Retail vacancies in Eastern Massachusetts increased from 8.6 percent to 9.4 percent over the past year amid continuing chain store cutbacks and liquidations.

Total retail inventory increased 1 percent to 196.4 million square feet, resulting in a positive absorption rate of 104,000 square feet, Burlington-based KeyPoint Partners said in preliminary findings from its annual retail report to be released in June.

Vacancy rates rose fastest in the 25,000 to 49,999-square-foot category, including closings of many Toys R Us and Benny’s stores as both chains liquidated their real estate holdings.

The rate of increase would have been higher except for conversions of retail space to other uses, KeyPoint Partners said.

Rochester, New York-based grocer Wegmans provided the most new absorption of any retailer, opening a 146,500-square-foot stores at the Natick Mall and 120,000-square-foot store at Medford’s Meadow Glen Mall.

Taunton has the highest vacancy rate of any community in the study area at 30 percent, primarily because of the closing of the Sears store at the Taunton Galleria. Sears also closed stores in Dedham and Burlington, with the Burlington Mall location proposed for conversion to multitenant retail and restaurant space.

The opening of a HomeSense at a former Sports Authority location in Westwood brought the town’s vacancy rate down to 1.6 percent, the lowest in the survey area.

The study encompasses 189 cities and towns in Eastern Massachusetts during the year ending in May.