Rochdale named among top 20 UK areas with the highest number of vacant homes, according to new study

A new study, conducted by real estate experts at Five Star Cash Offer, who specialise in buying properties directly from homeowners looking to sell quickly, analysed housing data from 200 areas across the UK. They used government figures to determine which areas had the highest share of vacant homes in relation to the total housing stock.

To get the full picture, the researchers looked at the number of empty residential properties in each area and compared this to the total number of homes.

Rochdale ranks 20th in the UK for vacant homes, with 3,522 of its 97,769 housing units currently unoccupied. That gives the Greater Manchester town a vacancy rate of 3.60%, placing it among the higher-ranking areas nationally. While not in the top tier, the number of empty homes is still substantial, especially given the ongoing demand for affordable housing in the region.

Historically an industrial hub, Rochdale has experienced economic shifts that have influenced its housing market, including periods of disinvestment and regeneration. Some of the vacancies may reflect homes in disrepair or transition, while others could be tied to changing demographics or stalled development. With thousands of properties lying empty, there’s a clear opportunity to repurpose these homes and ease pressure on those struggling to find suitable accommodation in the area.

Meanwhile, Kingston upon Thames ranks 1st and has 3,303 empty homes out of a total of 70,527, giving it a vacancy rate of 4.68%. In second place is Liverpool, where 10,779 of the city’s 232,952 homes are unoccupied, equating to a 4.63% vacancy rate. Middlesbrough follows in third place, with 3,030 vacant properties from 65,749 homes, resulting in a 4.61% rate. Torbay, ranked fourth, has 3,135 empty homes from a total of 70,082, or 4.47%. In fifth place, Bolsover reports 1,693 vacant homes out of 38,636, giving it a vacancy rate of 4.38%.

Blackpool takes sixth position with 3,198 of its 73,328 homes sitting empty, a rate of 4.36%. Hartlepool is seventh, with 1,932 vacant homes out of 45,764, giving it a 4.22% vacancy rate. Portsmouth comes in eighth, with 3,702 homes unoccupied from 91,534, equating to 4.04%. Burnley ranks ninth, with 1,724 vacant properties out of 42,788, for a 4.03% rate. Rounding out the top ten is Preston, where 2,721 out of 67,655 homes are empty, resulting in a 4.02% vacancy rate.

At the other end of the scale, Havant, Westminster, Wyre, Lewisham, Crawley, Solihull, Test Valley, Gravesham, Chichester, and Bexley reported the lowest vacancy rates in the country. All ten areas had fewer than two per cent of homes standing empty, suggesting stronger housing demand, more efficient usage, or perhaps better local housing policies in play.

Elsewhere, major cities performed variably in the rankings. Brighton and Hove placed 12th overall, indicating higher vacancy pressures than most would expect. County Durham came in at 24th, Oxford at 31st, Leeds at 33rd, and Nottingham at 40th. Meanwhile, Sheffield landed at 68th, Birmingham at 73rd, Bristol at 145th, and Manchester much further down the table at 179th.

List of top 10 areas with the most vacant homes in the study: