What is the rental vacancy rate in Bay City, MI?

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

The rental vacancy rate in Bay City, MI is 3.3% (±2.3 points) (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

The homeowner vacancy rate is 2.1% (±1.2 points).

1,401 (±253) homes, 8.7% of all housing units, were vacant, a count that includes seasonal homes and homes being sold or rented.

In Bay City, the rental vacancy rate went from 10.3% in 2015–2019 to 3.3% in 2020–2024 (−7.0 percentage points), a measurable decrease.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Rental vacancy rate: 3.3% (±2.3 points)
Homeowner vacancy rate: 2.1% (±1.2 points)
Vacant homes: 1,401 (±253)

Vacancy in Bay City against Bay County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Bay City	Bay County	Michigan	United States
Rental vacancy rate	3.3% (±2.3 points)	3.9% (±1.8 points)	5.1% (±0.2 points)	5.5%
Homeowner vacancy rate	2.1% (±1.2 points)	0.8% (±0.4 points)	0.8% (±0.1 points)	0.9%
Vacant housing units	1,401 (±253)	3,556 (±504)	545,867 (±7,991)	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 Bay City, the rental vacancy rate is not measurably different from Bay County (3.9%).

It is not measurably different from Michigan (5.1%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (5.5%).

Rental vacancy rate in places near Bay City

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Bay City
Place	Distance	Rental vacancy rate	Compared with this place
Bay City	—	3.3% (±2.3 points)	—
Essexville	2.8 mi	0.0% (±32.7 points)	Not measurably different
Portsmouth Charter Township	3.7 mi	0.0% (±17.6 points)	Not measurably different
Bangor Charter Township	4.3 mi	3.5% (±5.8 points)	Not measurably different
Monitor Charter Township	5.2 mi	0.0% (±5.7 points)	Not measurably different
Frankenlust Township	5.6 mi	11.5% (±12.8 points)	Not measurably different
Hampton Charter Township	6.2 mi	5.2% (±4.7 points)	Not measurably different
Zilwaukee	7.6 mi	0.0% (±19.2 points)	Not measurably different
Kochville Township	7.6 mi	12.8% (±14.1 points)	Not measurably different

None of the nearby places differs measurably from this one on this figure.

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

Rental vacancy rate across Bay County, place by place

Rank	Place	Rental vacancy rate
1	Garfield Township (Bay County)	70.6% (±51.2 points)
2	Kawkawlin Township	14.2% (±22.5 points)
3	Frankenlust Township	11.5% (±12.8 points)
4	Pinconning	5.9% (±8.1 points)
5	Hampton Charter Township	5.2% (±4.7 points)
6	Bangor Charter Township	3.5% (±5.8 points)
7	Bay City	3.3% (±2.3 points)
8 (tie)	Auburn	0.0% (±11.6 points)
8 (tie)	Essexville	0.0% (±32.7 points)
8 (tie)	Beaver Township (Bay County)	0.0% (±23.4 points)
8 (tie)	Fraser Township	0.0% (±19.5 points)
8 (tie)	Gibson Township	0.0% (±52.9 points)
8 (tie)	Merritt Township	0.0% (±45.1 points)

Showing 13 of 18 places in Bay 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 Bay City

Is it hard to find a rental in Bay City?

The rental vacancy rate in Bay City, MI is 3.3% (±2.3 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 Bay City tighter than it was?

In Bay City, the rental vacancy rate went from 10.3% in 2015–2019 to 3.3% in 2020–2024 (−7.0 percentage points), a measurable decrease.

How many homes are vacant in Bay City?

An estimated 1,401 (±253) housing units, 8.7% 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 Bay City city, Michigan (place:06020, in state:26).

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.