Coupeville, Washington Short-Term Rental Market
Coupeville, WA STRs averaged $233/night at 53.6% occupancy in April 2026 across 5,375 active listings.
Quick Answer: Coupeville, Washington is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 54%. average monthly revenue is $3,259. average daily rate is $233. the top operator is Vacasa with 327 listings. market score is 70/100 (grade B).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Coupeville is a small historic waterfront town on Whidbey Island, Washington, drawing visitors to Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, Penn Cove, and the island’s ferry-connected coastline. The short-term rental market here is substantial relative to the town’s 1,942 residents, with approximately 5,375 active listings tracked across the market area.
As of April 2026, the average daily rate stood at $233 and occupancy came in at 53.6%, producing a RevPAR of $125. Average monthly revenue per listing was $3,259. Year-over-year, occupancy dipped 1.9 percentage points and revenue slipped 2.2%, while ADR held up with a 4.3% gain, suggesting the market softened on demand but hosts responded by pricing up.
Listing type is heavily skewed toward entire-place rentals, which account for 5,066 of the 5,375 total listings (94%). Private rooms represent 318 listings and shared rooms are negligible at 2. By bedroom count, the market spans a broad range: 1-bedroom units lead at 2,160, followed by 2-bedroom (1,396), 3-bedroom (1,145), 4-bedroom (481), and 5-bedroom-plus (193). Airbnb dominates channel distribution with 2,535 Airbnb-only listings and 2,442 dual-listed on both platforms, while 409 listings are VRBO-only.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36% | $177 | $1,851 |
| Feb | 47% | $182 | $2,000 |
| Mar | 50% | $188 | $2,477 |
| Apr | 56% | $204 | $2,992 |
| May | 58% | $215 | $3,092 |
| Jun | 68% | $247 | $4,266 |
| Jul | 79% | $256 | $5,321 |
| Aug | 79% | $255 | $5,363 |
| Sep | 63% | $228 | $3,781 |
| Oct | 50% | $194 | $2,718 |
| Nov | 45% | $192 | $2,271 |
| Dec | 45% | $193 | $2,323 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Coupeville
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 327 | 24,080 | ★ 4.52 |
| 2 | Evolve | 144 | 9,100 | ★ 4.83 |
| 3 | San Juan Property Management | 91 | 8,680 | ★ 4.73 |
| 4 | AvantStay | 83 | 6,296 | ★ 4.75 |
| 5 | Brigadoon Vacation Rentals | 58 | 3,491 | ★ 4.81 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Coupeville?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,160 |
| 2 bed | 1,396 |
| 3 bed | 1,145 |
| 4 bed | 481 |
| 5 bed | 193 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $240 |
| Luxury | $412 |
| Professionally Managed | $265 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,475 |
| Entire Place | $3,362 |
| House | $3,532 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 47.1% |
| vrbo | 7.6% |
| both | 45.3% |
Investment Analysis
Coupeville’s investment case centers on a high-demand island destination with a moderate regulatory environment, though the critical caveat is a 2019 zoning restriction that prohibits new STRs in residential zones.
The average listing generated $3,259/month in revenue in April 2026, or approximately $39,109 annualized using the April figure as a proxy. Entire-place rentals averaged $3,362/month and houses averaged $3,532/month, both outpacing the all-listing average. Luxury tier properties commanded an ADR of $412 compared to the market average of $233, while professionally managed listings averaged $264/night.
The market score is 70.2 overall, with notably strong sub-scores for rental demand (83.4) and revenue growth (81.5). Investability scores 65.1 and the regulation score is 72.7, reflecting the moderate licensing requirement. The seasonality score is 50.7, which is meaningful: the gap between the July peak (79.3% occupancy, $5,321/month revenue) and the January trough (36.1% occupancy, $1,851/month) is substantial, so investors need to model for roughly 5 months of below-average performance.
