North Dakota Vacant Properties Total 3,566, With 97.6% Hidden Off-Market
North Dakota’s real estate market presents a unique landscape for investors, characterized by a modest inventory of vacant properties that are overwhelmingly held off-market. As of September 2026, the state contains 3,566 vacant properties, a figure that positions it as one of the smaller markets in the nation. However, the real story lies in how these properties are held: a staggering 97.6% are not publicly listed for sale, creating a distinct environment where data-driven strategies are essential for uncovering value.
This low volume of vacancy places North Dakota at rank #49 out of 50 states, accounting for just 0.2% of the national total of 2,190,678 vacant properties. The state's inventory is significantly below the national per-state average of 43,814, signaling a market that operates on a different scale than larger, more saturated states. For the discerning real estate investor, this scarcity is not a barrier but a signal to employ more sophisticated methods for identifying distressed and value-add opportunities. The vast majority of these properties, totaling 3,480, are off-market, while only 86 are actively listed. This dynamic underscores the importance of accessing comprehensive property intelligence to find deals that others miss.
North Dakota's Vacancy Landscape
An analysis of North Dakota's 3,566 vacant properties reveals a market dominated by residential assets and concentrated in a handful of key economic centers. Residential properties constitute the overwhelming majority of vacant stock, with 2,674 units representing 75.0% of the total. This highlights a significant opportunity for investors focused on single-family homes, small multi-family units, and other housing assets. Commercial properties follow at a distant second, with 525 vacant units making up 14.7% of the inventory.
The remaining categories are much smaller, reflecting the state's specific economic structure. Miscellaneous properties account for 122 units (3.4%), while Exempt properties total 78 (2.2%). Vacant Land, often a target for developers, comprises 53 properties (1.5%). The Industrial and Office sectors show minimal vacancy, with just 47 (1.3%) and 21 (0.6%) properties respectively, which may suggest either a smaller market footprint or relative stability in those commercial segments. This distribution, detailed in the latest BatchData vacancy rates report, guides investors toward the residential sector as the primary field of opportunity.
The most critical takeaway for investors is the profound lack of public listings. With 97.6% of vacant properties off-market, traditional methods of sourcing deals through the MLS are largely ineffective here. A deeper look at the MLS status confirms this. A full 50.0% of properties, or 1,784 units, are explicitly classified as "Off Market." An additional 1,234 properties (34.6%) have an "Unknown" status, representing another large pool of potential off-market leads that require direct outreach and research. In stark contrast, only 52 properties (1.5%) are "Active" listings. Other statuses provide further context: 428 properties (12.0%) are marked as "Sold," indicating recent transaction velocity in this niche, while "Pending" (34 properties, 1.0%), "Canceled" (27 properties, 0.8%), and "Expired" (7 properties, 0.2%) represent a small fraction of market activity. This structure necessitates tools that can identify property owners and provide accurate contact information, such as skip tracing, to engage with these hidden opportunities.
Geographic Concentration and Key Markets
While North Dakota's total vacant property count is low, these opportunities are not spread evenly across its 53 counties. Instead, they are highly concentrated in the state's primary economic and population hubs, offering clear targets for investors looking to focus their resources effectively. The five counties with the highest number of vacant properties account for a substantial portion of the statewide total, making them the epicenters of investment activity.
Williams County, home to Williston and a center of the state's oil industry, leads with 556 vacant properties, ranking #1 in the state. Close behind is Cass County, which contains Fargo, the state's largest city; it holds 536 vacant properties for a #2 rank. Ward County, where Minot is located, ranks #3 with 462 vacant properties. The state’s eastern and central hubs follow, with Grand Forks County (home to Grand Forks) at #4 with 420 properties and Burleigh County (home to the state capital, Bismarck) at #5 with 351 properties. Together, these five counties represent the most significant clusters of potential deals in North Dakota.
The concentration continues down the list, with other regional centers showing moderate levels of vacancy. Stutsman County holds 131 vacant properties, followed by Stark County with 129 and Morton County with 125. Barnes County has 110 vacant properties, and Wells County contains 81. Further down the list, counties like Pierce (75), Walsh (62), Cavalier (61), Ramsey (60), and Richland (58) still offer dozens of opportunities each, according to BatchData's Vacancy Rates & Investment Opportunities Report. For investors, this data provides a clear roadmap, pointing toward the western oil patch and the eastern population corridor as the most fertile ground for sourcing vacant, and likely distressed, properties. This geographic focus allows for more efficient deployment of capital and marketing efforts.
The other side of this concentration is the vast number of rural counties with minimal vacant inventory. This sharp divide underscores the urban-rural economic split within the state. For instance, several counties have almost no recorded vacant properties, making them impractical targets for all but the most localized investors. Burke, Slope, Oliver, and Emmons counties each report just 1 vacant property. Golden Valley County has only 2. This extreme scarcity in rural areas reinforces the strategy of targeting the top 5 to 10 counties where market activity and opportunity are consolidated. Investors using a property search platform can filter by these top counties to streamline their acquisition pipeline and avoid spending resources in areas with little to no inventory.
Investor Takeaways
For real estate investors evaluating North Dakota, the data points to a clear and focused strategy: target off-market residential properties in a few key counties. The state is not a volume play; with only 3,566 vacant properties, it ranks #49 nationally. However, its unique market structure creates a compelling niche for those equipped with the right data and outreach tools. The overwhelming dominance of off-market inventory (97.6%) means that success depends less on monitoring public listings and more on proactively identifying and contacting property owners directly.
The primary opportunity lies in the residential sector, which accounts for 75.0% of all vacant properties (2,674 units). These are likely single-family homes or small rental properties that may be neglected or owned by motivated sellers. Investors specializing in fix-and-flips, buy-and-hold rentals, or wholesaling will find the most fertile ground here. The minimal vacancy in commercial sectors like office (21 properties) and industrial (47 properties) suggests that residential real estate should be the main focus.
Geographically, efforts should be laser-focused on the counties with the highest concentration of vacant properties. Williams County (556), Cass County (536), Ward County (462), Grand Forks County (420), and Burleigh County (351) are the undisputed leaders. These areas, corresponding to the state's major cities, offer enough inventory to build a scalable investment operation. Conversely, the extremely low counts in dozens of rural counties indicate that broad, statewide campaigns would be inefficient. A successful North Dakota strategy requires a deep dive into these specific urban and regional markets.
Ultimately, the North Dakota market rewards investors who can effectively navigate its off-market nature. With 3,480 vacant properties hidden from public view, the competitive advantage goes to those who can leverage comprehensive property datasets to build targeted lists, enrich them with owner contact information, and execute direct marketing campaigns. The low number of active listings (52) means less competition from traditional buyers, creating a space for savvy investors to negotiate favorable terms on properties that are not yet exposed to the open market.