Change in Vacant Property Rate in the South by County, 2000–2020

Between 2000 and 2020, the share of "Other" Vacant housing units rose sharply across much of the rural South, with the steepest increases in the Mississippi Delta region. Counties there saw vacancy rates climb by as much as 19 percentage points. By contrast, counties surrounding major metros generally saw vacancy rates hold steady or decline, reflecting the pull of population and investment toward urban cores.