Apex, North Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Apex, NC STRs averaged $160/night at 63.5% occupancy in April 2026 with 9.1% year-over-year occupancy growth.
Quick Answer: Apex, North Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 67%. average monthly revenue is $2,964. average daily rate is $159. the top operator is Evolve with 106 listings. market score is 88/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the Raleigh/Durham regional market, which includes Apex. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Apex.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Apex is a fast-growing suburb in Wake County, part of the Raleigh-Durham Research Triangle metro, with a population of approximately 85,400. The STR market hosts 7,947 active listings as of April 2026, with Airbnb accounting for 4,858 listings, 2,714 properties listed on both Airbnb and VRBO, and 375 on VRBO only.
The market-wide average daily rate in April 2026 was $160, with occupancy at 63.5% and RevPAR at $101.27. Monthly revenue averaged $2,783 per listing. Year-over-year performance was notably strong: occupancy increased 9.1 percentage points and revenue grew 9.0%, while ADR was essentially unchanged (-0.24%).
Entire-place listings dominate at 6,456 (81.2% of inventory), private rooms account for 1,470, and shared rooms for 21. The bedroom breakdown skews toward larger units: 1-bedroom (3,077), 3-bedroom (1,991), 2-bedroom (1,874), 4-bedroom (729), and 5-bedroom (251). The market’s overall score is 87.6 out of 100, with rental demand (92.1) and seasonality (94.2) as the strongest dimensions. Investability scores 64.8, and revenue growth scores 66.0, reflecting the maturing suburban market.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55% | $104 | $1,664 |
| Feb | 63% | $109 | $1,738 |
| Mar | 65% | $116 | $2,058 |
| Apr | 63% | $123 | $2,090 |
| May | 63% | $131 | $2,231 |
| Jun | 68% | $125 | $2,330 |
| Jul | 70% | $115 | $2,196 |
| Aug | 68% | $113 | $2,161 |
| Sep | 65% | $114 | $1,991 |
| Oct | 68% | $121 | $2,303 |
| Nov | 64% | $121 | $2,089 |
| Dec | 59% | $116 | $1,969 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Apex
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 106 | 3,065 | ★ 4.52 |
| 2 | Coveted Hospitality | 99 | 1,152 | ★ 4.18 |
| 3 | Landing | 91 | 10 | ★ 3.72 |
| 4 | Landing, Inc. | 74 | 174 | ★ 4.55 |
| 5 | Triangle short term rentals | 69 | 1,400 | ★ 4.78 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Apex?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 3,077 |
| 2 bed | 1,874 |
| 3 bed | 1,991 |
| 4 bed | 729 |
| 5 bed | 251 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $175 |
| Luxury | $257 |
| Professionally Managed | $174 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,458 |
| Entire Place | $3,285 |
| House | $3,192 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 61.1% |
| vrbo | 4.7% |
| both | 34.2% |
Investment Analysis
Apex’s April 2026 STR metrics show a market with meaningful differentiation by property type. Entire-place rentals averaged $3,075 per month versus $2,260 for apartments, a 36% gap that underscores the premium on privacy and space in a suburban market. Houses specifically averaged $3,026 per month.
ADR by tier: the market-wide rate is $160 per night. Entire-home listings averaged $177 per night, matching the professionally managed tier ($177). Luxury properties averaged $257 per night, a 61% premium over the market average. The convergence of entire-home and professionally managed ADR ($177 each) indicates that professional management in this market does not automatically command a rate premium over self-managed entire-home listings — operators compete on quality and reviews rather than rate alone.
Annualized, an average Apex STR generates roughly $33,400 in gross revenue. No Zillow housing snapshot was available for this area, so a gross yield calculation against typical home value is not available here. Investors should source current home prices independently. The 9.1% occupancy and 9.0% revenue growth year-over-year signal that demand is accelerating, which is a positive leading indicator for the market.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Apex guests book an average of 37.3 days in advance, which is longer than many suburban STR markets. This forward booking window likely reflects the mix of business travelers from the Research Triangle corridor, university-related visitors, and people planning extended stays for relocation scouting or corporate assignments.
The average length of stay is 4.3 nights, shorter than the national STR average for suburban markets and consistent with a business and mid-week transient demand mix. A 4-night average means more frequent turnovers than weekly-rental markets, which increases cleaning and operational costs per night but also provides more flexibility to adjust rates between bookings.
With a 37-day booking window, hosts have over a month of forward visibility. Revenue management strategies that adjust rates 4-6 weeks out based on pacing — holding rates when booking velocity is strong, dropping rates when gaps appear in the calendar — align with this market’s booking pattern. The combination of business-driven demand and a Research Triangle location suggests mid-week stays are common; pricing weekday nights competitively may improve overall occupancy.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Apex currently has no short-term-rental-specific ordinance. STR operation is broadly permitted under general residential zoning with no town-level permit requirement, no night cap, and no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement.
The main compliance obligations are tax-related. Short-term rentals (stays under 30 days) are subject to Wake County’s 6% Room Occupancy Tax. North Carolina state sales tax (4.75%) and Wake County local sales tax (2.5%) also apply, bringing the combined rate to approximately 13.25%. Platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO typically collect and remit these taxes for bookings made through their platforms, but hosts taking direct bookings must register with Wake County and the NC Department of Revenue to remit independently.
If an STR is operated as a home-based business, the town’s Home Occupation rules may apply, limiting business use to no more than 25% of floor area or 500 square feet. A general Home Occupation Permit (not STR-specific) may be required in that scenario.
The most significant practical constraint for investors is private: many Apex subdivisions have HOA covenants that restrict or prohibit short-term rentals. Buyers must review HOA documents before purchasing. Enforcement at the municipal level is minimal given the absence of a dedicated STR ordinance. Local reports note the town could adopt dedicated STR rules in the future, and monitoring Apex town council meetings is advisable.
Market Comparison
Apex’s 63.5% occupancy in April 2026 is above the approximate US STR median of 55%, and the 9.1% year-over-year occupancy growth is well above typical flat-to-low-single-digit national trends. The $160 ADR sits below the US median of approximately $220, consistent with a suburban commuter market rather than a premium destination.
The market’s rental demand score of 92.1 out of 100 indicates strong occupancy relative to supply nationally. Its seasonality score of 94.2 reflects low seasonal volatility, which reduces occupancy risk compared to beach or mountain vacation markets.
Among professional operators, Evolve leads with 106 listings, 3,065 reviews, and a 4.52 average rating. Coveted Hospitality is second with 99 listings and a 4.18 rating across 1,152 reviews. Triangle Short Term Rentals ranks fifth with 69 listings and the highest rating in the top five at 4.78 across 1,400 reviews. The combined top-five PM footprint totals 439 listings out of 7,947, or 5.5% of the market, leaving the large majority in independent operator hands.
Frequently Asked Questions About Apex, North Carolina
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