Beaufort, South Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Hilton Head Island STRs averaged $409/night at 63.4% occupancy in April 2026, with 2025 full-year average revenue of $5,622/month across 12,422 active listings.
Quick Answer: Beaufort, South Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 63%. average monthly revenue is $6,533. average daily rate is $409. the top operator is Vacasa with 710 listings. market score is 51/100 (grade D).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Beaufort, SC market is centered on Hilton Head Island, a resort community in Beaufort County with approximately 38,000 permanent residents and 2.5 million annual visitors. The island’s 12 miles of Atlantic shoreline, 20-plus golf courses, and Sea Pines Resort anchor one of the Southeast’s most active STR markets, with 12,422 active listings as of the April 2026 snapshot.
In April 2026, the average daily rate was $409 and occupancy reached 63.4%, reflecting a strong spring shoulder period. Year-over-year for April, occupancy declined 5.5% and revenue declined 3.1%, while ADR gained 2.5% compared to April 2025. The 2025 full-year average was $372 ADR and 56.5% occupancy, generating average monthly revenue of $5,622 per listing, up 6.2% from the 2024 full-year average of $5,293.
Entire-place listings represent 99% of all inventory at 12,342 properties, with just 113 private rooms and 1 shared room. On the channel side, 8,470 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 1,381 are Airbnb-only, and 2,605 are VRBO-only. VRBO’s strong multi-channel presence reflects the resort-condo and villa rental culture prominent in Sea Pines and other gated communities.
The bedroom mix is led by 2-bedrooms (5,079 listings), followed by 3-bedrooms (2,757), 1-bedrooms (2,025), 4-bedrooms (1,330), and 5-bedrooms (1,231). The market’s rental demand score of 85 out of 100 and investability score of 80 are among the strongest in the Southeast. The total market score is 51, regulation score 57, and seasonality score 47.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37% | $246 | $2,429 |
| Feb | 61% | $239 | $3,017 |
| Mar | 70% | $284 | $4,273 |
| Apr | 64% | $333 | $5,228 |
| May | 63% | $333 | $5,250 |
| Jun | 79% | $384 | $7,516 |
| Jul | 80% | $362 | $7,520 |
| Aug | 60% | $326 | $5,134 |
| Sep | 51% | $279 | $3,734 |
| Oct | 52% | $271 | $3,693 |
| Nov | 37% | $272 | $2,731 |
| Dec | 33% | $290 | $2,622 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Beaufort
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 710 | 29,602 | ★ 4.50 |
| 2 | LSI Vacation Rental SC | 582 | 14,605 | ★ 4.63 |
| 3 | VacayHome Connect | 480 | 96 | ★ 4.60 |
| 4 | Beach Properties of Hilton Head | 430 | 3,630 | ★ 4.65 |
| 5 | The Vacation Company | 385 | 9,052 | ★ 4.82 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Beaufort?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,025 |
| 2 bed | 5,079 |
| 3 bed | 2,757 |
| 4 bed | 1,330 |
| 5 bed | 1,231 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $411 |
| Luxury | $673 |
| Professionally Managed | $477 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $4,657 |
| Entire Place | $6,569 |
| House | $8,187 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 11.1% |
| vrbo | 20.9% |
| both | 68% |
Investment Analysis
Using 2025 full-year averages, a typical Hilton Head Island STR generated approximately $67,464 in gross annual revenue ($5,622/month average). Against a typical home value of $414,423 (Zillow, April 2026), that represents a gross yield of approximately 16.3%. The median list price of $503,000 in April 2026 compresses that yield to approximately 13.4% at current asking prices. The sale-to-list ratio was 0.808 (properties selling at 80.8% of list price on average), and median days to pending was 40 days, indicating a slower-moving but still active market.
The ADR tier spread shows that professional management commands a meaningful premium here. All-listings average ADR was $409 in April 2026, while entire-home listings averaged $411 (essentially flat with the market). Professionally managed properties averaged $477/night, a 17% premium over the market average. Luxury tier listings averaged $673/night, a 64% premium above baseline.
Revenue by property type in April 2026: houses averaged $8,187/month, entire-place listings $6,569/month, and apartments $4,657/month. The gap between houses and apartments is $3,530/month, or 76%, reflecting the strong premium on stand-alone resort homes.
The 2025 annual revenue of $5,622/month represents a 6.2% gain over 2024’s $5,293. Looking at the longer trend, 2025 is the highest annual average on record in the available data series, surpassing even the 2023 high of $5,063. The consistent ADR growth ($235 in 2017 to $372 in 2025) suggests this market has maintained pricing power through multiple cycles.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
Run a Free Address Analysis
Skip the market averages. Get revenue projections, comp analysis, and ROI for your specific property address. Free, instant, no signup required.