No Zillow housing value data is available for this specific market in our current dataset, so entry-cost-based yield calculations are not possible from this source. Prospective buyers should obtain current Island County comp data independently before underwriting a return. The 2019 zoning change is the biggest risk: any non-grandfathered residential property cannot legally operate as a new STR within Coupeville town limits.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Coupeville guests book an average of 44 days in advance as of April 2026, which is a moderately long lead time consistent with destination island travel requiring ferry planning. This lead time gives operators a meaningful pricing window: rates can be set at full asking price for roughly 6 weeks before arrival, with last-minute discounting reserved for inventory that remains available within 2 weeks of check-in.
Average length of stay is 3.43 nights, which is slightly above the typical urban short-term rental but short of a full week. This means most guests are booking long weekends rather than full-week stays, resulting in more frequent turnovers. Operators should account for per-stay cleaning costs when pricing, as the 3-4 night average produces roughly 7-8 turnovers per month at peak occupancy.
The combination of 44-day lead time and 3.4-night stays suggests a market where weekend-extension bookings (Thursday to Sunday or Friday to Monday) are common. Minimum stay requirements of 3 nights may improve operational efficiency in peak season without significantly reducing bookings, given that most guests are already booking in the 3-4 night range.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Coupeville regulates short-term rentals under town code chapters CTC 5.38 and CTC 16.10.080, with rules effective December 19, 2019.
STRs are permitted, and a license is required. Every operator must obtain an annual, non-transferable Short-Term Rental License at a cost of $100 (or $50 if the required fire inspection is replaced with a life-safety self-assessment). Applications require site plans, floor plans, a parking plan, and proof of inspection.
The most significant constraint for investors is the zoning structure. New STRs are prohibited in all residential zones (RR, LDR, RM 9,600, HDR). STRs are permitted only in commercial zones (HLC, TC, GC). Properties operating legally as STRs before December 19, 2019 are grandfathered and may continue in residential areas. This effectively limits new investment-grade STR opportunities to commercially zoned properties unless purchasing a grandfathered residential unit.
There is no owner-occupancy requirement, no primary residence requirement, and no annual night cap. Operators must provide a local contact reachable within one hour while guests are present, display the license number in all advertising, and provide one off-street parking space per guest room. Outdoor amplified sound and social events with non-registered guests are prohibited.
Occupancy tax applies at 2% (Island County special lodging tax), in addition to state and local retail sales tax. Owner-occupied status is not required.
Island County’s unincorporated areas still lack a dedicated STR ordinance as of 2025 and rely on zoning and state law (RCW 64.37). The county has signaled potential future restrictions, possibly tying guest limits to septic capacity.
Market Comparison
Coupeville’s April 2026 ADR of $233 exceeds the U.S. STR median of approximately $220, positioning this market above average on rate. Occupancy at 53.6% is roughly in line with the national median of approximately 55%, suggesting the market is competitive but not exceptional on utilization.
Within the Pacific Northwest island/waterfront STR segment, Coupeville’s revenue profile ($3,259/month average) reflects a strong seasonal concentration. Markets with similar summer-peak patterns often see full-year average revenues that underperform their summer months significantly, which is consistent with Coupeville’s July-to-January revenue range of $5,321 to $1,851.
Vacasa leads the professional management segment with 327 listings and 24,080 reviews at a 4.5 average rating, making it the dominant operator by listing count. Evolve follows with 144 listings and 9,100 reviews at a 4.8 rating. San Juan Property Management holds 91 listings with 8,680 reviews at a 4.7 rating. Together these three operators represent approximately 562 managed listings, or roughly 10% of the estimated total active listing pool. This indicates the market is not heavily consolidated under professional management, and self-managed operators remain the majority.
The market’s overall score of 70.2, driven by rental demand (83.4) and revenue growth (81.5), places it in solid territory relative to national benchmarks.
Frequently Asked Questions About Coupeville, Washington
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