Data / Rankings / Rental vacancy rate (US) / US states

US states by rental vacancy rate (US)

North Dakota had the highest rental vacancy rate (US) of 51 states in 2018, at 14.3%. Rhode Island had the lowest, at 3.2%. The median was 7.1% and the figure for the United States was 6.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest14.3North Dakota
Lowest3.2Rhode Island
Median7.151 states
United States6.9History

Map of states, 2018

Alabama: 13.2 %Alaska: 11.1 %Arizona: 6 %Arkansas: 9.9 %California: 4.4 %Colorado: 3.4 %Connecticut: 6.1 %Delaware: 7.1 %District of Columbia: 7.9 %Florida: 8.2 %Georgia: 7.1 %Hawaii: 8.5 %Idaho: 5.5 %Illinois: 7.4 %Indiana: 9 %Iowa: 7.4 %Kansas: 10.5 %Kentucky: 6.2 %Louisiana: 10.1 %Maine: 4.4 %Maryland: 9 %Massachusetts: 4.2 %Michigan: 7.4 %Minnesota: 5 %Mississippi: 9.7 %Missouri: 10 %Montana: 5.9 %Nebraska: 7.3 %Nevada: 6.2 %New Hampshire: 3.7 %New Jersey: 5 %New Mexico: 9.1 %New York: 5.2 %North Carolina: 7.1 %North Dakota: 14.3 %Ohio: 7.1 %Oklahoma: 11.6 %Oregon: 4.6 %Pennsylvania: 6.7 %Rhode Island: 3.2 %South Carolina: 11 %South Dakota: 7.3 %Tennessee: 8.6 %Texas: 8.9 %Utah: 5.4 %Vermont: 4.2 %Virginia: 6.5 %Washington: 5.1 %West Virginia: 7.4 %Wisconsin: 4.6 %Wyoming: 13 %
  • Under 4.7
  • 4.7 to 6.1
  • 6.1 to 7.1
  • 7.1 to 8.3
  • 8.3 to 10
  • 10 and over
%, 2018. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership (CPS/HVS) annual statistics, Table 3, rental vacancy rates by state, United States and states, annual averages. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2018