Analyze My Property →Home Value Trends (Beaufort)
Booking Insights
Average booking lead time in the Hilton Head/Beaufort market is 75 days, meaning guests book approximately ten to eleven weeks in advance. This is one of the longer lead windows among coastal markets and reflects the resort character of Hilton Head Island, where guests plan dedicated vacation stays well in advance. A 75-day lead window provides operators significant runway to apply dynamic pricing and adjust rates as booking pace data develops.
Average length of stay is 4.7 nights, which is on the longer end of the typical STR range and consistent with a resort destination that attracts multi-night golf and beach vacations. Longer average stays reduce turnover frequency and cleaning costs per revenue dollar. They also suggest that weekly minimum stay policies during peak season align well with actual booking behavior, making 6-to-7 night minimums in June and July financially efficient without significantly deterring demand.
The combination of a long lead time (75 days) and longer stay (4.7 nights) positions Hilton Head as a deliberate, planned-vacation market rather than a spontaneous-weekend market. Pricing strategies should optimize for early-booking conversion while holding back a portion of inventory for last-minute premium bookings.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Hilton Head Island operates one of South Carolina’s most structured STR programs, substantially enhanced in 2025 and 2026. Every owner renting a property for fewer than 30 consecutive days must hold a Town STR Permit and a Town Business License ($10 base fee plus gross-revenue-based tax).
As of May 1, 2026, the permit fee is $150 per bedroom per year (increased from a flat $250). Permits run May 1 to April 30 annually, are non-transferable, and must be held in an individual’s name rather than a corporate entity. A $250 late fee applies after May 15. All advertisements must display the STR permit number effective May 1, 2026.
Owner occupancy and primary residence are not required. Investment properties may operate freely with a valid permit. There is no cap on annual rental nights. Individual HOAs may impose their own restrictions; as of May 2026, HOA properties must provide written documentation confirming STR authorization before a permit is issued.
Operational requirements include: a local agent available 24/7 who can be on-site within one hour of a complaint; quiet hours from 10 PM to 7 AM; maximum six vehicles in the driveway; fire safety systems required for properties over 3,600 square feet; propane grills require 60-minute automatic shutoff valves.
Total lodging tax is approximately 11% of gross rental receipts, composed of 5% SC state sales tax, 2% SC state accommodations tax, 1% Town local accommodations tax, 2% Town beach preservation fee, and 1% Beaufort County green space tax. Enforcement is rated strict, with a proactive performance-driven model and six dedicated full-time enforcement staff as of 2026.
Market Comparison
Hilton Head Island’s 2025 average ADR of $372 is well above the US STR median of approximately $220, consistent with a premium coastal resort market. The 2025 annual occupancy of 56.5% is close to the national median of approximately 55%, and the April 2026 occupancy of 63.4% reflects a genuinely strong spring shoulder period rather than a seasonal outlier.
On the operator side, Vacasa leads with 710 listings and 29,602 total reviews at a 4.50 average rating, representing the national platform’s largest footprint in this corridor. LSI Vacation Rental SC holds 582 listings with 14,605 reviews at a 4.63 rating, the leading local operator. VacayHome Connect manages 480 listings (4.60 rating, 96 reviews), Beach Properties of Hilton Head holds 430 listings (4.65 rating, 3,630 reviews), and The Vacation Company manages 385 listings (4.82 rating, 9,052 reviews).
The top five operators collectively manage 2,587 listings, representing approximately 20.8% of the 12,422-listing inventory. This is a moderately concentrated operator landscape for a market of this size, with a mix of national platforms (Vacasa, VacayHome Connect) and strong regional specialists (LSI, Beach Properties of Hilton Head, The Vacation Company). The Vacation Company’s 4.82 rating across 9,052 reviews stands out as a quality benchmark among full-service managers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beaufort, South Carolina
What is the average daily rate for Hilton Head Island short-term rentals?
What is the occupancy rate for Hilton Head Island STRs?
What permits are required to operate an STR on Hilton Head Island?
What is the estimated gross yield for an STR investment on Hilton Head Island?
Which months generate the most and least revenue for Hilton Head STRs?
Who are the leading STR property managers on Hilton Head Island?
What are the lodging tax obligations for Hilton Head Island STR operators?
Analyze Beaufort Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Beaufort.
Free Beaufort STR Calculator →
