, CA10.5
45Paradise, CA10.4
46Loma Linda, CA10.3
47Berkeley, CA10.3
47Menlo Park, CA10.3
49Sierra Madre, CA10.3
50Oroville, CA10.3
51Pasadena, CA10.1
52Seal Beach, CA9.9
53Yucca Valley, CA9.8
54San Luis Obispo, CA9.5
55Colton, CA9.4
56Mountain View, CA9.2
57Ridgecrest, CA9.1
58Scotts Valley, CA9
59Arcadia, CA9
60Palo Alto, CA8.9
61Grass Valley, CA8.9
61Marysville, CA8.9
63Hemet, CA8.9
64Sonoma, CA8.8
65Monterey, CA8.8
66Emeryville, CA8.7
67Palos Verdes Estates, CA8.6
68Encinitas, CA8.6
69Chico, CA8.5
70Soledad, CA8.4
71Arroyo Grande, CA8.2
71Tehachapi, CA8.2
73Santa Cruz, CA8.2
74Los Angeles, CA7.9
75Adelanto, CA7.9
76Exeter, CA7.6
77Fortuna, CA7.6
77San Gabriel, CA7.6
79Irvine, CA7.6
80Oceanside, CA7.5
80Oxnard, CA7.5
82Carlsbad, CA7.5
83Wasco, CA7.4
84King City, CA7.3
85Napa, CA7.3
86Grand Terrace, CA7.3
87Redding, CA7.2
88Redondo Beach, CA7.2
89Newman, CA7.2
90Oakland, CA7.1
91Canyon Lake, CA7.1
92Seaside, CA7
93Glendale, CA7
94Chowchilla, CA6.9
94Rancho Palos Verdes, CA6.9
96Lathrop, CA6.9
97Laguna Niguel, CA6.9
98East Palo Alto, CA6.8
99Chula Vista, CA6.7
99South Pasadena, CA6.7
99Torrance, CA6.7
102San Diego, CA6.7
103San Mateo, CA6.6
104Parlier, CA6.6
105Burbank, CA6.6
105Half Moon Bay, CA6.6
105Larkspur, CA6.6
108La Cañada Flintridge, CA6.6
108Santa Clara, CA6.6
110Inglewood, CA6.6
111Madera, CA6.6
111San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA6.6
113Redlands, CA6.5
114Corcoran, CA6.5
115Signal Hill, CA6.5
115Stockton, CA6.5
117Chino, CA6.5
118Coalinga, CA6.4
118San Juan Capistrano, CA6.4
120Murrieta, CA6.4
120Ukiah, CA6.4
122Menifee, CA6.4
123Auburn, CA6.4
123Monrovia, CA6.4
123San Jacinto, CA6.4
126San Bernardino, CA6.3
127Los Gatos, CA6.3
128Banning, CA6.3
128Davis, CA6.3
130Agoura Hills, CA6.2
131Campbell, CA6.2
132Monterey Park, CA6.2
133Calimesa, CA6.1
134Arvin, CA6.1
134Lemoore, CA6.1
136Culver City, CA6.1
136Merced, CA6.1
138Walnut, CA6.1
139Kingsburg, CA6.1
140Alameda, CA6
140Fillmore, CA6
142Sanger, CA6
143Redwood City, CA6
144Belmont, CA5.9
145Placerville, CA5.9
146Delano, CA5.9
147Santa Barbara, CA5.9
148Daly City, CA5.9
149Burlingame, CA5.8
150Aliso Viejo, CA5.8
150Lafayette, CA5.8
152Greenfield, CA5.8
152Patterson, CA5.8
154Alhambra, CA5.8
155San Fernando, CA5.7
156National City, CA5.7
157Los Altos, CA5.7
158Anderson, CA5.6
159Lancaster, CA5.6
160Selma, CA5.6
161Foster City, CA5.6
161Rosemead, CA5.6
163Porterville, CA5.5
164Cupertino, CA5.5
164San Bruno, CA5.5
166Pinole, CA5.4
167Santa Paula, CA5.4
168Goleta, CA5.4
168Millbrae, CA5.4
170Long Beach, CA5.3
171Azusa, CA5.3
171Jurupa Valley, CA5.3
173Shasta Lake, CA5.3
173Temple City, CA5.3
175Huntington Beach, CA5.3
176Bakersfield, CA5.2
177La Mesa, CA5.2
178Temecula, CA5.2
179Apple Valley, CA5.1
179Riverside, CA5.1
179San Anselmo, CA5.1
182Richmond, CA5.1
182Vallejo, CA5.1
184Hayward, CA5.1
185El Cerrito, CA5.1
185Lodi, CA5.1
187Laguna Hills, CA5
188Lake Forest, CA5
189Fresno, CA5
189Fullerton, CA5
191Mendota, CA5
191Vacaville, CA5
193Calabasas, CA5
193Tulare, CA5
195Victorville, CA4.9
195Yucaipa, CA4.9
197Sunnyvale, CA4.9
198Sacramento, CA4.9
199Palmdale, CA4.8
199Reedley, CA4.8
201El Segundo, CA4.8
202El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA4.8
203Fairfield, CA4.7
204Anaheim, CA4.7
204Gardena, CA4.7
204Lawndale, CA4.7
207Chino Hills, CA4.7
207Mission Viejo, CA4.7
209Camarillo, CA4.7
209Marina, CA4.7
211Orinda, CA4.7
212Fremont, CA4.6
213Norco, CA4.6
214Montebello, CA4.6
215Lake Elsinore, CA4.6
216Walnut Creek, CA4.5
217West Covina, CA4.5
218Hesperia, CA4.5
219Piedmont, CA4.5
220Hawthorne, CA4.5
220San Jose, CA4.5
222Saratoga, CA4.4
223Claremont, CA4.4
224Brea, CA4.4
225Manteca, CA4.3
225San Pablo, CA4.3
227Artesia, CA4.3
228Lomita, CA4.3
228Moreno Valley, CA4.3
230Bellflower, CA4.3
230Rialto, CA4.3
232Costa Mesa, CA4.3
232San Carlos, CA4.3
234Hanford, CA4.3
234Perris, CA4.3
234San Marcos, CA4.3
237Lompoc, CA4.3
238Newark, CA4.2
238Pleasanton, CA4.2
238Watsonville, CA4.2
241Glendora, CA4.2
241Tustin, CA4.2
243Galt, CA4.2
244Avenal, CA4.2
245Orange, CA4.2
246Milpitas, CA4.1
247Pomona, CA4.1
248Citrus Heights, CA4.1
248Union City, CA4.1
250Rancho Cordova, CA4.1

