The U.S. Census Bureau's report *Homeowner and Rental Vacancies in the American Community Survey: 2008-2024* puts the national 2024 homeowner vacancy rate at **1.0%**, with a margin of error of **0.0 percentage points**. The estimate describes a survey-defined housing market. It does not identify vacant parcels, abandoned homes, estates, or owners.
What the rate measures
The homeowner vacancy rate is the percentage of the homeowner housing inventory that is vacant for sale. For this measure, the Census Bureau defines the inventory, or "homes," as the sum of owned homes, homes sold but not occupied, and homes vacant for sale. Rentals and vacant units that are not vacant for sale are outside this denominator.
That definition matters. The broader ACS vacancy total also includes units rented but not occupied, sold but not occupied, used seasonally, used by migrant workers, and classified as other vacant. The "other vacant" category can include units in foreclosure, under repair or renovation, abandoned, or possibly condemned. Those categories should not be folded into the homeowner vacancy rate.
2024 ACS estimates by geography
The report uses 2024 ACS 1-year estimates. The national figure is the broadest geography in the publication. The county figures below are the report's top counties by number of homes, not a ranking of every U.S. county.
| Geography | CBSA | Homes estimate | Homes MOE (±) | Homeowner vacancy rate estimate | Rate MOE (±) | Vacancies for sale estimate | Vacancies MOE (±) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | National | 88,040,000 | 260,100 | 1.0% | 0.0 pp | 849,400 | 21,720 |
| Los Angeles County, CA | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,609,000 | 14,090 | 0.6% | 0.1 pp | 10,390 | 1,816 |
| Cook County, IL | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,250,000 | 15,780 | 1.0% | 0.2 pp | 12,450 | 1,959 |
| Maricopa County, AZ | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,181,000 | 14,520 | 0.8% | 0.2 pp | 9,847 | 2,576 |
| Harris County, TX | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 988,100 | 14,610 | 1.4% | 0.3 pp | 13,790 | 2,703 |
| San Diego County, CA | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 653,300 | 10,280 | 0.6% | 0.2 pp | 3,882 | 1,274 |
| Orange County, CA | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 628,600 | 8,523 | 0.6% | 0.2 pp | 3,656 | 1,463 |
| Riverside County, CA | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 552,800 | 8,802 | 1.0% | 0.3 pp | 5,712 | 1,604 |
| Miami-Dade County, FL | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 535,300 | 9,843 | 1.1% | 0.3 pp | 5,739 | 1,764 |
| King County, WA | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 528,400 | 7,528 | 0.7% | 0.3 pp | 3,763 | 1,378 |
| Clark County, NV | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 522,500 | 8,015 | 1.1% | 0.3 pp | 5,952 | 1,577 |
| Dallas County, TX | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 507,400 | 8,625 | 1.1% | 0.4 pp | 5,407 | 1,801 |
| Broward County, FL | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 495,400 | 8,069 | 1.4% | 0.3 pp | 6,713 | 1,724 |
| Tarrant County, TX | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 485,700 | 8,220 | 1.1% | 0.4 pp | 5,573 | 1,755 |
| Wayne County, MI | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 473,200 | 7,199 | 1.0% | 0.3 pp | 4,615 | 1,417 |
| Bexar County, TX | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 460,500 | 8,677 | 1.5% | 0.4 pp | 6,698 | 1,825 |
| Palm Beach County, FL | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 446,900 | 7,091 | 1.4% | 0.4 pp | 6,419 | 1,782 |
| San Bernardino County, CA | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 441,900 | 7,530 | 0.8% | 0.3 pp | 3,670 | 1,225 |
| Suffolk County, NY | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 429,500 | 5,739 | 0.7% | 0.3 pp | 3,164 | 1,262 |
| Queens County, NY | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 395,600 | 8,891 | 1.3% | 0.3 pp | 5,114 | 1,271 |
| Middlesex County, MA | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 389,800 | 6,128 | 0.5% | 0.2 pp | 2,039 | 836 |
The Census table's county geography is paired with a Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA). A CBSA may include several counties, so the CBSA label is context rather than a replacement for the county geography. The report limits its county analysis to counties with populations of at least 65,000 in 2024 and excludes counties with boundary changes before 2024.
Category and uncertainty notes
The estimates come from a sample and have sampling variability. The Census Bureau says the reported margin of error, when added to and subtracted from the estimate, forms a 90% confidence interval. For example, the reported Harris County rate is 1.4% with a 0.3 percentage-point margin of error. The rate is an estimate, not a precise count of homes that can be located and inspected.
The national table also reports homeowner vacancy by building type and bedrooms. In the "All" category, the homeowner inventory estimate is 88.04 million homes, with 849,400 vacant for sale and a 1.0% rate. By building type, the reported rates are 0.8% for single-family detached homes, 1.0% for single-family attached homes, 2.5% for multifamily homes, and 1.5% for the report's "Other" category. "Other" includes building types such as mobile homes, boats, RVs, and vans.
The publication covers 2008 through 2024, but the Census Bureau did not release standard 2020 ACS 1-year estimates because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report therefore does not include a standard 2020 point in its 1-year trend. Comparisons should keep the survey year, geography, universe, category, estimate, and margin of error together.
How this helps with estate property research
An ACS rate can provide context for a housing-market memo or help prioritize follow-up questions. It cannot prove that a property is vacant, abandoned, inherited, owned by a deceased person, or subject to probate. It also cannot identify a parcel, deed, owner, executor, lien, or title defect.
For a property-specific question, pair the survey statistic with dated local records such as assessor and tax records, recorded deeds, probate filings, code-enforcement records, utility information where lawfully available, and occupancy evidence. The estate home vacancy research data page provides related source limits, and investigative research services describes address-level source tracing.
Sources and limitations
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, *Homeowner and Rental Vacancies in the American Community Survey: 2008-2024*, May 2026, ACS-64, Tables 1, 2, and 3. The report is based on 2024 ACS 1-year estimates. This article transcribes selected national and county rows; it does not recalculate the Census estimates or create an address-level vacancy list.
**Professional disclaimer:** This article is general research, not legal, title, tax, appraisal, housing, or financial advice. Confirm current records and requirements with a qualified professional.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, Homeowner and Rental Vacancies in the American Community Survey: 2008-2024, May 2026, accessed August 8, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, accessed August 8, 2026.