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

US states by rental vacancy rate (US)

Alabama had the highest rental vacancy rate (US) of 51 states in 2020, at 13.6%. New Hampshire had the lowest, at 2.4%. The median was 6.5% and the figure for the United States was 6.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest13.6Alabama
Lowest2.4New Hampshire
Median6.551 states
United States6.3History

Map of states, 2020

Alabama: 13.6 %Alaska: 7 %Arizona: 5.5 %Arkansas: 8.4 %California: 4 %Colorado: 4 %Connecticut: 5.6 %Delaware: 6.1 %District of Columbia: 8.2 %Florida: 7.3 %Georgia: 7.1 %Hawaii: 7.5 %Idaho: 4.4 %Illinois: 7.9 %Indiana: 9.3 %Iowa: 8.9 %Kansas: 12.1 %Kentucky: 6.1 %Louisiana: 8 %Maine: 3.5 %Maryland: 5.6 %Massachusetts: 4.6 %Michigan: 6.4 %Minnesota: 4.6 %Mississippi: 8.6 %Missouri: 6.7 %Montana: 4.4 %Nebraska: 6.5 %Nevada: 5.2 %New Hampshire: 2.4 %New Jersey: 2.9 %New Mexico: 6.5 %New York: 5.5 %North Carolina: 5.8 %North Dakota: 13.6 %Ohio: 6.1 %Oklahoma: 8.4 %Oregon: 4.7 %Pennsylvania: 7.5 %Rhode Island: 2.6 %South Carolina: 9.7 %South Dakota: 9 %Tennessee: 8 %Texas: 8.6 %Utah: 5.3 %Vermont: 3.3 %Virginia: 6.5 %Washington: 3.8 %West Virginia: 6.5 %Wisconsin: 4.3 %Wyoming: 9.4 %
  • Under 4.3
  • 4.3 to 5.5
  • 5.5 to 6.5
  • 6.5 to 7.5
  • 7.5 to 8.6
  • 8.6 and over
%, 2020. 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, 2020

Alabama: 13.6 %Alabama13.6North Dakota: 13.6 %North Dakota13.6Kansas: 12.1 %Kansas12.1South Carolina: 9.7 %South Carolina9.7Wyoming: 9.4 %Wyoming9.4Indiana: 9.3 %Indiana9.3South Dakota: 9 %South Dakota9Iowa: 8.9 %Iowa8.9Mississippi: 8.6 %Mississippi8.6Texas: 8.6 %Texas8.6Arkansas: 8.4 %Arkansas8.4Oklahoma: 8.4 %Oklahoma8.4District of Columbia: 8.2 %District of Columbia8.2Louisiana: 8 %Louisiana8Tennessee: 8 %Tennessee8Illinois: 7.9 %Illinois7.9Hawaii: 7.5 %Hawaii7.5Pennsylvania: 7.5 %Pennsylvania7.5Florida: 7.3 %Florida7.3Georgia: 7.1 %Georgia7.1Alaska: 7 %Alaska7Missouri: 6.7 %Missouri6.7Nebraska: 6.5 %Nebraska6.5New Mexico: 6.5 %New Mexico6.5Virginia: 6.5 %Virginia6.5West Virginia: 6.5 %West Virginia6.5Michigan: 6.4 %Michigan6.4Delaware: 6.1 %Delaware6.1Kentucky: 6.1 %Kentucky6.1Ohio: 6.1 %Ohio6.1North Carolina: 5.8 %North Carolina5.8Connecticut: 5.6 %Connecticut5.6Maryland: 5.6 %Maryland5.6Arizona: 5.5 %Arizona5.5New York: 5.5 %New York5.5Utah: 5.3 %Utah5.3Nevada: 5.2 %Nevada5.2Oregon: 4.7 %Oregon4.7Massachusetts: 4.6 %Massachusetts4.6Minnesota: 4.6 %Minnesota4.6Idaho: 4.4 %Idaho4.4Montana: 4.4 %Montana4.4Wisconsin: 4.3 %Wisconsin4.3California: 4 %California4Colorado: 4 %Colorado4Washington: 3.8 %Washington3.8Maine: 3.5 %Maine3.5Vermont: 3.3 %Vermont3.3New Jersey: 2.9 %New Jersey2.9Rhode Island: 2.6 %Rhode Island2.6New Hampshire: 2.4 %New Hampshire2.4Alabama: 13.6 %Alabama13.6North Dakota: 13.6 %North Dakota13.6Kansas: 12.1 %Kansas12.1South Carolina: 9.7 %South Carolina9.7Wyoming: 9.4 %Wyoming9.4Indiana: 9.3 %Indiana9.3South Dakota: 9 %South Dakota9Iowa: 8.9 %Iowa8.9Mississippi: 8.6 %Mississippi8.6Texas: 8.6 %Texas8.6Arkansas: 8.4 %Arkansas8.4Oklahoma: 8.4 %Oklahoma8.4District of Columbia: 8.2 %District of Columbia8.2Louisiana: 8 %Louisiana8Tennessee: 8 %Tennessee8Illinois: 7.9 %Illinois7.9Hawaii: 7.5 %Hawaii7.5Pennsylvania: 7.5 %Pennsylvania7.5Florida: 7.3 %Florida7.3Georgia: 7.1 %Georgia7.1Alaska: 7 %Alaska7Missouri: 6.7 %Missouri6.7Nebraska: 6.5 %Nebraska6.5New Mexico: 6.5 %New Mexico6.5Virginia: 6.5 %Virginia6.5West Virginia: 6.5 %West Virginia6.5Michigan: 6.4 %Michigan6.4Delaware: 6.1 %Delaware6.1Kentucky: 6.1 %Kentucky6.1Ohio: 6.1 %Ohio6.1North Carolina: 5.8 %North Carolina5.8Connecticut: 5.6 %Connecticut5.6Maryland: 5.6 %Maryland5.6Arizona: 5.5 %Arizona5.5New York: 5.5 %New York5.5Utah: 5.3 %Utah5.3Nevada: 5.2 %Nevada5.2Oregon: 4.7 %Oregon4.7Massachusetts: 4.6 %Massachusetts4.6Minnesota: 4.6 %Minnesota4.6Idaho: 4.4 %Idaho4.4Montana: 4.4 %Montana4.4Wisconsin: 4.3 %Wisconsin4.3California: 4 %California4Colorado: 4 %Colorado4Washington: 3.8 %Washington3.8Maine: 3.5 %Maine3.5Vermont: 3.3 %Vermont3.3New Jersey: 2.9 %New Jersey2.9Rhode Island: 2.6 %Rhode Island2.6New Hampshire: 2.4 %New Hampshire2.4
%. 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

