Table 1. Rental and Homeowner Vacancy Rates by Area:
1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, and 1980 to 2002
Rental units 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1981 1982
Area
United States.............. 8.1 8.3 5.3 6.0 5.4 5.0 5.3
Inside Metropolitan Areas NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
In central cities/1.... NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Not in central cities/1
(suburbs).............. NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Outside Metropolitan Area NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Northeast................ 4.9 5.6 2.7 4.1 4.2 3.7 3.7
Midwest.................. 8.3 7.2 5.8 5.7 6.0 5.9 6.3
South.................... 9.5 9.0 7.2 7.7 6.0 5.4 5.8
West..................... 11.0 11.9 5.6 6.2 5.2 5.1 5.4
Rental units 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
United States.............. 5.7 5.9 6.5 7.3 7.7 7.7 7.1
Inside Metropolitan Areas NA NA NA 7.2 7.7 7.8 7.2
In central cities/1.... NA NA NA 7.6 8.3 8.4 7.9
Not in central cities/1
(suburbs).............. NA NA NA 6.6 6.9 7.0 6.3
Outside Metropolitan Area NA NA NA 8.2 7.8 7.3 6.6
Northeast................ 4.0 3.7 3.5 3.9 4.1 4.8 4.7
Midwest.................. 6.1 5.9 5.9 6.9 6.8 6.9 6.5
South.................... 6.9 7.9 9.1 10.1 10.9 10.1 9.1
West..................... 5.2 5.2 6.2 7.1 7.3 7.7 6.9
Table 1. Rental and Homeowner Vacancy Rates by Area:
1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, and 1980 to 2002 - Continued
Rental units 1989/r 1990 1991 1992 1993 1993/r 1994
United States.............. 7.4 7.2 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.3 7.4
Inside Metropolitan Areas 7.4 7.1 7.5 7.4 7.6 7.5 7.3
In central cities/1.... 7.9 7.8 8.0 8.3 8.3 8.2 8.2
Not in central cities/1
(suburbs).............. 6.6 6.3 6.8 6.4 6.7 6.6 6.3
Outside Metropolitan Area 7.7 7.6 7.3 7.0 6.4 6.5 7.7
Northeast................ 4.7 6.1 6.9 6.9 7.1 7.0 7.1
Midwest.................. 6.8 6.4 6.7 6.7 6.6 6.6 6.8
South.................... 9.7 8.8 8.9 8.2 8.0 7.9 8.0
West..................... 7.1 6.6 6.5 7.1 7.5 7.4 7.1
Rental units 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
United States.............. 7.6 7.8 7.7 7.9 8.1 8.0 8.4
Inside Metropolitan Areas 7.6 7.7 7.5 7.7 7.8 7.7 8.0
In central cities/1.... 8.4 8.2 8.1 8.2 8.4 8.2 8.6
Not in central cities/1
(suburbs).............. 6.6 7.0 6.9 7.1 7.2 7.2 7.4
Outside Metropolitan Area 7.9 8.7 8.8 9.2 9.6 9.5 10.4
Northeast................ 7.2 7.4 6.7 6.7 6.3 5.6 5.3
Midwest.................. 7.2 7.9 8.0 7.9 8.6 8.8 9.7
South.................... 8.3 8.6 9.1 9.6 10.3 10.5 11.1
West..................... 7.5 7.2 6.6 6.7 6.2 5.8 6.2
Rental units 2002
United States.............. 9.0
Inside Metropolitan Areas 8.8
In central cities/1.... 9.2
Not in central cities/1
(suburbs).............. 8.2
Outside Metropolitan Area 10.6
Northeast................ 5.8
Midwest.................. 10.1
South.................... 11.8
West..................... 6.9
Table 1. Rental and Homeowner Vacancy Rates by Area:
1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, and 1980 to 2002 - Continued
Homeowner Units
Area 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1981 1982
United States.............. 1.3 1.5 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.4 1.5
Inside Metropolitan Areas NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
In central cities/1.... NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Not in central cities/1
(suburbs).............. NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Outside Metropolitan Area NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Northeast................ 1.0 1.0 0.8 1.0 1.1 1.1 1.0
Midwest.................. 1.2 1.2 1.0 1.0 1.6 1.4 1.6
South.................... 1.6 2.0 1.2 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.6
West..................... 1.4 1.9 1.1 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.9
Homeowner Units 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
United States.............. 1.5 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.7 1.6 1.6
Inside Metropolitan Areas NA NA NA 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.6
In central cities/1.... NA NA NA 2.0 2.1 2.0 2.1
Not in central cities/1
(suburbs).............. NA NA NA 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.4
Outside Metropolitan Area NA NA NA 1.8 1.9 1.6 1.6
Northeast................ 1.0 0.8 1.0 1.0 1.2 1.6 1.5
Midwest.................. 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.2 1.3
South.................... 1.8 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.0 1.9 2.0
West..................... 1.8 2.0 2.1 1.6 1.8 1.6 1.4
Table 1. Rental and Homeowner Vacancy Rates by Area:
1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, and 1980 to 2002 - Continued
Homeowner Units 1989/r 1990 1991 1992 1993 1993/r 1994
United States.............. 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.5
Inside Metropolitan Areas 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.4 1.4 1.5
In central cities/1.... 2.2 2.2 2.2 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.9
Not in central cities/1
(suburbs).............. 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.2 1.2 1.3
Outside Metropolitan Area 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.5 1.4 1.5 1.5
Northeast................ 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.5
Midwest.................. 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.1
South.................... 2.2 2.1 2.2 1.7 1.6 1.7 1.7
West..................... 1.6 1.8 1.7 1.9 1.4 1.4 1.6
Homeowner Units 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
United States.............. 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.8
Inside Metropolitan Areas 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.6
In central cities/1.... 2.1 1.9 1.9 2.0 1.8 1.9 2.1
Not in central cities/1
(suburbs).............. 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.4
Outside Metropolitan Area 1.6 1.7 1.9 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.3
Northeast................ 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.2 1.2
Midwest.................. 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.4 1.2 1.3 1.7
South.................... 1.7 1.8 1.9 2.0 2.0 1.9 2.1
West..................... 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.5 1.6
Homeowner Units 2002
United States.............. 1.7
Inside Metropolitan Areas 1.6
In central cities/1.... 2.1
Not in central cities/1
(suburbs).............. 1.4
Outside Metropolitan Area 2.0
Northeast................ 1.2
Midwest.................. 1.8
South.................... 1.9
West..................... 1.6
Data from 1986 to 1994 are based on 1980 metropolitan/nonmetropolitan definitions,
while 1995 and later data are based on 1990 metropolitan/nonmetropolitan definitions.
See Source and Accuracy section for explanation.
/ r Revised.
/1 Rates for 1986 to 1994 are not comparable to earlier or later years. Rates for 1995 an
are not directly comparable to earlier years. See Source and Accuracy section for explanat
NA Not available.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau