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 2023, at 53.3%. Union County had the lowest, at 5.2%. The median was 14.7% and the figure for North Carolina was 13.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest53.3Avery County
Lowest5.2Union County
Median14.7100 counties
North Carolina13.1History

Map of counties, 2023

Alamance County: 9.3 %Alexander County: 13.8 %Alleghany County: 34.9 %Anson County: 16.3 %Ashe County: 29.9 %Avery County: 53.3 %Beaufort County: 21.7 %Bertie County: 21.9 %Bladen County: 23.8 %Brunswick County: 31.4 %Buncombe County: 22.3 %Burke County: 10.5 %Cabarrus County: 12 %Caldwell County: 12 %Camden County: 6.6 %Carteret County: 39.6 %Caswell County: 17.3 %Catawba County: 9.5 %Chatham County: 7.9 %Cherokee County: 28.3 %Chowan County: 16.5 %Clay County: 32 %Cleveland County: 15.4 %Columbus County: 18.4 %Craven County: 12.5 %Cumberland County: 10.5 %Currituck County: 30.9 %Dare County: 52.7 %Davidson County: 9.4 %Davie County: 11.6 %Duplin County: 15.6 %Durham County: 7.1 %Edgecombe County: 16 %Forsyth County: 10.1 %Franklin County: 10.9 %Gaston County: 7.8 %Gates County: 12.3 %Graham County: 36.8 %Granville County: 9.8 %Greene County: 13.6 %Guilford County: 8.5 %Halifax County: 18.4 %Harnett County: 10 %Haywood County: 24.2 %Henderson County: 12.1 %Hertford County: 15.3 %Hoke County: 8.8 %Hyde County: 33.2 %Iredell County: 9.6 %Jackson County: 33.7 %Johnston County: 6.8 %Jones County: 16.3 %Lee County: 8.2 %Lenoir County: 14.3 %Lincoln County: 7.5 %McDowell County: 14.1 %Macon County: 33.2 %Madison County: 25 %Martin County: 15.7 %Mecklenburg County: 7.4 %Mitchell County: 26.1 %Montgomery County: 32.5 %Moore County: 13.4 %Nash County: 12.4 %New Hanover County: 12.7 %Northampton County: 28.5 %Onslow County: 15.6 %Orange County: 9.1 %Pamlico County: 27.8 %Pasquotank County: 12.4 %Pender County: 22.1 %Perquimans County: 19.3 %Person County: 12.3 %Pitt County: 10.1 %Polk County: 20.3 %Randolph County: 8.9 %Richmond County: 15 %Robeson County: 12.5 %Rockingham County: 10.7 %Rowan County: 10.1 %Rutherford County: 18.6 %Sampson County: 17.2 %Scotland County: 14.2 %Stanly County: 13.6 %Stokes County: 9.3 %Surry County: 12.6 %Swain County: 31.6 %Transylvania County: 23.8 %Tyrrell County: 28.8 %Union County: 5.2 %Vance County: 17.2 %Wake County: 7.5 %Warren County: 31.3 %Washington County: 20.1 %Watauga County: 35.9 %Wayne County: 11.8 %Wilkes County: 15 %Wilson County: 10.5 %Yadkin County: 13.2 %Yancey County: 27.7 %
  • Under 9.4
  • 9.4 to 12
  • 12 to 15
  • 15 to 19
  • 19 to 29
  • 29 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

