1. New Orleans, LA

In 2022, New Orleans reported a vacancy rate highest of 343 cities – 22.9%. Over the previous five years, the city saw its population decrease by 4.2%. In total, there were 44,746 vacant housing units in 2022, nearly 8,000 more than five years earlier. 

2. Tuscaloosa, AL

The city of Tuscaloosa, which is home to the University of Alabama, had a vacancy rate of 22.5%. Despite a minimal population increase of 0.3% from 2017 to 2022, the city reported 12,050 empty housing units by the end of that five-year period. 

3. Detroit, MI

Detroit’s vacancy rate is 21.9%. The city’s population diminished by 6.0% over five years, with 68,048 housing units vacant in 2022. However, the city had approximately 31,000 more vacant housing units at the start of that five-year period compared to 2022. 

4. Pompano Beach, FL

Located 10 miles north of Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach’s most recent vacancy rate was 21.7%. The city saw its population grow by just 0.8% between 2017 and 2022, to end up with 13,376 unoccupied housing units.

5. Fort Lauderdale, FL

In Fort Lauderdale, 21.4% of housing units were vacant in 2022. While the city’s population grew by 0.9% during the five-year period that started in 2017, there were 21,751 vacant residences in 2022. 

6. Clearwater, FL 

Clearwater recorded a vacancy rate of 20.7% in 2022 – almost identical to five years earlier when 20.8% of housing units were empty. While the city’s population grew by 1.0% between 2017 and 2022, there were 12,641 vacant housing units by the end of that five-year stretch. 

7. Paradise, NV 

In Paradise, 20.5% of housing units were vacant in 2022, while the population declined by 21.0% between 2017 and 2022. There were 19,210 units of unoccupied housing by the end of that five-year period. 

8. Birmingham, AL

Alabama’s largest city lost 7.7% of its residents between 2017 and 2022, with a tailing vacancy rate of 18.9%. In total, Birmingham reported 20,644 empty residences in 2022 or about 3,000 fewer than the city recorded five years earlier. 

9. Jackson, MS

In 2022, Jackson had a vacancy rate of 18.7%. The city faced a notable population reduction of 10.4% between 2017 and 2022, with 14,325 empty housing units by the end of that period – nearly 4,000 more vacants housing units than five years earlier. 

10. Cape Coral, FL 

Cape Coral recorded the 10th-highest vacancy rate in the country with 18.4% homes sitting empty in 2022. Despite the city’s robust population growth of 11.5% from 2017 to 2022 – more than any other city in the top 10 – there were 18,392 vacant homes.

Data and methodology

This study examined data for 343 U.S. cities with a population of 100,000 or higher in 2022. Data for total housing units, vacant housing units, and population comes from the U.S. Census Bureau 1-Year American Community Survey for 2022 and 2017. Cities were ranked by the highest rate of vacant housing compared to total housing for 2022.

This story was produced by SmartAsset and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.