2019 National Retail Occupancy

Year-over-year retail vacancy rate percentages compared nationally and by region, updated quarterly.

Vacancy rate

Source: CoStar Group Inc.

On a national level, vacancy rates for retail markets in the fourth quarter went up by 10 basis points year-over-year, reaching 4.7 percent. Compared to 2017, vacancy rates also increased by 10 basis points. Regionwide, the Northeast posted the most significant gains, up by 40 basis points compared to the same interval in 2018. Vacancy rates increased by 10 basis points in the South and in the West. The Midwest is the only region where retail vacancy rates remain unchanged year-over-year, at 4.8 percent.

Retail vacancy rates for the fourth quarter of 2020 are forecasted to drop by 20 basis points on a national level. Vacancy rates in the West are expected to register the most considerable dip, down by 30 basis points, followed by the Midwest and the South (both down by 20 basis points). Vacancy in the Northeast is projected to drop by 10 basis points, the smallest change regionwide.

—Posted on March 27, 2020


Vacancy rate

Source: CoStar Group Inc.

On a national level, vacancy rates for retail markets in the third quarter inched up slightly year-over-year, reaching 4.7 percent (up by 20 basis points). Compared to 2017, vacancy rates contracted by 10 basis points. Regionwide, the Northeast recorded the most notable gains, up by 40 basis points compared to the same interval last year. Vacancy rates increased slightly in the Midwest, Northeast and South—up 10 basis points in each region.

Retail vacancy rates for the third quarter of 2020 are forecasted to remain unchanged on a national level and decrease in some regions. Vacancy rates in the West are expected to register the most notable decrease, down by 20 basis points, while the Midwest and Northeast are expected to register drops of 10 basis points each. Vacancy in the South is projected to remain unchanged, at 4.7 percent.

—Posted on Dec. 16, 2019


Vacancy rate

Source: CoStar Group Inc.

Vacancy rates for retail markets increased year-over-year in almost every region or remained unchanged in the second quarter. Rates grew the most in the Northeast (up by 20 basis points), followed by the Midwest (up by 10 basis points). Vacancy rates remained unchanged in the South and the West. On a national level, vacancy rates grew by 10 basis points compared to the second quarter of 2018 and remained unchanged compared to the same period in 2017. Vacancy rates for the second quarter of 2020 are projected to decrease in almost every region for retail markets, dropping 10 basis points on a national level. Rates in the West are expected to decrease the most, down by 30 basis points, followed by the Midwest (down by 20 basis points). The only increase in vacancy is expected to come from the Northeast (up by 10 basis points), while rates are projected to remain unchanged in the South.

—Posted on Sept. 30, 2019


Vacancy rate

Source: CoStar Group Inc.

Vacancy rates for retail markets remained flat or slightly increased in almost every region in the first quarter. Rates were up 20 basis points in the Northeast and 10 basis points in the Midwest. The only drop came from the West (down 10 basis points). Vacancy rates remained unchanged in the South. On a national level, vacancy rates didn’t register any changes compared to the first quarter of 2018 but decreased by 10 basis points compared to the same interval in 2017. Vacancy rates for the first quarter of 2020 are expected to decrease in almost every region, dropping 10 basis points on a national level. Rates in the West are projected to decrease the most (down 30 basis points), followed by the Midwest (down 10 basis points) and the South (also down 10 basis points). Vacancy rates in the Northeast are expected to remain unchanged at 4.1 percent.

—Posted on June 20, 2019

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