Data / Rankings / Housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US) / Counties in Iowa

Counties in Iowa by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US)

Dickinson County had the highest housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US) of 99 counties in 2023, at 38.5%. Sioux County had the lowest, at 4.6%. The median was 9.6% and the figure for Iowa was 8.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest38.5Dickinson County
Lowest4.6Sioux County
Median9.699 counties
Iowa8.7History

Map of counties, 2023

Adair County: 9.3 %Adams County: 19.1 %Allamakee County: 22.1 %Appanoose County: 20.7 %Audubon County: 9.4 %Benton County: 8.9 %Black Hawk County: 8.5 %Boone County: 8.9 %Bremer County: 8.1 %Buchanan County: 8.9 %Buena Vista County: 8.5 %Butler County: 10.4 %Calhoun County: 18.9 %Carroll County: 8 %Cass County: 9.5 %Cedar County: 8.5 %Cerro Gordo County: 14.6 %Cherokee County: 8.5 %Chickasaw County: 10.1 %Clarke County: 9.1 %Clay County: 11 %Clayton County: 15.8 %Clinton County: 10 %Crawford County: 9.1 %Dallas County: 5.4 %Davis County: 12 %Decatur County: 16.5 %Delaware County: 11.9 %Des Moines County: 8.5 %Dickinson County: 38.5 %Dubuque County: 5.6 %Emmet County: 13.2 %Fayette County: 12 %Floyd County: 9.4 %Franklin County: 12.3 %Fremont County: 11.8 %Greene County: 9 %Grundy County: 7.4 %Guthrie County: 20.7 %Hamilton County: 10.5 %Hancock County: 9.9 %Hardin County: 12.7 %Harrison County: 10.1 %Henry County: 9.8 %Howard County: 14.9 %Humboldt County: 7.9 %Ida County: 11 %Iowa County: 6.9 %Jackson County: 10.5 %Jasper County: 9 %Jefferson County: 10.8 %Johnson County: 7.4 %Jones County: 8.7 %Keokuk County: 12.6 %Kossuth County: 9.9 %Lee County: 9.5 %Linn County: 6.8 %Louisa County: 12.5 %Lucas County: 9.9 %Lyon County: 8.5 %Madison County: 5.8 %Mahaska County: 8.4 %Marion County: 6 %Marshall County: 7.8 %Mills County: 12.6 %Mitchell County: 8.7 %Monona County: 11.4 %Monroe County: 18 %Montgomery County: 8 %Muscatine County: 6.8 %O'Brien County: 11.5 %Osceola County: 9.1 %Page County: 11.9 %Palo Alto County: 17.2 %Plymouth County: 5.2 %Pocahontas County: 15.7 %Polk County: 5.9 %Pottawattamie County: 6.2 %Poweshiek County: 12.9 %Ringgold County: 30.2 %Sac County: 17 %Scott County: 7 %Shelby County: 8.2 %Sioux County: 4.6 %Story County: 7.1 %Tama County: 11.4 %Taylor County: 14.5 %Union County: 12.7 %Van Buren County: 17.3 %Wapello County: 10.5 %Warren County: 5.8 %Washington County: 6.1 %Wayne County: 15.5 %Webster County: 8.3 %Winnebago County: 9.6 %Winneshiek County: 9 %Woodbury County: 6.1 %Worth County: 8.4 %Wright County: 14.6 %
  • Under 7.4
  • 7.4 to 8.6
  • 8.6 to 9.6
  • 9.6 to 11
  • 11 to 15
  • 15 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Dickinson County: 38.5 %Dickinson County38.5Ringgold County: 30.2 %Ringgold County30.2Allamakee County: 22.1 %Allamakee County22.1Appanoose County: 20.7 %Appanoose County20.7Guthrie County: 20.7 %Guthrie County20.7Adams County: 19.1 %Adams County19.1Calhoun County: 18.9 %Calhoun County18.9Monroe County: 18 %Monroe County18Van Buren County: 17.3 %Van Buren County17.3Palo Alto County: 17.2 %Palo Alto County17.2Sac County: 17 %Sac County17Decatur County: 16.5 %Decatur County16.5Clayton County: 15.8 %Clayton County15.8Pocahontas County: 15.7 %Pocahontas County15.7Wayne County: 15.5 %Wayne County15.5Howard County: 14.9 %Howard County14.9Wright County: 14.6 %Wright County14.6Cerro Gordo County: 14.6 %Cerro Gordo County14.6Taylor County: 14.5 %Taylor County14.5Emmet