Calabash, North Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Calabash, NC STRs averaged $320/night at 51.3% occupancy in April 2026 across roughly 17,700 active listings.
Quick Answer: Calabash, North Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 75%. average monthly revenue is $8,822. average daily rate is $460. the top operator is Vacasa with 776 listings. market score is 63/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Wilmington regional market, which includes Calabash. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Calabash.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Calabash sits in Brunswick County, NC, on the southern coast near the South Carolina border. The market draws visitors to its waterfront seafood restaurants, fishing charters, dolphin tours, and golf courses, with Sunset Beach and Holden Beach providing nearby beach access. The STR market here is substantial for a town of 2,433 residents, with approximately 17,700 active listings reflecting the broader coastal Brunswick County tourism corridor.
In April 2026, the average daily rate was $320 and occupancy reached 51.3%, producing a RevPAR of $164. Year-over-year, ADR rose 7.4% while occupancy fell 6.2%, resulting in a net revenue gain of 5.4% compared to April 2025. Average monthly revenue per listing was $4,201.
The listing mix is overwhelmingly whole-property rentals: entire-place listings account for 17,390 of approximately 17,742 channel-weighted listing appearances (roughly 98%), with private rooms representing just 349 and shared rooms only 3. By bedroom count, 3-bedroom properties are the most common (4,914 listings), followed by 2-bedroom (3,619), 4-bedroom (3,527), 1-bedroom (2,959), and 5-bedroom (2,714). By distribution channel, listings appearing on both Airbnb and Vrbo total 10,961, with Airbnb-only at 3,777 and Vrbo-only at 3,004.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32% | $200 | $1,785 |
| Feb | 45% | $196 | $1,932 |
| Mar | 55% | $220 | $2,661 |
| Apr | 56% | $254 | $3,456 |
| May | 60% | $301 | $4,311 |
| Jun | 76% | $355 | $6,648 |
| Jul | 81% | $329 | $6,702 |
| Aug | 69% | $320 | $5,793 |
| Sep | 52% | $271 | $3,733 |
| Oct | 47% | $234 | $2,934 |
| Nov | 39% | $220 | $2,212 |
| Dec | 34% | $213 | $2,083 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Calabash
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 776 | 18,259 | ★ 4.46 |
| 2 | Oak Island Accommodations | 469 | 2,489 | ★ 4.43 |
| 3 | Better Beach Rentals | 445 | 3,724 | ★ 4.37 |
| 4 | Evolve | 332 | 12,283 | ★ 4.75 |
| 5 | Carolina Retreats by Vtrips | 317 | 3,785 | ★ 4.54 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Calabash?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,959 |
| 2 bed | 3,619 |
| 3 bed | 4,914 |
| 4 bed | 3,527 |
| 5 bed | 2,714 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $465 |
| Luxury | $711 |
| Professionally Managed | $571 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $6,950 |
| Entire Place | $8,935 |
| House | $9,912 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 21.3% |
| vrbo | 16.9% |
| both | 61.8% |
Investment Analysis
Calabash carries an investability score of 85.1 out of 100, the highest of the six market dimension scores, alongside a revenue growth score of 79.1. These reflect a market where demand has been consistent and revenue per listing has grown even as occupancy has softened slightly.
At the April 2026 snapshot, average monthly revenue was $4,201 per listing, implying roughly $50,400 annualized. Against a typical home value of $354,790, that produces an unlevered gross revenue yield of approximately 14.2%. This figure does not account for platform fees, management, taxes, or operating costs, but it frames the revenue-to-cost ratio before expenses.
Pricing tiers show meaningful spread. The all-listings ADR of $320 compares to $324 for entire-home listings, $412 for professionally managed properties, and $532 for luxury-tier listings. Operators willing to invest in professional management or premium finishes access a rate floor roughly 25-66% above the market average.
Median list price of $343,300 and a typical home value of $354,790 suggest the entry cost is moderate by coastal NC standards. With 212 properties for sale and a median days-to-pending of 67 days, the market is not distressed but is not fast-moving either, giving investors time to conduct diligence. Median sale price data was not available in the current snapshot.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Guests in Calabash book an average of 49.1 days in advance, just over seven weeks. This relatively short booking window reflects the leisure and coastal market’s tendency for spontaneous seasonal trips rather than long-horizon vacation planning. For operators, this means pricing adjustments made four to six weeks out still reach most bookings, and last-minute discounting can fill gaps without heavily cannibalizing forward revenue.
Average length of stay is 3.89 nights, consistent with a weekend-and-long-weekend driven market. This creates moderate turnover relative to weekly-rental markets. Operators should factor cleaning and restocking costs against this roughly four-night average when setting minimum-stay requirements, as requiring 7-night minimums during peak season may reduce booking velocity without proportionate ADR gains.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are permitted in Calabash and the surrounding Brunswick County area. As of June 2026, neither the Town of Calabash nor Brunswick County requires a dedicated STR operating permit. No maximum nights per year, owner-occupancy requirement, or primary-residence mandate has been identified for this jurisdiction.
Operators must collect and remit a combined accommodation tax of approximately 7.75%: 4.75% NC state sales tax, 2% Brunswick County local sales tax, and 1% Brunswick County room occupancy tax on gross short-stay receipts. Some nearby municipalities (Sunset Beach, Holden Beach) impose additional local accommodation taxes, but Calabash itself does not appear to have a separate town-level levy.
The NC Vacation Rental Act applies statewide and requires that rental contracts include summaries of local noise, parking, and waste ordinances. A licensed manager or agent must be located within 50 miles of the property during guest stays. STRs must comply with applicable residential zoning classifications.
Enforcement is characterized as minimal given the absence of a permit program. Investors should confirm current zoning directly with the Town of Calabash Zoning and Building Inspections department before listing, as local ordinances can change. The NC General Assembly considered statewide STR regulation (SB 291) in 2025, but no new permit mandate had passed as of June 2026.
Market Comparison
Calabash’s April 2026 ADR of $320 is roughly 45% above the US STR median of approximately $220, reflecting the coastal premium and the prevalence of whole-property vacation rentals over rooms. Occupancy at 51.3% trails the US STR median of approximately 55%, consistent with a strongly seasonal market where off-peak months pull the annual average down.
The total market score of 62.9 out of 100 reflects moderate overall conditions, with investability (85.1) and revenue growth (79.1) as standout components and seasonality (43.3) as the notable drag.
The operator landscape is concentrated at the top. Vacasa leads with 776 listings (4.46 average rating), followed by Oak Island Accommodations (469 listings, 4.43 rating), Better Beach Rentals (445 listings, 4.37 rating), Evolve (332 listings, 4.75 rating), and Carolina Retreats by Vtrips (317 listings, 4.54 rating). These five operators together account for approximately 2,339 listings, or roughly 13% of the total market. The remaining 87% of inventory is independently managed or handled by smaller local operators, meaning no single manager dominates and the market remains fragmented at scale.
Frequently Asked Questions About Calabash, North Carolina
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