What is the rental vacancy rate in New Bedford, MA?

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

The rental vacancy rate in New Bedford, MA is 2.4% (±0.7 points) (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

The homeowner vacancy rate is 0.7% (±0.7 points).

2,075 (±351) homes, 4.7% of all housing units, were vacant, a count that includes seasonal homes and homes being sold or rented.

In New Bedford, the rental vacancy rate went from 5.5% in 2015–2019 to 2.4% in 2020–2024 (−3.1 percentage points), a measurable decrease.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Rental vacancy rate: 2.4% (±0.7 points)
Homeowner vacancy rate: 0.7% (±0.7 points)
Vacant homes: 2,075 (±351)

Vacancy in New Bedford against Bristol County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	New Bedford	Bristol County	Massachusetts	United States
Rental vacancy rate	2.4% (±0.7 points)	2.1% (±0.4 points)	3.5% (±0.2 points)	5.5%
Homeowner vacancy rate	0.7% (±0.7 points)	0.3% (±0.1 points)	0.6% (±0.1 points)	0.9%
Vacant housing units	2,075 (±351)	11,200 (±960)	245,364 (±5,351)	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 New Bedford, the rental vacancy rate is not measurably different from Bristol County (2.1%).

It is also lower than in Massachusetts (3.5%).

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

Rental vacancy rate in places near New Bedford

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with New Bedford
Place	Distance	Rental vacancy rate	Compared with this place
New Bedford	—	2.4% (±0.7 points)	—
Acushnet Center	2.3 mi	0.0% (±17.5 points)	Not measurably different
Smith Mills	3.3 mi	0.0% (±7.0 points)	Not measurably different
Bliss Corner	3.9 mi	0.0% (±4.8 points)	Not measurably different
Fairhaven	3.9 mi	0.4% (±0.7 points)	Lower
Acushnet	4.4 mi	0.0% (±6.7 points)	Not measurably different
Mattapoisett	6.5 mi	2.5% (±4.1 points)	Not measurably different
Dartmouth	6.6 mi	1.0% (±1.5 points)	Not measurably different
Mattapoisett Center	7.2 mi	0.0% (±10.8 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Fairhaven, MA (0.4%).

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

Rental vacancy rate across Bristol County, place by place

Rank	Place	Rental vacancy rate
1	Berkley	14.8% (±42.6 points)
2	Norton	7.1% (±8.0 points)
3	Attleboro	4.1% (±2.4 points)
4	Fall River	2.9% (±0.8 points)
5	New Bedford	2.4% (±0.7 points)
6	Freetown	1.9% (±3.2 points)
7	Dartmouth	1.0% (±1.5 points)
8	Mansfield	0.6% (±0.9 points)
9 (tie)	Taunton	0.5% (±0.6 points)
9 (tie)	Raynham	0.5% (±0.8 points)
11 (tie)	Easton	0.4% (±1.1 points)

Showing 11 of 20 places in Bristol County, ranked from highest to lowest.

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 New Bedford

Is it hard to find a rental in New Bedford?

The rental vacancy rate in New Bedford, MA is 2.4% (±0.7 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 New Bedford tighter than it was?

In New Bedford, the rental vacancy rate went from 5.5% in 2015–2019 to 2.4% in 2020–2024 (−3.1 percentage points), a measurable decrease.

How many homes are vacant in New Bedford?

An estimated 2,075 (±351) housing units, 4.7% 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 New Bedford city, Massachusetts (place:45000, in state:25).

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.