National Vacancy Rate Doesn’t Budge in Third Quarter
Industry Update
August 28, 2026
Source: PR Newswire
ATTOM, the leading provider of property data, AI-powered analytics, and real estate intelligence solutions, today released its latest Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure Report showing that 1.3 percent of residential properties in the United States were vacant in the third quarter of the year. That was the same rate as the previous quarter as well as the third quarter of 2025.
The report analyzes publicly recorded real estate data collected by ATTOM — including foreclosure status, equity and owner-occupancy status — matched against monthly updated vacancy data. (See full methodology below).
Out of the country’s 104.6 million residential properties, 259,666 were in the foreclosure process in the third quarter of 2026. About 3.3 percent of those, or 8,482 properties, were “zombies,” meaning the owners had abandoned the properties before the end of their foreclosure proceedings. That zombie rate was slightly lower than the 3.4 percent of properties posted in both the prior quarter and at the same time last year.
“It remains very hard to find an empty home for prospective buyers in most regions,” said Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM. “In 19 states, the home vacancy rate is below 1 percent, creating a bottleneck that is helping to keep prices high.”
Zombie homes decline in just over half of states
The number of zombie properties rose in 21 states between the second and third quarters of 2026.
Among states with at least 50 zombie properties, the largest quarter-over-quarter increases were in Kentucky (up 56.8 percent to 58 zombie properties); Colorado (up 30.1 percent to 95); Arizona (up 19.4 percent to 86); Maryland (up 18.9 percent to 151); and Indiana (up 17 percent to 344).
The states with the largest decline in zombie properties were Georgia (down 22.8 percent to 78); Texas (down 17.4 percent to 166); Ohio (down 10.8 percent to 602); Minnesota (down 10 percent to 54); and California (down 8 percent to 298).
Vacancy rates below 1 percent in 19 states
The states with the highest overall home vacancy rates in the third quarter were Oklahoma (2.4 percent); Kansas (2.4 percent); Alabama (2.2 percent); West Virginia (2.1 percent); and Missouri (2.1 percent).
The lowest vacancy rates were in New Hampshire (0.3 percent); Vermont (0.4 percent); New Jersey (0.5 percent); Connecticut (0.5 percent); and Idaho (0.5 percent)
Zombie rates highest in Midwest cities
Out of 140 metropolitan statistical areas with sufficient data to analyze, meaning they had at least 100,00 residential properties and at least 50 properties in the foreclosure process, the highest zombie rates were in Youngstown, OH (12.1 percent of homes in foreclosure were vacant); Cedar Rapids, IA (11.6 percent); Baltimore, MD (11.5 percent); Fort Wayne, IN (11.1 percent); and Akron, OH (10.5 percent).
The lowest zombie rates were in Bridgeport, CT (0 percent); Huntsville, AL (0 percent); Trenton, NJ (0.1 percent); Provo, UT (0.2 percent); and Atlantic City, NJ (0.4 percent).
Investors holding more vacant properties
Out of 24.9 million properties owned by institutional investors, 879,532, or 3.5 percent, were vacant in the third quarter of 2026—more than double the nation’s overall vacancy rate.
The states with the highest vacancy rates among investor-owned homes were Indiana (7 percent), Illinois (6.2 percent), Oklahoma (6 percent), Kansas (5.9 percent), and Alabama (5.9 percent).
The states with the lowest vacancy rates for investor-owned properties were New Hampshire (0.9 percent), Vermont (1 percent), Idaho (1.3 percent), North Dakota (1.5 percent), and New Jersey (1.5 percent).
Two Indianapolis zip codes in top five for home vacancy rates
There were 2,511 zip codes with sufficient data to be included in ATTOM’s analysis, meaning they had at least 1,000 residential properties and at least 25 properties in the foreclosure process in the third quarter of 2026. Of those, the highest zombie rates were in 33708 in Saint Petersburg, FL (38.3 percent); 88310 in Alamogordo, NM (36.7 percent); 46201 in Indianapolis, IN (34.1 percent); 34652 in New Port Richey, FL (32.6 percent); and 46208 in Indianapolis, IN (32.6 percent)
Conclusion
ATTOM’s third quarter analysis of vacant and zombie homes found that the national vacancy rate held firm at 1.3 percent despite vacancy rates dropping in a majority of states. The national zombie home rate decreased slightly to 3.3 percent.
For full report, please click the source link above.