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)

Morehead City, NC had the highest housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US) of 93 cities in 2021, at 22.6%. Weddington, NC had the lowest, at 2.3%. The median was 9.4% and the figure for North Carolina was 13.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest22.6Morehead City, NC
Lowest2.3Weddington, NC
Median9.493 cities
North Carolina13.7History

Top 40 cities, 2021

Morehead City, NC: 22.6 %Morehead City, NC22.6Asheville, NC: 18.8 %Asheville, NC18.8Lumberton, NC: 18.5 %Lumberton, NC18.5Kinston, NC: 17.5 %Kinston, NC17.5Pinehurst, NC: 17.3 %Pinehurst, NC17.3Elizabeth City, NC: 16.6 %Elizabeth City, NC16.6Henderson, NC: 16.6 %Henderson, NC16.6Albemarle, NC: 16.5 %Albemarle, NC16.5Waynesville, NC: 16.4 %Waynesville, NC16.4Lexington, NC: 16.2 %Lexington, NC16.2Rocky Mount, NC: 16.1 %Rocky Mount, NC16.1Eden, NC: 15.9 %Eden, NC15.9Shelby, NC: 15.8 %Shelby, NC15.8Spring Lake, NC: 15.8 %Spring Lake, NC15.8Laurinburg, NC: 15.2 %Laurinburg, NC15.2Smithfield, NC: 14.9 %Smithfield, NC14.9Boone, NC: 14.6 %Boone, NC14.6Kannapolis, NC: 14.1 %Kannapolis, NC14.1Concord, NC: 13.5 %Concord, NC13.5Mount Airy, NC: 13.2 %Mount Airy, NC13.2New Bern, NC: 13.1 %New Bern, NC13.1Southern Pines, NC: 13.1 %Southern Pines, NC13.1Greenville, NC: 13 %Greenville, NC13Lenoir, NC: 12.9 %Lenoir, NC12.9Goldsboro, NC: 12.9 %Goldsboro, NC12.9Salisbury, NC: 12.5 %Salisbury, NC12.5Fayetteville, NC: 12.4 %Fayetteville, NC12.4Morganton, NC: 12.2 %Morganton, NC12.2Havelock, NC: 12.2 %Havelock, NC12.2Winston-Salem, NC: 12.1 %Winston-Salem, NC12.1Wilson, NC: 11.8 %Wilson, NC11.8Jacksonville, NC: 11.7 %Jacksonville, NC11.7Reidsville, NC: 11.2 %Reidsville, NC11.2Elon, NC: 11.1 %Elon, NC11.1Roanoke Rapids, NC: 11.1 %Roanoke Rapids, NC11.1Hickory, NC: 10.6 %Hickory, NC10.6Hope Mills, NC: 10.5 %Hope Mills, NC10.5Zebulon, NC: 10.4 %Zebulon, NC10.4Wilmington, NC: 10.3 %Wilmington, NC10.3Greensboro, NC: 10.1 %Greensboro, NC10.1Morehead City, NC: 22.6 %Morehead City, NC22.6Asheville, NC: 18.8 %Asheville, NC18.8Lumberton, NC: 18.5 %Lumberton, NC18.5Kinston, NC: 17.5 %Kinston, NC17.5Pinehurst, NC: 17.3 %Pinehurst, NC17.3Elizabeth City, NC: 16.6 %Elizabeth City, NC16.6Henderson, NC: 16.6 %Henderson, NC16.6Albemarle, NC: 16.5 %Albemarle, NC16.5Waynesville, NC: 16.4 %Waynesville, NC16.4Lexington, NC: 16.2 %Lexington, NC16.2Rocky Mount, NC: 16.1 %Rocky Mount, NC16.1Eden, NC: 15.9 %Eden, NC15.9Shelby, NC: 15.8 %Shelby, NC15.8Spring Lake, NC: 15.8 %Spring Lake, NC15.8Laurinburg, NC: 15.2 %Laurinburg, NC15.2Smithfield, NC: 14.9 %Smithfield, NC14.9Boone, NC: 14.6 %Boone, NC14.6Kannapolis, NC: 14.1 %Kannapolis, NC14.1Concord, NC: 13.5 %Concord, NC13.5Mount Airy, NC: 13.2 %Mount Airy, NC13.2New Bern, NC: 13.1 %New Bern, NC13.1Southern Pines, NC: 13.1 %Southern Pines, NC13.1Greenville, NC: 13 %Greenville, NC13Lenoir, NC: 12.9 %Lenoir, NC12.9Goldsboro, NC: 12.9 %Goldsboro, NC12.9Salisbury, NC: 12.5 %Salisbury, NC12.5Fayetteville, NC: 12.4 %Fayetteville, NC12.4Morganton, NC: 12.2 %Morganton, NC12.2Havelock, NC: 12.2 %Havelock, NC12.2Winston-Salem, NC: 12.1 %Winston-Salem, NC12.1Wilson, NC: 11.8 %Wilson, NC11.8Jacksonville, NC: 11.7 %Jacksonville, NC11.7Reidsville, NC: 11.2 %Reidsville, NC11.2Elon, NC: 11.1 %Elon, NC11.1Roanoke Rapids, NC: 11.1 %Roanoke Rapids, NC11.1Hickory, NC: 10.6 %Hickory, NC10.6Hope Mills, NC: 10.5 %Hope Mills, NC10.5Zebulon, NC: 10.4 %Zebulon, NC10.4Wilmington, NC: 10.3 %Wilmington, NC10.3Greensboro, NC: 10.1 %Greensboro, NC10.1
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2021 (%)
1Morehead City, NC22.6
2Asheville, NC18.8
3Lumberton, NC18.5
4Kinston, NC17.5
5Pinehurst, NC17.3
6Elizabeth City, NC16.6
7Henderson, NC16.6
8Albemarle, NC16.5
9Waynesville, NC16.4
10Lexington, NC16.2
11Rocky Mount, NC16.1
12Eden, NC15.9
13Shelby, NC15.8
14Spring Lake, NC15.8
15Laurinburg, NC15.2
16Smithfield, NC14.9
17Boone, NC14.6
18Kannapolis, NC14.1
19Concord, NC13.5
20Mount Airy, NC13.2
21New Bern, NC13.1
22Southern Pines, NC13.1
23Greenville, NC13
24Lenoir, NC12.9
25Goldsboro, NC12.9
26Salisbury, NC12.5
27Fayetteville, NC12.4
28Morganton, NC12.2
29Havelock, NC12.2
30Winston-Salem, NC12.1
31Wilson, NC11.8
32Jacksonville, NC11.7
33Reidsville, NC11.2
34Elon, NC11.1
35Roanoke Rapids, NC11.1
36Hickory, NC10.6
37Hope Mills, NC10.5
38Zebulon, NC10.4
39Wilmington, NC10.3
40Greensboro, NC10.1
41Chapel Hill, NC10.1
42Hendersonville, NC9.9
43Sanford, NC9.8
44Gastonia, NC9.8
45Davidson, NC9.5
46Raleigh, NC9.5
47High Point, NC9.4
48Statesville, NC9.3
49Tarboro, NC9.2
50Pineville, NC9
51Aberdeen, NC9
52Graham, NC8.9
53Burlington, NC8.6
54Monroe, NC8.4
55Asheboro, NC8.1
56Thomasville, NC8
57Kings Mountain, NC8
58Leland, NC7.9
59Lincolnton, NC7.8
60Carrboro, NC7.7
61Newton, NC7.6
62Charlotte, NC7.5
63Clayton, NC7
64Clemmons, NC6.8
65Durham, NC6.7
66Kernersville, NC6.6
67Apex, NC6.5
68Lewisville, NC6.5
68Morrisville, NC6.5
70Cornelius, NC6.4
71Mebane, NC5.9
72Archdale, NC5.9
73Cary, NC5.8
74Garner, NC5.5
75Mooresville, NC5.5
76Matthews, NC5.5
77Harrisburg, NC5.4
78Mint Hill, NC5.2
79Belmont, NC4.9
80Holly Springs, NC4.8
81Waxhaw, NC4.4
82Summerfield, NC4.3
83Wake Forest, NC4.2
84Mount Holly, NC4.1
85Huntersville, NC4.1
86Indian Trail, NC4
87Fuquay-Varina, NC3.9
88Knightdale, NC3.6
89Rolesville, NC3.4
90Wendell, NC3
91Winterville, NC2.7
92Stallings, NC2.3
93Weddington, NC2.3

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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-cities?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_north_carolina_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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-cities?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/north-carolina-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 North Carolina by housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

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

Morehead City, NC, with 22.6% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Weddington, NC, with 2.3% 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 North Carolina: more rankings