What is the rental vacancy rate in Ocean City, MD?

Name: Vacancy rate in Ocean City, MD, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

The rental vacancy rate in Ocean City, MD is 31.2% (±9.2 points) (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

The homeowner vacancy rate is 1.2% (±0.9 points).

25,983 (±379) homes, 87.2% of all housing units, were vacant, a count that includes seasonal homes and homes being sold or rented.

In Ocean City, the rental vacancy rate went from 31.2% in 2015–2019 to 31.2% in 2020–2024 (0.0 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Rental vacancy rate: 31.2% (±9.2 points)
Homeowner vacancy rate: 1.2% (±0.9 points)
Vacant homes: 25,983 (±379)

Vacancy in Ocean City against Worcester County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Ocean City	Worcester County	Maryland	United States
Rental vacancy rate	31.2% (±9.2 points)	10.9% (±3.6 points)	4.7% (±0.3 points)	5.5%
Homeowner vacancy rate	1.2% (±0.9 points)	2.0% (±0.9 points)	0.8% (±0.1 points)	0.9%
Vacant housing units	25,983 (±379)	32,731 (±550)	197,856 (±3,980)	14,547,859

The rental vacancy rate is the share of rental homes that are vacant and for rent; it leaves out homes already rented but not yet moved into, and seasonal homes.

In Ocean City, the rental vacancy rate is higher than in Worcester County (10.9%).

It is also higher than in Maryland (4.7%).

It is higher than the national figure (5.5%).

Rental vacancy rate in places near Ocean City

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Ocean City
Place	Distance	Rental vacancy rate	Compared with this place
Ocean City	—	31.2% (±9.2 points)	—
West Ocean City	3.8 mi	0.0% (±9.2 points)	Lower
Ocean Pines	4.2 mi	7.6% (±11.5 points)	Lower
Fenwick Island	4.7 mi	60.7% (±20.8 points)	Higher
South Bethany	8.5 mi	100.0% (±67.9 points)	Higher
Selbyville	8.6 mi	0.0% (±17.8 points)	Lower
Berlin	8.9 mi	0.0% (±5.1 points)	Lower
Ocean View	9.4 mi	14.4% (±22.3 points)	Not measurably different
Bethany Beach	10.0 mi	62.4% (±26.2 points)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: West Ocean City, MD (0.0%), Ocean Pines, MD (7.6%), Selbyville, DE (0.0%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Fenwick Island, DE (60.7%), South Bethany, DE (100.0%), Bethany Beach, DE (62.4%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Rental vacancy rate across Worcester County, place by place

Rank	Place	Rental vacancy rate
1	Ocean City	31.2% (±9.2 points)
2	Ocean Pines	7.6% (±11.5 points)
3 (tie)	Berlin	0.0% (±5.1 points)
3 (tie)	Pocomoke City	0.0% (±5.1 points)
3 (tie)	Snow Hill	0.0% (±8.9 points)
3 (tie)	West Ocean City	0.0% (±9.2 points)

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Ocean City

Is it hard to find a rental in Ocean City?

The rental vacancy rate in Ocean City, MD is 31.2% (±9.2 points); a low rate means few rental homes stand empty and for rent at any time, which usually means more competition for each one.

Is the rental market in Ocean City tighter than it was?

In Ocean City, the rental vacancy rate went from 31.2% in 2015–2019 to 31.2% in 2020–2024 (0.0 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How many homes are vacant in Ocean City?

An estimated 25,983 (±379) housing units, 87.2% of the total, including seasonal homes and homes waiting to be sold or rented.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Ocean City town, Maryland (place:58225, in state:24).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M, DP04_0004E, DP04_0004M, DP04_0003E, DP04_0003M, DP04_0003PE, DP04_0003PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.