Key takeaways
- National rental vacancy was 7.3 percent in Q2 2026.
- The rate was virtually unchanged from Q1 2026.
- A national rate does not forecast one property's vacancy.
Source record
3 cited sources
Last verified
2026-08-08
In this article
Quick Overview
The Census Bureau reported a 7.3 percent national rental vacancy rate in the second quarter of 2026. It was virtually the same as the first quarter rate of 7.3 percent and was not statistically different from the second quarter 2025 rate of 7.0 percent.
Portfolio application
Keep the rental vacancy statistics beside property vacancy, exposure, asking rent, concessions, and lease-up timing. Use the national result as context, not as a property forecast.
Common Mistakes
Do not call a statistically unchanged result a market acceleration. Do not omit the survey's source and accuracy materials, and do not hide local dispersion behind a national average.
Method and limits
The Census Q2 2026 release states the comparison and significance language. HVS estimates are survey measures and should be interpreted with their uncertainty.
Common Questions Answered
Does 7.3 percent mean a portfolio should underwrite 7.3 percent vacancy?
No. Underwrite from property history, local competition, seasonality, and explicit downside scenarios.
What changed in this release?
The headline rate was stable, while the release also provides detailed tables and revised inventory context.
Ready to review vacancy?
Use investment analysis to connect the macro observation to property evidence.
Sources
- Census Q2 2026 Housing Vacancy and Homeownership release, accessed August 8, 2026.
- Census HVS source and accuracy, accessed August 8, 2026.