County: 13.2 %Emmet County13.2Poweshiek County: 12.9 %Poweshiek County12.9Union County: 12.7 %Union County12.7Hardin County: 12.7 %Hardin County12.7Keokuk County: 12.6 %Keokuk County12.6Mills County: 12.6 %Mills County12.6Louisa County: 12.5 %Louisa County12.5Franklin County: 12.3 %Franklin County12.3Davis County: 12 %Davis County12Fayette County: 12 %Fayette County12Page County: 11.9 %Page County11.9Delaware County: 11.9 %Delaware County11.9Fremont County: 11.8 %Fremont County11.8O'Brien County: 11.5 %O'Brien County11.5Tama County: 11.4 %Tama County11.4Monona County: 11.4 %Monona County11.4Ida County: 11 %Ida County11Clay County: 11 %Clay County11Jefferson County: 10.8 %Jefferson County10.8Wapello County: 10.5 %Wapello County10.5Hamilton County: 10.5 %Hamilton County10.5Dickinson County: 38.5 %Dickinson County38.5Ringgold County: 30.2 %Ringgold County30.2Allamakee County: 22.1 %Allamakee County22.1Appanoose County: 20.7 %Appanoose County20.7Guthrie County: 20.7 %Guthrie County20.7Adams County: 19.1 %Adams County19.1Calhoun County: 18.9 %Calhoun County18.9Monroe County: 18 %Monroe County18Van Buren County: 17.3 %Van Buren County17.3Palo Alto County: 17.2 %Palo Alto County17.2Sac County: 17 %Sac County17Decatur County: 16.5 %Decatur County16.5Clayton County: 15.8 %Clayton County15.8Pocahontas County: 15.7 %Pocahontas County15.7Wayne County: 15.5 %Wayne County15.5Howard County: 14.9 %Howard County14.9Wright County: 14.6 %Wright County14.6Cerro Gordo County: 14.6 %Cerro Gordo County14.6Taylor County: 14.5 %Taylor County14.5Emmet County: 13.2 %Emmet County13.2Poweshiek County: 12.9 %Poweshiek County12.9Union County: 12.7 %Union County12.7Hardin County: 12.7 %Hardin County12.7Keokuk County: 12.6 %Keokuk County12.6Mills County: 12.6 %Mills County12.6Louisa County: 12.5 %Louisa County12.5Franklin County: 12.3 %Franklin County12.3Davis County: 12 %Davis County12Fayette County: 12 %Fayette County12Page County: 11.9 %Page County11.9Delaware County: 11.9 %Delaware County11.9Fremont County: 11.8 %Fremont County11.8O'Brien County: 11.5 %O'Brien County11.5Tama County: 11.4 %Tama County11.4Monona County: 11.4 %Monona County11.4Ida County: 11 %Ida County11Clay County: 11 %Clay County11Jefferson County: 10.8 %Jefferson County10.8Wapello County: 10.5 %Wapello County10.5Hamilton County: 10.5 %Hamilton County10.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Dickinson County38.5-1.7 pts
2Ringgold County30.2-0.9 pts
3Allamakee County22.1-0.4 pts
4Appanoose County20.7+0.3 pts
5Guthrie County20.7-1.2 pts
6Adams County19.1-0.4 pts
7Calhoun County18.9-0.7 pts
8Monroe County18+0.9 pts
9Van Buren County17.3-1.7 pts
10Palo Alto County17.2-2.2 pts
11Sac County17-1.1 pts
12Decatur County16.50 pts
13Clayton County15.8-1.3 pts
14Pocahontas County15.7-0.1 pts
15Wayne County15.5-1.1 pts
16Howard County14.9-0.7 pts
17Wright County14.6+0.1 pts
18Cerro Gordo County14.6+0.4 pts
19Taylor County14.5-1.5 pts
20Emmet County13.2-0.8 pts
21Poweshiek County12.9-0.3 pts
22Union County12.7-1.3 pts
23Hardin County12.7+0.2 pts
24Keokuk County12.6+0.1 pts
24Mills County12.6-1.5 pts
26Louisa County12.5-0.8 pts
27Franklin County12.3+0.2 pts
28Davis County12+0.4 pts
28Fayette County12+0.3 pts
30Page County11.9-0.3 pts
31Delaware County11.9-1 pts
32Fremont County11.8-1.2 pts
33O'Brien County11.5-1.4 pts
34Tama County11.4-0.3 pts
35Monona County11.4-1.1 pts
36Ida County11+0.7 pts
37Clay County11+0.2 pts
38Jefferson County10.8-0.4 pts
39Wapello County10.5+0.6 pts
40Hamilton County10.5-1.4 pts
41Jackson County10.5-2 pts
