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

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

Avery County had the highest housing vacancy rate, all vacant units (US) of 100 counties in 2021, at 53.9%. Union County had the lowest, at 5.5%. The median was 15.3% and the figure for North Carolina was 13.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest53.9Avery County
Lowest5.5Union County
Median15.3100 counties
North Carolina13.7History

Map of counties, 2021

Alamance County: 8.7 %Alexander County: 15.6 %Alleghany County: 38.2 %Anson County: 16.4 %Ashe County: 31.1 %Avery County: 53.9 %Beaufort County: 23.5 %Bertie County: 20.5 %Bladen County: 25.7 %Brunswick County: 33.9 %Buncombe County: 19 %Burke County: 13.3 %Cabarrus County: 12.6 %Caldwell County: 14.1 %Camden County: 8 %Carteret County: 40.6 %Caswell County: 18 %Catawba County: 9.8 %Chatham County: 9.8 %Cherokee County: 30.7 %Chowan County: 12.4 %Clay County: 29.4 %Cleveland County: 15.9 %Columbus County: 19.1 %Craven County: 13.6 %Cumberland County: 12.2 %Currituck County: 32.5 %Dare County: 53.7 %Davidson County: 10 %Davie County: 12.3 %Duplin County: 17.3 %Durham County: 6.7 %Edgecombe County: 17.3 %Forsyth County: 10.7 %Franklin County: 12.1 %Gaston County: 8.7 %Gates County: 14.1 %Graham County: 40.7 %Granville County: 12.4 %Greene County: 14.2 %Guilford County: 9.4 %Halifax County: 19.4 %Harnett County: 10.4 %Haywood County: 24.3 %Henderson County: 13.8 %Hertford County: 16.7 %Hoke County: 12 %Hyde County: 32.9 %Iredell County: 9.5 %Jackson County: 36.5 %Johnston County: 7.4 %Jones County: 19.3 %Lee County: 9.5 %Lenoir County: 14.7 %Lincoln County: 8 %McDowell County: 14.2 %Macon County: 35.9 %Madison County: 24.7 %Martin County: 16.9 %Mecklenburg County: 7.2 %Mitchell County: 25.7 %Montgomery County: 39 %Moore County: 15.2 %Nash County: 13.1 %New Hanover County: 12.9 %Northampton County: 30.8 %Onslow County: 16.7 %Orange County: 9.2 %Pamlico County: 28.9 %Pasquotank County: 13.2 %Pender County: 23.6 %Perquimans County: 16.9 %Person County: 12.9 %Pitt County: 11 %Polk County: 20.9 %Randolph County: 10 %Richmond County: 17.6 %Robeson County: 13.7 %Rockingham County: 12.7 %Rowan County: 11.8 %Rutherford County: 20.6 %Sampson County: 17.2 %Scotland County: 15.4 %Stanly County: 14.4 %Stokes County: 11.8 %Surry County: 14.6 %Swain County: 34.5 %Transylvania County: 25.9 %Tyrrell County: 26.5 %Union County: 5.5 %Vance County: 17.1 %Wake County: 7.2 %Warren County: 32 %Washington County: 18.9 %Watauga County: 36.2 %Wayne County: 11.3 %Wilkes County: 14.2 %Wilson County: 11.7 %Yadkin County: 12.8 %Yancey County: 32.1 %
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 13
  • 13 to 15
  • 15 to 19
  • 19 to 31
  • 31 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Avery County: 53.9 %Avery County53.9Dare County: 53.7 %Dare County53.7Graham County: 40.7 %Graham County40.7Carteret County: 40.6 %Carteret County40.6Montgomery County: 39 %Montgomery County39Alleghany County: 38.2 %Alleghany County38.2Jackson County: 36.5 %Jackson County36.5Watauga County: 36.2 %Watauga County36.2Macon County: 35.9 %Macon County35.9Swain County: 34.5 %Swain County34.5Brunswick County: 33.9 %Brunswick County33.9Hyde County: 32.9 %Hyde County32.9Currituck County: 32.5 %Currituck County32.5Yancey County: 32.1 %Yancey County32.1Warren County: 32 %Warren County32Ashe County: 31.1 %Ashe County31.1Northampton County: 30.8 %Northampton County30.8Cherokee County: 30.7 %Cherokee County30.7Clay County: 29.4 %Clay County29.4Pamlico County: 28.9 %Pamlico County28.9Tyrrell County: 26.5 %Tyrrell County26.5Transylvania County: 25.9 %Transylvania County25.9Mitchell County: 25.7 %Mitchell County25.7Bladen County: 25.7 %Bladen County25.7Madison County: 24.7 %Madison County24.7Haywood County: 24.3 %Haywood County24.3Pender County: 23.6 %Pender County23.6Beaufort County: 23.5 %Beaufort County23.5Polk County: 20.9 %Polk County20.9Rutherford County: 20.6 %Rutherford County20.6Bertie County: 20.5 %Bertie County20.5Halifax County: 19.4 %Halifax County19.4Jones County: 19.3 %Jones County19.3Columbus County: 19.1 %Columbus County19.1Buncombe County: 19 %Buncombe County19Washington County: 18.9 %Washington County18.9Caswell County: 18 %Caswell County18Richmond County: 17.6 %Richmond County17.6Edgecombe County: 17.3 %Edgecombe County17.3Duplin County: 17.3 %Duplin County17.3Avery County: 53.9 %Avery County53.9Dare County: 53.7 %Dare County53.7Graham County: 40.7 %Graham County40.7Carteret County: 40.6 %Carteret County40.6Montgomery County: 39 %Montgomery County39Alleghany County: 38.2 %Alleghany County38.2Jackson County: 36.5 %Jackson County36.5Watauga County: 36.2 %Watauga County36.2Macon County: 