Showing the top 250 of 376. The Excel download has every row.

Other periods

About this ranking

Vacant housing units as a percentage of all housing units.

More on how it is measured
  • Vacant units include those for rent or for sale, rented or sold but not yet occupied, for seasonal, recreational or occasional use, for migrant workers, and other vacant units.
  • United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

This gross rate counts seasonal and other off-market vacant units, so it is much higher than the rental and homeowner vacancy rates of the Housing Vacancy Survey (rental_vacancy_rate and homeowner_vacancy_rate) and cannot be compared with them. Counties with many holiday homes have high rates.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25002: vacant housing units as a percentage of all housing units, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25002: vacant housing units as a percentage of all housing units, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in California by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25002.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25002: vacant housing units as a percentage of all housing units, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in California by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25002.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/california-cities?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25002: vacant housing units as a percentage of all housing units, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in California by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25002.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/california-cities?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25002: vacant housing units as a percentage of all housing units, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in California by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25002.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/california-cities?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_california_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25002: vacant housing units as a percentage of all housing units, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in California by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25002.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/california-cities?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25002: vacant housing units as a percentage of all housing units, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25002: vacant housing units as a percentage of all housing units, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in California by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25002.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/california-cities?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/california-cities?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25002: vacant housing units as a percentage of all housing units, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Cities in California by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"vacancy_rate_acs","level":"municipality","within":"California","limit":10}
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Questions

Which city has the highest housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US)?

Truckee, CA, with 54.4% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US)?

Coachella, CA, with 1.4% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25002: vacant housing units as a percentage of all housing units, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US): other rankings

Cities in California: more rankings