North Dakota: 14.3 %North Dakota14.3Alabama: 13.2 %Alabama13.2Wyoming: 13 %Wyoming13Oklahoma: 11.6 %Oklahoma11.6Alaska: 11.1 %Alaska11.1South Carolina: 11 %South Carolina11Kansas: 10.5 %Kansas10.5Louisiana: 10.1 %Louisiana10.1Missouri: 10 %Missouri10Arkansas: 9.9 %Arkansas9.9Mississippi: 9.7 %Mississippi9.7New Mexico: 9.1 %New Mexico9.1Indiana: 9 %Indiana9Maryland: 9 %Maryland9Texas: 8.9 %Texas8.9Tennessee: 8.6 %Tennessee8.6Hawaii: 8.5 %Hawaii8.5Florida: 8.2 %Florida8.2District of Columbia: 7.9 %District of Columbia7.9Illinois: 7.4 %Illinois7.4Iowa: 7.4 %Iowa7.4Michigan: 7.4 %Michigan7.4West Virginia: 7.4 %West Virginia7.4Nebraska: 7.3 %Nebraska7.3South Dakota: 7.3 %South Dakota7.3Delaware: 7.1 %Delaware7.1Georgia: 7.1 %Georgia7.1North Carolina: 7.1 %North Carolina7.1Ohio: 7.1 %Ohio7.1Pennsylvania: 6.7 %Pennsylvania6.7Virginia: 6.5 %Virginia6.5Kentucky: 6.2 %Kentucky6.2Nevada: 6.2 %Nevada6.2Connecticut: 6.1 %Connecticut6.1Arizona: 6 %Arizona6Montana: 5.9 %Montana5.9Idaho: 5.5 %Idaho5.5Utah: 5.4 %Utah5.4New York: 5.2 %New York5.2Washington: 5.1 %Washington5.1Minnesota: 5 %Minnesota5New Jersey: 5 %New Jersey5Oregon: 4.6 %Oregon4.6Wisconsin: 4.6 %Wisconsin4.6California: 4.4 %California4.4Maine: 4.4 %Maine4.4Massachusetts: 4.2 %Massachusetts4.2Vermont: 4.2 %Vermont4.2New Hampshire: 3.7 %New Hampshire3.7Colorado: 3.4 %Colorado3.4Rhode Island: 3.2 %Rhode Island3.2North Dakota: 14.3 %North Dakota14.3Alabama: 13.2 %Alabama13.2Wyoming: 13 %Wyoming13Oklahoma: 11.6 %Oklahoma11.6Alaska: 11.1 %Alaska11.1South Carolina: 11 %South Carolina11Kansas: 10.5 %Kansas10.5Louisiana: 10.1 %Louisiana10.1Missouri: 10 %Missouri10Arkansas: 9.9 %Arkansas9.9Mississippi: 9.7 %Mississippi9.7New Mexico: 9.1 %New Mexico9.1Indiana: 9 %Indiana9Maryland: 9 %Maryland9Texas: 8.9 %Texas8.9Tennessee: 8.6 %Tennessee8.6Hawaii: 8.5 %Hawaii8.5Florida: 8.2 %Florida8.2District of Columbia: 7.9 %District of Columbia7.9Illinois: 7.4 %Illinois7.4Iowa: 7.4 %Iowa7.4Michigan: 7.4 %Michigan7.4West Virginia: 7.4 %West Virginia7.4Nebraska: 7.3 %Nebraska7.3South Dakota: 7.3 %South Dakota7.3Delaware: 7.1 %Delaware7.1Georgia: 7.1 %Georgia7.1North Carolina: 7.1 %North Carolina7.1Ohio: 7.1 %Ohio7.1Pennsylvania: 6.7 %Pennsylvania6.7Virginia: 6.5 %Virginia6.5Kentucky: 6.2 %Kentucky6.2Nevada: 6.2 %Nevada6.2Connecticut: 6.1 %Connecticut6.1Arizona: 6 %Arizona6Montana: 5.9 %Montana5.9Idaho: 5.5 %Idaho5.5Utah: 5.4 %Utah5.4New York: 5.2 %New York5.2Washington: 5.1 %Washington5.1Minnesota: 5 %Minnesota5New Jersey: 5 %New Jersey5Oregon: 4.6 %Oregon4.6Wisconsin: 4.6 %Wisconsin4.6California: 4.4 %California4.4Maine: 4.4 %Maine4.4Massachusetts: 4.2 %Massachusetts4.2Vermont: 4.2 %Vermont4.2New Hampshire: 3.7 %New Hampshire3.7Colorado: 3.4 %Colorado3.4Rhode Island: 3.2 %Rhode Island3.2
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership (CPS/HVS) annual statistics, Table 3, rental vacancy rates by state, United States and states, annual averages. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2018 (%)Change on 2017
1North Dakota14.3-2.4 pts
2Alabama13.2-0.8 pts
3Wyoming13-1.7 pts
4Oklahoma11.6+2.5 pts
5Alaska11.1+3.7 pts
6South Carolina11+0.6 pts
7Kansas10.5-1 pts
8Louisiana10.1-0.6 pts
9Missouri10+0.1 pts
10Arkansas9.9-1.7 pts
11Mississippi9.7-2.1 pts
12New Mexico9.1-1.4 pts
13Indiana9-1.4 pts
13Maryland9+1.2 pts
15Texas8.9-0.9 pts
16Tennessee8.6+0.8 pts
17Hawaii8.5-0.2 pts
18Florida8.2-0.3 pts
19District of Columbia7.9+0.8 pts
20Illinois7.4-0.6 pts
20Iowa7.4+0.4 pts
20Michigan7.4-0.2 pts
20West Virginia7.4-1.3 pts
24Nebraska7.3+0.3 pts
24South Dakota7.3+0.1 pts
26Delaware7.1+0.7 pts
26Georgia7.1-0.5 pts
26North Carolina7.1-0.7 pts
26Ohio7.1+0.5 pts
30Pennsylvania6.7-0.5 pts
31Virginia6.5-0.2 pts
32Kentucky6.2-1.2 pts
32Nevada6.2-0.5 pts
34Connecticut6.1-0.7 pts
35Arizona6-1.5 pts
36Montana5.9-1 pts
37Idaho5.5-2.2 pts
38Utah5.4-0.8 pts
39New York5.20 pts
40Washington5.1+1.6 pts
41Minnesota5-0.8 pts
41New Jersey5+0.1 pts
43Oregon4.6-1 pts
43Wisconsin4.6-0.2 pts
45California4.4+0.1 pts
45Maine4.4+0.4 pts
47Massachusetts4.2-0.7 pts
47Vermont4.2+0.6 pts
49New Hampshire3.70 pts
50Colorado3.4-2.1 pts
51Rhode Island3.2-0.3 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Vacant housing units available for year-round use and offered for rent as a percentage of the rental inventory (renter-occupied units, vacant units for rent and units rented but not yet occupied). Annual CPS/HVS average for the United States and states. Seasonal and other off-market vacancies are excluded.

