Table 1. Rental and Homeowner Vacancy Rates by Area: 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, and 1980 to 2004 Rental units 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1981 1982 Area United States.............. 8.1 8.3 5.3 6.0 5.4 5.0 5.3 Inside Metropolitan Areas NA NA NA NA NA NA NA In central cities\1.... NA NA NA NA NA NA NA Not in central cities\1 (suburbs).............. NA NA NA NA NA NA NA Outside Metropolitan Areas NA NA NA NA NA NA NA Northeast................ 4.9 5.6 2.7 4.1 4.2 3.7 3.7 Midwest.................. 8.3 7.2 5.8 5.7 6.0 5.9 6.3 South.................... 9.5 9.0 7.2 7.7 6.0 5.4 5.8 West..................... 11.0 11.9 5.6 6.2 5.2 5.1 5.4 Rental units 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 United States.............. 5.7 5.9 6.5 7.3 7.7 7.7 7.1 Inside Metropolitan Areas NA NA NA 7.2 7.7 7.8 7.2 In central cities\1.... NA NA NA 7.6 8.3 8.4 7.9 Not in central cities\1 (suburbs).............. NA NA NA 6.6 6.9 7.0 6.3 Outside Metropolitan Areas NA NA NA 8.2 7.8 7.3 6.6 Northeast................ 4.0 3.7 3.5 3.9 4.1 4.8 4.7 Midwest.................. 6.1 5.9 5.9 6.9 6.8 6.9 6.5 South.................... 6.9 7.9 9.1 10.1 10.9 10.1 9.1 West..................... 5.2 5.2 6.2 7.1 7.3 7.7 6.9 Rental units 1989\r 1990 1991 1992 1993 1993\r 1994 United States.............. 7.4 7.2 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.3 7.4 Inside Metropolitan Areas 7.4 7.1 7.5 7.4 7.6 7.5 7.3 In central cities\1.... 7.9 7.8 8.0 8.3 8.3 8.2 8.2 Not in central cities\1 (suburbs).............. 6.6 6.3 6.8 6.4 6.7 6.6 6.3 Outside Metropolitan Areas 7.7 7.6 7.3 7.0 6.4 6.5 7.7 Northeast................ 4.7 6.1 6.9 6.9 7.1 7.0 7.1 Midwest.................. 6.8 6.4 6.7 6.7 6.6 6.6 6.8 South.................... 9.7 8.8 8.9 8.2 8.0 7.9 8.0 West..................... 7.1 6.6 6.5 7.1 7.5 7.4 7.1 Table 1. Rental and Homeowner Vacancy Rates by Area: 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, and 1980 to 2004 - Continued Rental units 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 United States.............. 7.6 7.8 7.7 7.9 8.1 8.0 8.4 Inside Metropolitan Areas 7.6 7.7 7.5 7.7 7.8 7.7 8.0 In central cities\1.... 8.4 8.2 8.1 8.2 8.4 8.2 8.6 Not in central cities\1 (suburbs).............. 6.6 7.0 6.9 7.1 7.2 7.2 7.4 Outside Metropolitan Areas 7.9 8.7 8.8 9.2 9.6 9.5 10.4 Northeast................ 7.2 7.4 6.7 6.7 6.3 5.6 5.3 Midwest.................. 7.2 7.9 8.0 7.9 8.6 8.8 9.7 South.................... 8.3 8.6 9.1 9.6 10.3 10.5 11.1 West..................... 7.5 7.2 6.6 6.7 6.2 5.8 6.2 Rental units 2002 2002\r 2003 2004 United States.............. 9.0 8.9 9.8 10.2 Inside Metropolitan Areas 8.8 8.7 9.6 10.2 In central cities\1.... 9.2 9.2 10.0 10.8 Not in central cities\1 (suburbs).............. 8.2 8.2 9.2 9.5 Outside Metropolitan Areas 10.6 10.2 10.6 10.2 Northeast................ 5.8 5.8 6.6 7.3 Midwest.................. 10.1 10.1 10.8 12.2 South.................... 11.8 11.6 12.5 12.6 West..................... 6.9 6.9 7.7 7.5 Table 1. Rental and Homeowner Vacancy Rates by Area: 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, and 1980 to 2004 - Continued Homeowner Units Area 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1981 1982 United States.............. 1.3 1.5 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.4 1.5 Inside Metropolitan Areas NA NA NA NA NA NA NA In central cities\1.... NA NA NA NA NA NA NA Not in central cities\1 (suburbs).............. NA NA NA NA NA NA NA Outside Metropolitan Areas NA NA NA NA NA NA NA Northeast................ 1.0 1.0 0.8 1.0 1.1 1.1 1.0 Midwest.................. 1.2 1.2 1.0 1.0 1.6 1.4 1.6 South.................... 1.6 2.0 1.2 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.6 West..................... 1.4 1.9 1.1 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.9 Homeowner Units 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 United States.............. 1.5 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.7 1.6 1.6 Inside Metropolitan Areas NA NA NA 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.6 In central cities\1.... NA NA NA 2.0 2.1 2.0 2.1 Not in central cities\1 (suburbs).............. NA NA NA 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.4 Outside Metropolitan Areas NA NA NA 1.8 1.9 1.6 1.6 Northeast................ 1.0 0.8 1.0 1.0 1.2 1.6 1.5 Midwest.................. 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.2 1.3 South.................... 1.8 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.0 1.9 2.0 West..................... 1.8 2.0 2.1 1.6 1.8 1.6 1.4 Homeowner Units 1989\r 1990 1991 1992 1993 1993\r 1994 United States.............. 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.5 Inside Metropolitan Areas 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.4 1.4 1.5 In central cities\1.... 2.2 2.2 2.2 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.9 Not in central cities\1 (suburbs).............. 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.2 1.2 1.3 Outside Metropolitan Areas 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.5 1.4 1.5 1.5 Northeast................ 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.5 Midwest.................. 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.1 South.................... 2.2 2.1 2.2 1.7 1.6 1.7 1.7 West..................... 1.6 1.8 1.7 1.9 1.4 1.4 1.6 Table 1. Rental and Homeowner Vacancy Rates by Area: 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, and 1980 to 2004 - Continued Homeowner Units 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 United States.............. 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.8 Inside Metropolitan Areas 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.6 In central cities\1.... 2.1 1.9 1.9 2.0 1.8 1.9 2.1 Not in central cities\1 (suburbs).............. 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.4 Outside Metropolitan Areas 1.6 1.7 1.9 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.3 Northeast................ 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.2 1.2 Midwest.................. 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.4 1.2 1.3 1.7 South.................... 1.7 1.8 1.9 2.0 2.0 1.9 2.1 West..................... 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.5 1.6 Homeowner Units 2002 2002\r 2003 2004 United States.............. 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.7 Inside Metropolitan Areas 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.7 In central cities\1.... 2.1 2.1 2.0 2.2 Not in central cities\1 (suburbs).............. 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.4 Outside Metropolitan Areas 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.0 Northeast................ 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.1 Midwest.................. 1.8 1.8 1.7 2.0 South.................... 1.9 1.9 2.1 2.0 West..................... 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.4 Data from 1986 to 1994 are based on 1980 metropolitan/nonmetropolitan definitions, while 1995 and later data are based on 1990 metropolitan/nonmetropolitan definitions. See Source and Accuracy section for explanation. \ r Revised. \1 Rates for 1986 to 1994 are not comparable to earlier or later years. Rates for 1995 an are not directly comparable to earlier years. See Source and Accuracy section for explanat NA Not available.