42Butler County10.4-0.4 pts
43Harrison County10.1-0.7 pts
44Chickasaw County10.1-1.1 pts
45Clinton County10-1.1 pts
46Kossuth County9.9-1.2 pts
47Lucas County9.9-1.3 pts
48Hancock County9.9-0.8 pts
49Henry County9.8+0.6 pts
50Winnebago County9.6-1.7 pts
51Lee County9.5-0.7 pts
52Cass County9.5-0.4 pts
53Floyd County9.4-0.6 pts
54Audubon County9.4-0.3 pts
55Adair County9.3-1.3 pts
56Osceola County9.1+0.3 pts
57Clarke County9.1-1.1 pts
57Crawford County9.1-0.3 pts
59Winneshiek County9+0.8 pts
60Jasper County9-0.6 pts
61Greene County9-2.3 pts
62Boone County8.9+0.1 pts
63Buchanan County8.9-1.1 pts
64Benton County8.9+0.2 pts
65Jones County8.7-0.6 pts
66Mitchell County8.7+0.9 pts
67Black Hawk County8.5+0.1 pts
68Cherokee County8.5+1.1 pts
69Lyon County8.5-0.6 pts
70Cedar County8.5-0.1 pts
71Buena Vista County8.5+0.4 pts
71Des Moines County8.5+0.3 pts
73Mahaska County8.4-0.1 pts
74Worth County8.4-0.1 pts
75Webster County8.30 pts
76Shelby County8.2-0.8 pts
77Bremer County8.1+0.3 pts
78Montgomery County8-2.7 pts
79Carroll County8-0.6 pts
80Humboldt County7.9+0.1 pts
81Marshall County7.8-1.2 pts
82Johnson County7.4+0.3 pts
83Grundy County7.4+0.1 pts
84Story County7.1-0 pts
85Scott County7-1 pts
86Iowa County6.9-0.5 pts
87Muscatine County6.8-0.3 pts
88Linn County6.8-0 pts
89Pottawattamie County6.2-0.7 pts
90Washington County6.1-1 pts
91Woodbury County6.1+0.1 pts
92Marion County6-0.1 pts
93Polk County5.90 pts
94Warren County5.8+0.3 pts
95Madison County5.8-1.1 pts
96Dubuque County5.6-0.8 pts
97Dallas County5.4-0.3 pts
98Plymouth County5.2-0.4 pts
99Sioux County4.6+0.1 pts

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 counties 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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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 (Counties in Iowa by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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, Counties in Iowa by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25002.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/iowa-counties?period=2023. 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. Counties in Iowa by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25002.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/iowa-counties?period=2023.

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, Counties in Iowa by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25002.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/iowa-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_iowa_by_2023,
  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: Counties in Iowa by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25002.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/iowa-counties?period=2023. 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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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: Counties in Iowa by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25002.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/iowa-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/iowa-counties?period=2023.
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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Dickinson County, with 38.5% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Sioux County, with 4.6% in 2023.

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. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Counties in Iowa: more rankings