Annual CPS/HVS survey estimates, distinct from ACS five-year estimates. State figures have sampling uncertainty, so a small change need not be statistically significant. Revised columns published on a new basis replace the original year and are marked as series breaks. Pandemic restrictions changed interviewing in 2020 and 2021, affecting comparability. The 2025 average covers 11 months: October was not collected during the lapse in federal funding, increasing uncertainty.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Housing Vacancies and Homeownership (CPS/HVS) annual statistics, Table 3, rental vacancy rates by state, United States and states, annual averages. https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/files/annual25/ann25t_3.xlsx. 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). Housing Vacancies and Homeownership (CPS/HVS) annual statistics, Table 3, rental vacancy rates by state, United States and states, annual averages (US states by rental vacancy rate (US), 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/files/annual25/ann25t_3.xlsx

MLA 9

Housing Vacancies and Homeownership (CPS/HVS) annual statistics, Table 3, rental vacancy rates by state, United States and states, annual averages, US states by rental vacancy rate (US), 2018. U.S. Census Bureau, 28 Apr. 2026, https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/files/annual25/ann25t_3.xlsx. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rental-vacancy-rate/us-states?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Housing Vacancies and Homeownership (CPS/HVS) annual statistics, Table 3, rental vacancy rates by state, United States and states, annual averages. US states by rental vacancy rate (US), 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/files/annual25/ann25t_3.xlsx. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rental-vacancy-rate/us-states?period=2018.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Housing Vacancies and Homeownership (CPS/HVS) annual statistics, Table 3, rental vacancy rates by state, United States and states, annual averages, US states by rental vacancy rate (US), 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/files/annual25/ann25t_3.xlsx, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/rental-vacancy-rate/us-states?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_rental_2018,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Housing Vacancies and Homeownership (CPS/HVS) annual statistics, Table 3, rental vacancy rates by state, United States and states, annual averages: US states by rental vacancy rate (US), 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/files/annual25/ann25t_3.xlsx},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rental-vacancy-rate/us-states?period=2018. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Housing Vacancies and Homeownership (CPS/HVS) annual statistics, Table 3, rental vacancy rates by state, United States and states, annual averages. https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/files/annual25/ann25t\_3.xlsx. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Housing Vacancies and Homeownership (CPS/HVS) annual statistics, Table 3, rental vacancy rates by state, United States and states, annual averages: US states by rental vacancy rate (US), 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/04/28
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/files/annual25/ann25t_3.xlsx
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/rental-vacancy-rate/us-states?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rental-vacancy-rate/us-states?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Housing Vacancies and Homeownership (CPS/HVS) annual statistics, Table 3, rental vacancy rates by state, United States and states, annual averages. https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/files/annual25/ann25t_3.xlsx. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest rental vacancy rate (US)?

North Dakota, with 14.3% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest rental vacancy rate (US)?

Rhode Island, with 3.2% in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership (CPS/HVS) annual statistics, Table 3, rental vacancy rates by state, United States and states, annual averages. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings