What is the rental vacancy rate in Raleigh, NC?

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

The rental vacancy rate in Raleigh, NC is 8.6% (±0.9 points) (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

The homeowner vacancy rate is 0.9% (±0.3 points).

21,410 (±1,453) homes, 9.5% of all housing units, were vacant, a count that includes seasonal homes and homes being sold or rented.

In Raleigh, the rental vacancy rate went from 6.2% in 2015–2019 to 8.6% in 2020–2024 (+2.4 percentage points), a measurable increase.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Rental vacancy rate: 8.6% (±0.9 points)
Homeowner vacancy rate: 0.9% (±0.3 points)
Vacant homes: 21,410 (±1,453)

Vacancy in Raleigh against Wake County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Raleigh	Wake County	North Carolina	United States
Rental vacancy rate	8.6% (±0.9 points)	8.9% (±0.7 points)	7.1% (±0.2 points)	5.5%
Homeowner vacancy rate	0.9% (±0.3 points)	0.6% (±0.2 points)	1.3% (±0.1 points)	0.9%
Vacant housing units	21,410 (±1,453)	35,872 (±2,100)	613,323 (±9,483)	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 Raleigh, the rental vacancy rate is not measurably different from Wake County (8.9%).

It is also higher than in North Carolina (7.1%).

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

Rental vacancy rate in places near Raleigh

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Raleigh
Place	Distance	Rental vacancy rate	Compared with this place
Raleigh	—	8.6% (±0.9 points)	—
Knightdale	8.6 mi	6.6% (±5.0 points)	Not measurably different
Garner	9.9 mi	9.0% (±4.8 points)	Not measurably different
Cary	11 mi	10.1% (±1.9 points)	Not measurably different
Morrisville	11 mi	12.9% (±4.1 points)	Higher
Rolesville	12 mi	0.0% (±14.8 points)	Not measurably different
Wake Forest	12 mi	6.1% (±3.9 points)	Not measurably different
Apex	15 mi	11.9% (±5.8 points)	Not measurably different
Clayton	16 mi	2.5% (±1.9 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Clayton, NC (2.5%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Morrisville, NC (12.9%).

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

Rental vacancy rate across Wake County, place by place

Rank	Place	Rental vacancy rate
2	Morrisville	12.9% (±4.1 points)
3	Apex	11.9% (±5.8 points)
4	Holly Springs	11.1% (±6.2 points)
5	Cary	10.1% (±1.9 points)
6	Fuquay-Varina	9.5% (±4.9 points)
7	Garner	9.0% (±4.8 points)
8	Raleigh	8.6% (±0.9 points)
9	Knightdale	6.6% (±5.0 points)
10	Wake Forest	6.1% (±3.9 points)
11 (tie)	Rolesville	0.0% (±14.8 points)
11 (tie)	Zebulon	0.0% (±3.4 points)

Showing 11 of 12 places in Wake 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 Raleigh

Is it hard to find a rental in Raleigh?

The rental vacancy rate in Raleigh, NC is 8.6% (±0.9 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 Raleigh tighter than it was?

In Raleigh, the rental vacancy rate went from 6.2% in 2015–2019 to 8.6% in 2020–2024 (+2.4 percentage points), a measurable increase.

How many homes are vacant in Raleigh?

An estimated 21,410 (±1,453) housing units, 9.5% 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 Raleigh city, North Carolina (place:55000, in state:37).

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.