RankStates2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Alabama13.6+1 pts
1North Dakota13.6+2 pts
3Kansas12.1+0.3 pts
4South Carolina9.7-1.1 pts
5Wyoming9.4+1.3 pts
6Indiana9.3+2.6 pts
7South Dakota9-0.5 pts
8Iowa8.9+2.2 pts
9Mississippi8.6-0.1 pts
9Texas8.6-0.9 pts
11Arkansas8.4-1.2 pts
11Oklahoma8.4-1.6 pts
13District of Columbia8.2+2.2 pts
14Louisiana8-2.7 pts
14Tennessee8-2.1 pts
16Illinois7.9+0.4 pts
17Hawaii7.5+0.1 pts
17Pennsylvania7.5+0.3 pts
19Florida7.3-1.1 pts
20Georgia7.1-0.5 pts
21Alaska7-0.5 pts
22Missouri6.7-2.6 pts
23Nebraska6.50 pts
23New Mexico6.5-0.6 pts
23Virginia6.5-0.5 pts
23West Virginia6.5+0.7 pts
27Michigan6.4-0.4 pts
28Delaware6.1-0.2 pts
28Kentucky6.1-2.4 pts
28Ohio6.1-0.3 pts
31North Carolina5.8-0.9 pts
32Connecticut5.60 pts
32Maryland5.6-2.5 pts
34Arizona5.5-0.3 pts
34New York5.5+0.3 pts
36Utah5.3+1.5 pts
37Nevada5.2-0.6 pts
38Oregon4.7-0.4 pts
39Massachusetts4.6+1 pts
39Minnesota4.6-0.4 pts
41Idaho4.4-0.1 pts
41Montana4.4-0.6 pts
43Wisconsin4.3-0.5 pts
44California4-0.2 pts
44Colorado4-0.1 pts
46Washington3.8-0.3 pts
47Maine3.5-0.6 pts
48Vermont3.3-1.1 pts
49New Jersey2.9-1.3 pts
50Rhode Island2.6-1.3 pts
51New Hampshire2.4-1.6 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), 2020) [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), 2020. 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=2020. 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), 2020. 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=2020.

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), 2020 [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=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_rental_2020,
  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), 2020}},
  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=2020. 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), 2020
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=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rental-vacancy-rate/us-states?period=2020.
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)?

Alabama, with 13.6% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

New Hampshire, with 2.4% in 2020.

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.

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