NATIONAL VACANCY RATE DOESN'T BUDGE IN THIRD QUARTER
The overall vacancy rate for residential properties in the United States remained steady at 1.3 percent in the third quarter of 2026, the same as the previous quarter and the third quarter of 2025, according to ATTOM's latest Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure Report. The report utilizes publicly recorded real estate data, focusing on foreclosure status, equity, and owner-occupancy status, matched against updated vacancy data.
Out of the nation's 104.6 million residential properties, 259,666 were in the foreclosure process, with 8,482 classified as "zombie" homes—properties abandoned by owners before foreclosure was completed. This represents a slight decrease in the zombie rate to 3.3 percent, down from 3.4 percent in the previous quarter and the same period last year. Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM, noted that finding vacant homes remains difficult for prospective buyers, particularly in regions with vacancy rates below 1 percent.
The report highlights that the number of zombie properties increased in 21 states between the second and third quarters of 2026. States with significant increases included Kentucky, Colorado, Arizona, Maryland, and Indiana. Conversely, states that saw declines in zombie homes included Georgia, Texas, Ohio, Minnesota, and California.
Among states, Oklahoma, Kansas, Alabama, West Virginia, and Missouri reported the highest overall home vacancy rates, while New Hampshire, Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Idaho had the lowest. The report also analyzed metropolitan areas, revealing that Youngstown, Ohio, had the highest zombie rate at 12.1 percent, while Bridgeport, Connecticut, reported a rate of 0 percent.
Furthermore, the report indicated that out of 24.9 million properties owned by institutional investors, 879,532—approximately 3.5 percent—were vacant. Indiana and Illinois had the highest vacancy rates among these investor-owned homes. For zip codes analyzed, the highest zombie rates were found in Saint Petersburg, Florida, and Alamogordo, New Mexico, along with two areas in Indianapolis, Indiana.