Avery County: 53.3 %Avery County53.3Dare County: 52.7 %Dare County52.7Carteret County: 39.6 %Carteret County39.6Graham County: 36.8 %Graham County36.8Watauga County: 35.9 %Watauga County35.9Alleghany County: 34.9 %Alleghany County34.9Jackson County: 33.7 %Jackson County33.7Hyde County: 33.2 %Hyde County33.2Macon County: 33.2 %Macon County33.2Montgomery County: 32.5 %Montgomery County32.5Clay County: 32 %Clay County32Swain County: 31.6 %Swain County31.6Brunswick County: 31.4 %Brunswick County31.4Warren County: 31.3 %Warren County31.3Currituck County: 30.9 %Currituck County30.9Ashe County: 29.9 %Ashe County29.9Tyrrell County: 28.8 %Tyrrell County28.8Northampton County: 28.5 %Northampton County28.5Cherokee County: 28.3 %Cherokee County28.3Pamlico County: 27.8 %Pamlico County27.8Yancey County: 27.7 %Yancey County27.7Mitchell County: 26.1 %Mitchell County26.1Madison County: 25 %Madison County25Haywood County: 24.2 %Haywood County24.2Bladen County: 23.8 %Bladen County23.8Transylvania County: 23.8 %Transylvania County23.8Buncombe County: 22.3 %Buncombe County22.3Pender County: 22.1 %Pender County22.1Bertie County: 21.9 %Bertie County21.9Beaufort County: 21.7 %Beaufort County21.7Polk County: 20.3 %Polk County20.3Washington County: 20.1 %Washington County20.1Perquimans County: 19.3 %Perquimans County19.3Rutherford County: 18.6 %Rutherford County18.6Halifax County: 18.4 %Halifax County18.4Columbus County: 18.4 %Columbus County18.4Caswell County: 17.3 %Caswell County17.3Vance County: 17.2 %Vance County17.2Sampson County: 17.2 %Sampson County17.2Chowan County: 16.5 %Chowan County16.5Avery County: 53.3 %Avery County53.3Dare County: 52.7 %Dare County52.7Carteret County: 39.6 %Carteret County39.6Graham County: 36.8 %Graham County36.8Watauga County: 35.9 %Watauga County35.9Alleghany County: 34.9 %Alleghany County34.9Jackson County: 33.7 %Jackson County33.7Hyde County: 33.2 %Hyde County33.2Macon County: 33.2 %Macon County33.2Montgomery County: 32.5 %Montgomery County32.5Clay County: 32 %Clay County32Swain County: 31.6 %Swain County31.6Brunswick County: 31.4 %Brunswick County31.4Warren County: 31.3 %Warren County31.3Currituck County: 30.9 %Currituck County30.9Ashe County: 29.9 %Ashe County29.9Tyrrell County: 28.8 %Tyrrell County28.8Northampton County: 28.5 %Northampton County28.5Cherokee County: 28.3 %Cherokee County28.3Pamlico County: 27.8 %Pamlico County27.8Yancey County: 27.7 %Yancey County27.7Mitchell County: 26.1 %Mitchell County26.1Madison County: 25 %Madison County25Haywood County: 24.2 %Haywood County24.2Bladen County: 23.8 %Bladen County23.8Transylvania County: 23.8 %Transylvania County23.8Buncombe County: 22.3 %Buncombe County22.3Pender County: 22.1 %Pender County22.1Bertie County: 21.9 %Bertie County21.9Beaufort County: 21.7 %Beaufort County21.7Polk County: 20.3 %Polk County20.3Washington County: 20.1 %Washington County20.1Perquimans County: 19.3 %Perquimans County19.3Rutherford County: 18.6 %Rutherford County18.6Halifax County: 18.4 %Halifax County18.4Columbus County: 18.4 %Columbus County18.4Caswell County: 17.3 %Caswell County17.3Vance County: 17.2 %Vance County17.2Sampson County: 17.2 %Sampson County17.2Chowan County: 16.5 %Chowan County16.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Avery County53.3-0.1 pts
2Dare County52.7-0.7 pts
3Carteret County39.6-0.9 pts
4Graham County36.8-2.9 pts
5Watauga County35.9+0.5 pts
6Alleghany County34.9-1.2 pts