35.9 %Macon County35.9Swain County: 34.5 %Swain County34.5Brunswick County: 33.9 %Brunswick County33.9Hyde County: 32.9 %Hyde County32.9Currituck County: 32.5 %Currituck County32.5Yancey County: 32.1 %Yancey County32.1Warren County: 32 %Warren County32Ashe County: 31.1 %Ashe County31.1Northampton County: 30.8 %Northampton County30.8Cherokee County: 30.7 %Cherokee County30.7Clay County: 29.4 %Clay County29.4Pamlico County: 28.9 %Pamlico County28.9Tyrrell County: 26.5 %Tyrrell County26.5Transylvania County: 25.9 %Transylvania County25.9Mitchell County: 25.7 %Mitchell County25.7Bladen County: 25.7 %Bladen County25.7Madison County: 24.7 %Madison County24.7Haywood County: 24.3 %Haywood County24.3Pender County: 23.6 %Pender County23.6Beaufort County: 23.5 %Beaufort County23.5Polk County: 20.9 %Polk County20.9Rutherford County: 20.6 %Rutherford County20.6Bertie County: 20.5 %Bertie County20.5Halifax County: 19.4 %Halifax County19.4Jones County: 19.3 %Jones County19.3Columbus County: 19.1 %Columbus County19.1Buncombe County: 19 %Buncombe County19Washington County: 18.9 %Washington County18.9Caswell County: 18 %Caswell County18Richmond County: 17.6 %Richmond County17.6Edgecombe County: 17.3 %Edgecombe County17.3Duplin County: 17.3 %Duplin County17.3
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Avery County53.9
2Dare County53.7
3Graham County40.7
4Carteret County40.6
5Montgomery County39
6Alleghany County38.2
7Jackson County36.5
8Watauga County36.2
9Macon County35.9
10Swain County34.5
11Brunswick County33.9
12Hyde County32.9
13Currituck County32.5
14Yancey County32.1
15Warren County32
16Ashe County31.1
17Northampton County30.8
18Cherokee County30.7
19Clay County29.4
20Pamlico County28.9
21Tyrrell County26.5
22Transylvania County25.9
23Mitchell County25.7
24Bladen County25.7
25Madison County24.7
26Haywood County24.3
27Pender County23.6
28Beaufort County23.5
29Polk County20.9
30Rutherford County20.6
31Bertie County20.5
32Halifax County19.4
33Jones County19.3
34Columbus County19.1
35Buncombe County19
36Washington County18.9
37Caswell County18
38Richmond County17.6
39Edgecombe County17.3
40Duplin County17.3
41Sampson County17.2
42Vance County17.1
43Perquimans County16.9
44Martin County16.9
45Hertford County16.7
45Onslow County16.7
47Anson County16.4
48Cleveland County15.9
49Alexander County15.6
50Scotland County15.4
51Moore County15.2
52Lenoir County14.7
53Surry County14.6
54Stanly County14.4
55Wilkes County14.2
56McDowell County14.2
57Greene County14.2
58Caldwell County14.1
58Gates County14.1
60Henderson County13.8
61Robeson County13.7
62Craven County13.6
63Burke County13.3
64Pasquotank County13.2
65Nash County13.1
66New Hanover County12.9
67Person County12.9
68Yadkin County12.8
69Rockingham County12.7
70Cabarrus County12.6
71Granville County12.4
72Chowan County12.4
73Davie County12.3
74Cumberland County12.2
75Franklin County12.1
76Hoke County12
77Stokes County11.8
78Rowan County11.8
79Wilson County11.7
80Wayne County11.3
81Pitt County11
82Forsyth County10.7
83Harnett County10.4
84Randolph County10
85Davidson County10
86Catawba County9.8
87Chatham County9.8
88Iredell County9.5
88Lee County9.5
90Guilford County9.4
91Orange County9.2
92Alamance County8.7
93Gaston County8.7
94Camden County8
95Lincoln County8
96Johnston County7.4
97Mecklenburg County7.2
98Wake County7.2
99Durham County6.7
100Union County5.5

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/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 (Counties 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, Counties 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-counties?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. Counties 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-counties?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, Counties 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-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_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: Counties 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-counties?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. 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: Counties 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-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/north-carolina-counties?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. 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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Questions

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

Avery County, with 53.9% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Union County, with 5.5% 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. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings