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

Cities in North Carolina by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2024

Asheville, NC had the highest housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US) of 93 cities in 2024, at 25.3%. Clayton, NC had the lowest, at 2.5%. The median was 8.4% and the figure for North Carolina was 12.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest25.3Asheville, NC
Lowest2.5Clayton, NC
Median8.493 cities
North Carolina12.5History

Top 40 cities, 2024

Asheville, NC: 25.3 %Asheville, NC25.3Morehead City, NC: 19.9 %Morehead City, NC19.9Elon, NC: 19.2 %Elon, NC19.2Lumberton, NC: 17.1 %Lumberton, NC17.1Waynesville, NC: 16.9 %Waynesville, NC16.9Spring Lake, NC: 16.2 %Spring Lake, NC16.2Kinston, NC: 16.1 %Kinston, NC16.1Henderson, NC: 15.7 %Henderson, NC15.7Lexington, NC: 15.5 %Lexington, NC15.5Albemarle, NC: 14.5 %Albemarle, NC14.5Boone, NC: 14.5 %Boone, NC14.5Southern Pines, NC: 14 %Southern Pines, NC14Eden, NC: 13.8 %Eden, NC13.8Rocky Mount, NC: 13 %Rocky Mount, NC13Elizabeth City, NC: 12.8 %Elizabeth City, NC12.8New Bern, NC: 12.7 %New Bern, NC12.7Tarboro, NC: 12.6 %Tarboro, NC12.6Goldsboro, NC: 12.4 %Goldsboro, NC12.4Laurinburg, NC: 12 %Laurinburg, NC12Smithfield, NC: 11.9 %Smithfield, NC11.9Shelby, NC: 11.4 %Shelby, NC11.4Kannapolis, NC: 11.4 %Kannapolis, NC11.4Davidson, NC: 11.2 %Davidson, NC11.2Pinehurst, NC: 11.1 %Pinehurst, NC11.1Wilson, NC: 11 %Wilson, NC11Greenville, NC: 10.9 %Greenville, NC10.9Jacksonville, NC: 10.7 %Jacksonville, NC10.7Winston-Salem, NC: 10.6 %Winston-Salem, NC10.6Concord, NC: 10.4 %Concord, NC10.4Salisbury, NC: 10.2 %Salisbury, NC10.2Roanoke Rapids, NC: 10.2 %Roanoke Rapids, NC10.2Chapel Hill, NC: 10.1 %Chapel Hill, NC10.1Fayetteville, NC: 10.1 %Fayetteville, NC10.1Wilmington, NC: 9.9 %Wilmington, NC9.9Hickory, NC: 9.6 %Hickory, NC9.6Havelock, NC: 9.5 %Havelock, NC9.5Raleigh, NC: 9.5 %Raleigh, NC9.5Graham, NC: 9.5 %Graham, NC9.5Lenoir, NC: 9.4 %Lenoir, NC9.4Sanford, NC: 9.4 %Sanford, NC9.4Asheville, NC: 25.3 %Asheville, NC25.3Morehead City, NC: 19.9 %Morehead City, NC19.9Elon, NC: 19.2 %Elon, NC19.2Lumberton, NC: 17.1 %Lumberton, NC17.1Waynesville, NC: 16.9 %Waynesville, NC16.9Spring Lake, NC: 16.2 %Spring Lake, NC16.2Kinston, NC: 16.1 %Kinston, NC16.1Henderson, NC: 15.7 %Henderson, NC15.7Lexington, NC: 15.5 %Lexington, NC15.5Albemarle, NC: 14.5 %Albemarle, NC14.5Boone, NC: 14.5 %Boone, NC14.5Southern Pines, NC: 14 %Southern Pines, NC14Eden, NC: 13.8 %Eden, NC13.8Rocky Mount, NC: 13 %Rocky Mount, NC13Elizabeth City, NC: 12.8 %Elizabeth City, NC12.8New Bern, NC: 12.7 %New Bern, NC12.7Tarboro, NC: 12.6 %Tarboro, NC12.6Goldsboro, NC: 12.4 %Goldsboro, NC12.4Laurinburg, NC: 12 %Laurinburg, NC12Smithfield, NC: 11.9 %Smithfield, NC11.9Shelby, NC: 11.4 %Shelby, NC11.4Kannapolis, NC: 11.4 %Kannapolis, NC11.4Davidson, NC: 11.2 %Davidson, NC11.2Pinehurst, NC: 11.1 %Pinehurst, NC11.1Wilson, NC: 11 %Wilson, NC11Greenville, NC: 10.9 %Greenville, NC10.9Jacksonville, NC: 10.7 %Jacksonville, NC10.7Winston-Salem, NC: 10.6 %Winston-Salem, NC10.6Concord, NC: 10.4 %Concord, NC10.4Salisbury, NC: 10.2 %Salisbury, NC10.2Roanoke Rapids, NC: 10.2 %Roanoke Rapids, NC10.2Chapel Hill, NC: 10.1 %Chapel Hill, NC10.1Fayetteville, NC: 10.1 %Fayetteville, NC10.1Wilmington, NC: 9.9 %Wilmington, NC9.9Hickory, NC: 9.6 %Hickory, NC9.6Havelock, NC: 9.5 %Havelock, NC9.5Raleigh, NC: 9.5 %Raleigh, NC9.5Graham, NC: 9.5 %Graham, NC9.5Lenoir, NC: 9.4 %Lenoir, NC9.4Sanford, NC: 9.4 %Sanford, NC9.4
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Asheville, NC25.3+2.7 pts
2Morehead City, NC19.9+0.1 pts
3Elon, NC19.2+3.8 pts
4Lumberton, NC17.1-0.3 pts
5Waynesville, NC16.9-0.1 pts
6Spring Lake, NC16.2-0.1 pts
7Kinston, NC16.1-1 pts
8Henderson, NC15.7+1.1 pts
9Lexington, NC15.5-0.6 pts
10Albemarle, NC14.5-2.4 pts
11Boone, NC14.5+2.3 pts
12Southern Pines, NC14-1.4 pts
13Eden, NC13.80 pts
14Rocky Mount, NC13-1.4 pts
15Elizabeth City, NC12.8-2.3 pts
16New Bern, NC12.7+0.7 pts
17Tarboro, NC12.6+1.3 pts
18Goldsboro, NC12.4-1 pts
19Laurinburg, NC12-1.9 pts
20Smithfield, NC11.9-0.7 pts
21Shelby, NC11.4-3.7 pts
22Kannapolis, NC11.4-1.4 pts
23Davidson, NC11.2-0.7 pts
24Pinehurst, NC11.1-2.8 pts
25Wilson, NC11+0.3 pts
26Greenville, NC10.9-0.2 pts
27Jacksonville, NC10.7-0.8 pts
28Winston-Salem, NC10.6-1 pts
29Concord, NC10.4-2.5 pts
30Salisbury, NC10.2-2.2 pts
31Roanoke Rapids, NC10.2-0.2 pts
32Chapel Hill, NC10.1-0.6 pts
33Fayetteville, NC10.1-0.6 pts
34Wilmington, NC9.90 pts
35Hickory, NC9.6-0.9 pts
36Havelock, NC9.5-2.8 pts
36Raleigh, NC9.5-0.2 pts
38Graham, NC9.5+0.5 pts
39Lenoir, NC9.4-0.4 pts
40Sanford, NC9.4+0.2 pts
41Statesville, NC9.3-0.3 pts
42Reidsville, NC9+0.1 pts
43Morrisville, NC8.9-0.8 pts
44Morganton, NC8.7-0.1 pts
45Mebane, NC8.7+1.3 pts
46Greensboro, NC8.6-0.7 pts
47Pineville, NC8.4-0.7 pts
48Gastonia, NC8.4-0.3 pts
49Hendersonville, NC8.3+0.1 pts
50Burlington, NC8.1-0.9 pts
51Mount Airy, NC8.1-1.3 pts
52Charlotte, NC7.60 pts
53Mooresville, NC7.6+0.8 pts
54Garner, NC7.6+0.3 pts
55Durham, NC7.5+0.3 pts
55Thomasville, NC7.5-0.4 pts
57Aberdeen, NC7.3+0.8 pts
58Cornelius, NC7.2-0.7 pts
59Carrboro, NC7-0.3 pts
60High Point, NC6.6-1.4 pts
61Zebulon, NC6.4+1.5 pts
62Kings Mountain, NC6.4-0.4 pts
63Monroe, NC6.3-0.7 pts
64Harrisburg, NC6+1 pts
65Leland, NC5.9-0.3 pts
66Matthews, NC5.80 pts
67Clemmons, NC5.7-1 pts
68Asheboro, NC5.7-0.3 pts
69Summerfield, NC5.60 pts
70Cary, NC5.5-0.9 pts
71Fuquay-Varina, NC5.4+0.8 pts
72Knightdale, NC5.4+0.8 pts
73Indian Trail, NC5.4-0 pts
74Wake Forest, NC5.3+0.2 pts
75Lincolnton, NC5.2-1.5 pts
76Mint Hill, NC5.2-1.2 pts
77Belmont, NC5+1.7 pts
78Newton, NC4.8-1.6 pts
79Apex, NC4.8-0.3 pts
80Wendell, NC4.6-0.9 pts
81Archdale, NC4.5+0.1 pts
82Hope Mills, NC4.5-1.4 pts
83Holly Springs, NC4.1-0.9 pts
84Kernersville, NC3.8-0.7 pts
85Mount Holly, NC3.8+0.2 pts
86Waxhaw, NC3.8-0.1 pts
87Rolesville, NC3.7-0 pts
88Weddington, NC3.6+0.8 pts
89Winterville, NC3.5-1.7 pts
90Huntersville, NC3.3-0.5 pts
91Lewisville, NC2.8-1.1 pts
92Stallings, NC2.8+0.2 pts
93Clayton, NC2.5-2.9 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 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/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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 North Carolina by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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 North Carolina by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25002.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/north-carolina-cities. 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 North Carolina by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25002.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/north-carolina-cities.

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 North Carolina by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25002.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/north-carolina-cities (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_north_carolina_2024,
  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 North Carolina by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25002.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/north-carolina-cities. 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/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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 North Carolina by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25002.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/north-carolina-cities
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/north-carolina-cities.
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/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Cities in North Carolina by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"vacancy_rate_acs","level":"municipality","within":"North Carolina","limit":10}
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Questions

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

Asheville, NC, with 25.3% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Clayton, NC, with 2.5% in 2024.

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 North Carolina: more rankings