Percentage of housing units that are occupied
Vacant units are an occurrence in all areas and may be caused by a variety of factors, such as periods of for rent or sale, an over-supply of housing at specific price points, economic forces in the housing market, property foreclosure or abandonment, or housing design or quality that impacts desirability. When vacant properties are not maintained, they can increase risk for vandalism, arson, and other types of crime, and may lead to further disinvestment. The vacancy rate may reflect different types of potential in a housing market. A combination of low vacancy rate and some amount of undeveloped land may indicate opportunities for development or redevelopment. Alternatively, a high vacancy rate may signal opportunities for creative and productive reuse of properties for such purposes as urban farms, community gardens, neighborhood centers, and health facilities. As vacancy rates decline, areas may experience increases in rental costs and home prices, and a decrease in affordable housing units.
In 2017, the percentage of housing units that were vacant in Mecklenburg County was 7%, down from a recent high of 11% in 2010. Mecklenburg County has lower vacancy rates than both North Carolina (14%) and the U.S. (13%).
Note: In order to make equal comparisons to the smaller areas, the values for Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and the United States in the previous paragraph are also from the American Community Survey 2013-2017 5-Year estimates. While more current 1-year estimates are available for the larger areas, it is important to use the most precise and most comparable 5-year estimates. Click here to learn more on the difference between 1-and 5-year estimates.
Nuisance Violations
Housing Code Violations
Rental Costs
Fire Calls for Service
Disorder-related Calls
Number of occupied housing units divided by the total number of housing units.
The occupancy rate, rather than the vacancy rate, is calculated because figures for vacancy at the neighborhood scale are statistically unreliable. This is because relatively small numbers of housing units are vacant versus occupied, and it is generally difficult to generate reliable estimates for small populations from sample surveys like the American Community Survey.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey , 5-Year Estimates: Table B25002
| Resource | Learn More and Take Action |
|---|---|
| America's Rental Housing | Research on the evolving rental housing market, including vacancy rates. |
| Minimum Housing Code | Buildings must be kept in good condition, regardless of its occupancy status. |
| Turning Liabilities into Assets | Strategies for turning vacant properties into neighborhood assets from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. |
| Vacant Spaces, Vibrant Places | National nonprofit dedicated to returning property to productive reuse. |
| Vacant Property Initiative | Research collaborative to understand vacancy and design creative planning and policy strategies for regenerating distressed neighborhoods. |