7Jackson County33.7-0.6 pts
8Hyde County33.2+1.4 pts
9Macon County33.2-2.3 pts
10Montgomery County32.5-3.8 pts
11Clay County32-1.2 pts
12Swain County31.6-1.2 pts
13Brunswick County31.4-1.2 pts
14Warren County31.3-1.5 pts
15Currituck County30.9-0.6 pts
16Ashe County29.9-0.7 pts
17Tyrrell County28.8+2.1 pts
18Northampton County28.5-1.5 pts
19Cherokee County28.3-0.9 pts
20Pamlico County27.8-1 pts
21Yancey County27.7-2.6 pts
22Mitchell County26.1+0.8 pts
23Madison County25+1.2 pts
24Haywood County24.2-0.3 pts
25Bladen County23.8-2 pts
26Transylvania County23.8-0.9 pts
27Buncombe County22.3+1.4 pts
28Pender County22.1-1.1 pts
29Bertie County21.9-0.6 pts
30Beaufort County21.7-0.3 pts
31Polk County20.3-1.2 pts
32Washington County20.1+0.9 pts
33Perquimans County19.3-0 pts
34Rutherford County18.6-0.9 pts
35Halifax County18.4-0.5 pts
36Columbus County18.4-0.5 pts
37Caswell County17.3-1.6 pts
38Vance County17.2+0.4 pts
39Sampson County17.2+0.5 pts
40Chowan County16.5+3.3 pts
41Anson County16.3-0.7 pts
42Jones County16.3-2 pts
43Edgecombe County16-0.7 pts
44Martin County15.7-0.3 pts
45Duplin County15.6+0.7 pts
46Onslow County15.6-0.4 pts
47Cleveland County15.4-1.1 pts
48Hertford County15.3-0 pts
49Wilkes County15+0.9 pts
50Richmond County15-1 pts
51Lenoir County14.3-0.7 pts
52Scotland County14.2-1.1 pts
53McDowell County14.1-0.6 pts
54Alexander County13.8-0.3 pts
55Greene County13.6-0.3 pts
55Stanly County13.6-0.9 pts
57Moore County13.4-0.7 pts
58Yadkin County13.2+0.3 pts
59New Hanover County12.7-0.1 pts
60Surry County12.6-1 pts
61Robeson County12.5-0.4 pts
62Craven County12.5-0.3 pts
63Nash County12.4-0.3 pts
64Pasquotank County12.4+0.8 pts
65Person County12.3+0.1 pts
66Gates County12.3-1.7 pts
67Henderson County12.1-0.7 pts
68Cabarrus County12-0.7 pts
69Caldwell County12-1.5 pts
70Wayne County11.8+0.5 pts
71Davie County11.6-1 pts
72Franklin County10.9-0.2 pts
73Rockingham County10.7-0.5 pts
74Cumberland County10.5-0.7 pts
75Wilson County10.5-0.9 pts
76Burke County10.5-1.1 pts
77Rowan County10.1-0.7 pts
78Pitt County10.1-0.6 pts
79Forsyth County10.1-0.4 pts
80Harnett County10-0.1 pts
81Granville County9.8-1.9 pts
82Iredell County9.6+0.2 pts
83Catawba County9.5+0.2 pts
84Davidson County9.4-0.3 pts
85Alamance County9.3+0.3 pts
86Stokes County9.3-1.5 pts
87Orange County9.1-0.1 pts
88Randolph County8.9-1.3 pts
89Hoke County8.8-0.2 pts
90Guilford County8.5-0.3 pts
91Lee County8.2-1.3 pts
92Chatham County7.9-1.1 pts
93Gaston County7.8-0.5 pts
94Lincoln County7.5+0.1 pts
94Wake County7.5-0.2 pts
96Mecklenburg County7.4+0.2 pts
97Durham County7.1+0.2 pts
98Johnston County6.8-0.1 pts
99Camden County6.6-0.6 pts
100Union County5.2-0.1 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-vacancy-rate-all-vacant-units/north-carolina-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)?

Avery County, with 53.3% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Union County, with 5.2% 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 North Carolina: more rankings