What is the rental vacancy rate in Philadelphia, PA?

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

The rental vacancy rate in Philadelphia, PA is 5.4% (±0.4 points) (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

The homeowner vacancy rate is 1.1% (±0.2 points).

68,842 (±2,623) homes, 9.2% of all housing units, were vacant, a count that includes seasonal homes and homes being sold or rented.

In Philadelphia, the rental vacancy rate went from 6.1% in 2015–2019 to 5.4% in 2020–2024 (−0.7 percentage points), a measurable decrease.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Rental vacancy rate: 5.4% (±0.4 points)
Homeowner vacancy rate: 1.1% (±0.2 points)
Vacant homes: 68,842 (±2,623)

Vacancy in Philadelphia against Philadelphia County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Philadelphia	Philadelphia County	Pennsylvania	United States
Rental vacancy rate	5.4% (±0.4 points)	5.4% (±0.4 points)	4.9% (±0.2 points)	5.5%
Homeowner vacancy rate	1.1% (±0.2 points)	1.1% (±0.2 points)	0.8% (±0.1 points)	0.9%
Vacant housing units	68,842 (±2,623)	68,842 (±2,623)	531,599 (±8,998)	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 Philadelphia, the rental vacancy rate is not measurably different from Philadelphia County (5.4%).

It is also higher than in Pennsylvania (4.9%).

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

Rental vacancy rate in places near Philadelphia

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Philadelphia
Place	Distance	Rental vacancy rate	Compared with this place
Philadelphia	—	5.4% (±0.4 points)	—
Oak Lane	3.4 mi	0.0% (±21.3 points)	Not measurably different
Melrose Park	3.8 mi	0.0% (±20.3 points)	Not measurably different
Cheltenham Village	4.3 mi	8.4% (±15.1 points)	Not measurably different
Elkins Park	4.7 mi	0.0% (±5.2 points)	Lower
Cheltenham Township	4.8 mi	4.0% (±3.3 points)	Not measurably different
Pennsauken Township	4.9 mi	4.9% (±3.4 points)	Not measurably different
Bala Cynwyd	5.0 mi	7.0% (±6.9 points)	Not measurably different
Palmyra Borough	5.2 mi	0.0% (±4.5 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Elkins Park, PA (0.0%), Palmyra Borough, NJ (0.0%).

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

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

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

What you can do on Seayora in Philadelphia

One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.

Looking for a place to rent?

Browse homes for rent near Philadelphia, save the ones you like and apply online.

Browse rentals · Create a renter account

Own or manage a rental?

List it, sign the lease and collect rent online, with the figures for Philadelphia beside you.

Create a landlord account · See what landlords get

Do repairs, renovations or maintenance?

Get found by owners and renters near Philadelphia, and send estimates and invoices from your phone.

Join as a pro · Find a pro

Questions about Philadelphia

Is it hard to find a rental in Philadelphia?

The rental vacancy rate in Philadelphia, PA is 5.4% (±0.4 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 Philadelphia tighter than it was?

In Philadelphia, the rental vacancy rate went from 6.1% in 2015–2019 to 5.4% in 2020–2024 (−0.7 percentage points), a measurable decrease.

How many homes are vacant in Philadelphia?

An estimated 68,842 (±2,623) housing units, 9.2% 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 Philadelphia city, Pennsylvania (place:60000, in state:42).

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.