The U.S. housing market is at one of its strongest points in decades — and U.S. vacancy rates reflect that strength. Nationwide, just 1.52% of single-owner homes and condos are vacant, one of the lowest points in years. The last time vacancy rates were so low was the 1990s.

To identify the American cities with the most vacancies, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the number of single family homes and condos that are unoccupied in 15,957 ZIP codes. Occupancy status was determined by ATTOM Data Solutions using tax assessor data for the end of the third quarter of 2018.

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Of the 29 cities where at least 5,000 single-family homes and condos are vacant, the vacancy rate exceeds the national rate of 1.52% in all but two cases. In most of the cities on this list, the rate is well beyond that figure. The cities on this list with the highest rates — places like Flint and Detroit, Michigan and Gary, Indiana — are often legacy cities well known for their long-term economic decline due to deindustrialization. In these cities, vacancy rates are well in excess of 10%.

A large number of the American cities with the most vacant homes can be found in the Midwest.  In many of these cities, including those suffering from long term industrial decline, relatively high vacancy rates may be due in part to new regulations that have made buying a home harder.

While a high number of home vacancies coincides with lower home prices, the cities on this list do not necessarily have the least expensive housing market in their states.

City	State	Population	2018 Single family homes	2018 Vacant Homes	2018 Vacant Homes
United States	United States	328,839,750	95,126,759	1,447,906	1.52%
Pompano Beach	Florida	453,887	151,054	5,010	3.32%
Mobile	Alabama	273,256	98,891	5,049	5.11%
Louisville	Kentucky	746,867	241,973	5,062	2.09%
San Antonio	Texas	1,700,582	458,505	5,206	1.14%
Hilton Head Island	South Carolina	42,535	30,945	5,229	16.90%
Jacksonville	Florida	832,821	263,708	5,491	2.08%
West Palm Beach	Florida	355,274	118,888	5,670	4.77%
Gary	Indiana	82,349	29,501	5,728	19.42%
Tucson	Arizona	884,283	254,454	5,830	2.29%
Kansas City	Missouri	327,912	109,260	6,077	5.56%
Phoenix	Arizona	1,400,479	365,582	6,193	1.69%
Dayton	Ohio	420,498	145,578	6,269	4.31%
Atlanta	Georgia	686,577	198,848	6,350	3.19%
Oklahoma City	Oklahoma	552,472	184,297	6,362	3.45%
Saint Petersburg	Florida	351,709	135,921	6,893	5.07%
Memphis	Tennessee	684,828	198,711	7,433	3.74%
Fort Lauderdale	Florida	813,236	273,921	7,504	2.74%
Miami	Florida	1,829,999	490,243	7,589	1.55%
Birmingham	Alabama	438,725	148,174	8,107	5.47%
Saint Louis	Missouri	616,101	219,155	8,662	3.95%
Flint	Michigan	156,738	57,118	8,986	15.73%
Cleveland	Ohio	738,683	208,952	9,386	4.49%
Houston	Texas	3,098,550	708,259	10,228	1.44%
Indianapolis	Indiana	930,784	271,488	11,104	4.09%
Chicago	Illinois	2,696,991	583,375	11,358	1.95%
Las Vegas	Nevada	1,496,538	460,309	11,371	2.47%
Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	1,560,023	469,643	11,910	2.54%
Baltimore	Maryland	630,714	215,810	17,382	8.05%
Detroit	Michigan	640,125	222,119	24,780	11.16%

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