Platform · Glossary
Vacant ratio.
The share of all housing units in a geography that the Census classifies as vacant. Published as part of ACS housing statistics.
What's included
The Census definition of “vacant” includes more than just rental units sitting empty:
- For-rent vacant — the closest analog to operational rental vacancy
- For-sale vacant — listed but not yet sold
- Seasonal, recreational, or occasional use — vacation homes
- For migrant workers — typically rural and agricultural
- Other vacant — held off market, awaiting probate, undergoing renovation
The mix of these categories shifts the meaning of the number. A coastal resort market with 30% vacant ratio is mostly seasonal homes; a Rust Belt market with 30% vacant ratio is mostly demand-side weakness.
How to read it
In non-resort markets, persistently high vacant ratios often point to population decline, chronic oversupply, or units held out of productive use. Those conditions can translate into structural rent and price pressure.
Vacant ratio across PriceDNA markets
Where the vacant ratio is highest
- Detroit, MI 21.7%
- New Orleans, LA 20.3%
- Jackson, MS 17.8%
Where it is lowest
- South Burlington, VT 2.1%
- Meridian, ID 3.0%
- Burlington, VT 3.2%
Vacant homes as a share of all homes in each city's census tracts, from the latest PriceDNA market data. See all 139 markets