Cape Coral, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Cape Coral STRs averaged $302/night with 19,156 entire-place listings and a 56% annual occupancy rate in this Southwest Florida waterfront market.
Quick Answer: Cape Coral, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 49%. average monthly revenue is $4,164. average daily rate is $302. the top operator is Roelens Realty & Property Management with 614 listings. market score is 48/100 (grade D).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Cape Coral is one of the largest dedicated vacation rental markets in Southwest Florida, anchored by the city’s 400-plus miles of navigable canals and its proximity to Fort Myers and the broader Lee County leisure corridor. As of April 2026 data, the market carries 19,851 active listings: 19,156 entire-place units (96.5%), 688 private rooms, and 7 shared rooms. The bedroom distribution is weighted toward multi-bedroom vacation properties: 3-bedroom units lead at 7,149 listings, followed by 2-bedroom at 5,514, 1-bedroom at 3,320, 4-bedroom at 3,032, and 5-bedroom-plus at 821. Channel distribution is more balanced across platforms than most markets: 12,052 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 4,402 are Airbnb-only, and 3,397 are VRBO-only, reflecting VRBO’s strong traction in the vacation home segment. April 2026 occupancy was 48.7%, with occupancy down 3.0% year-over-year, ADR up 4.9% to $302, and revenue essentially flat at -0.2%. The 2025 annual average occupancy was 56.1% at $260 ADR and $3,887 average monthly revenue per listing. The overall market score is 47.9 out of 100, with investability leading at 69.1, revenue growth at 76.6, and rental demand at 59.6. Seasonality scores 54.0, reflecting the pronounced winter-peak and summer-trough pattern of a warm-weather snowbird destination.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67% | $231 | $3,722 |
| Feb | 82% | $256 | $4,513 |
| Mar | 80% | $280 | $5,313 |
| Apr | 53% | $250 | $3,530 |
| May | 50% | $215 | $2,892 |
| Jun | 60% | $242 | $3,561 |
| Jul | 62% | $230 | $3,723 |
| Aug | 44% | $205 | $2,660 |
| Sep | 40% | $188 | $2,062 |
| Oct | 52% | $206 | $2,454 |
| Nov | 59% | $210 | $2,778 |
| Dec | 61% | $241 | $3,292 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Cape Coral
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roelens Realty & Property Management | 614 | 8,143 | ★ 4.58 |
| 2 | Evolve | 446 | 11,657 | ★ 4.62 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 340 | 4,515 | ★ 4.44 |
| 4 | Sun Palace | 278 | 4,019 | ★ 4.60 |
| 5 | Royal Shell Vacations | 249 | 1,913 | ★ 4.64 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Cape Coral?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 3,320 |
| 2 bed | 5,514 |
| 3 bed | 7,149 |
| 4 bed | 3,032 |
| 5 bed | 821 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $308 |
| Luxury | $547 |
| Professionally Managed | $365 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,760 |
| Entire Place | $4,250 |
| House | $4,386 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 22.2% |
| vrbo | 17.1% |
| both | 60.7% |
Investment Analysis
Cape Coral offers an attractive entry price relative to its revenue output. The typical home value is $339,638 (Zillow, April 2026) with a median sale price of $358,300. There are 3,341 properties currently for sale with a median 51 days to pending and a sale-to-list ratio of 0.896, indicating buyers are consistently negotiating sellers to approximately 89.6% of asking in a buyer-favorable market with substantial inventory. At 2025 average monthly revenue of $3,887 ($46,644 annualized), the gross yield on a typical-value property is approximately 13.7%, which is among the highest gross yields of any market in this batch. Houses outperform in April at $4,386 per month versus the market-wide $4,164. Entire-place units average $4,250 per month. The professionally managed tier commands an ADR of $365, a 21% premium over the market-wide $302. Luxury-tier properties average $547 per night ADR. Revenue has grown considerably since 2017: annual average monthly revenue rose from $1,996 in 2017 to $3,887 in 2025, reflecting a sustained upward trend. The investability score of 69.1 is the highest in this five-market batch, driven by the combination of high gross yield, buyer’s market conditions, and state law protections for STR operators. The primary risk factors are the pronounced summer trough (September is the weakest month at 39.9% occupancy) and the ongoing softening since the 2022 peak: annual occupancy dropped from 67.6% in 2022 to 56.1% in 2025.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Cape Coral guests book an average of 63.0 days in advance and stay an average of 5.70 nights per booking. The 63-day lead time is the longest in this five-market batch, consistent with the vacation rental profile of the market: guests booking vacation homes for snowbird seasons or spring break tend to plan further ahead, and the large pool-home inventory attracts group travel that requires more advance coordination. The 5.7-night average stay reflects the weekly booking pattern common in vacation rental markets, where Saturday-to-Saturday or Sunday-to-Sunday turnover is standard. For operators, this extended lead time and weekly-stay pattern creates a manageable turnover cadence and meaningful pricing leverage: winter inventory available in January through March is typically committed by October or November. Operators who price peak-season inventory conservatively in the fall booking window risk leaving revenue on the table. During the summer trough, shorter-stay and last-minute bookings become more common as the snowbird-oriented demand disappears and the remaining guests are more price-sensitive.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Cape Coral’s STR regulatory environment is framed by Florida state preemption law. Under Florida Statute 509.032(7), local governments may not ban vacation rentals or regulate their frequency or duration, which prevents Cape Coral from imposing use restrictions or night caps. STRs are permitted in single-family residential zones. However, operators face two layers of required registration. First, every Florida vacation rental operator must hold a state license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) before accepting bookings. Second, effective January 1, 2026, Cape Coral requires all residential rental properties to register annually with the city (Resolution 279-25 and Ordinance 53-25). The annual registration fee for short-term rentals (leases of 6 months or less) is $350, renewable annually through the city’s online portal at CapeCoral.gov/RentalRegistration. Enforcement fines are $500 for a first violation of the registration requirement and $1,000 for repeat violations, with additional penalties for misrepresenting the rental type. No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies. On taxes, guests pay a combined 11% in lodging taxes: a 6% Florida state transient tax and a 5% Lee County Tourist Development Tax. Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit both taxes automatically for platform bookings; operators booking direct must register with the Florida Department of Revenue for the state tax and with the Lee County Tax Collector for the county TDT. Enforcement is classified as moderate. Properties must comply with nuisance, parking, occupancy, and safety codes.
Market Comparison
Cape Coral’s April 2026 occupancy of 48.7% sits below the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, reflecting that April is in the transitional shoulder month for this market. The 2025 annual average of 56.1% is more consistent with the national benchmark. The ADR of $302 in April ($260 annually in 2025) exceeds the U.S. median of approximately $220, reflecting the premium pricing of dedicated vacation homes with pools and waterfront access. RevPAR in April 2026 was $146.88. The gross yield of approximately 13.7% based on 2025 annual revenue and typical home value is significantly above national and Northeast norms, driven by high ADR, below-average entry prices, and Florida’s no-state-income-tax environment. The operator landscape is professionally managed to a greater degree than most markets in this batch. Roelens Realty and Property Management leads with 614 listings and a 4.58 rating across 8,143 reviews. Evolve manages 446 listings (4.62 rating, 11,657 reviews), Vacasa holds 340 listings (4.44 rating), Sun Palace operates 278 listings (4.60 rating), and Royal Shell Vacations manages 249 listings (4.64 rating). Combined, the top 5 operators manage 1,927 listings, approximately 9.7% of the 19,851-listing market. VRBO’s strong presence (3,397 VRBO-only plus 12,052 dual-listed) distinguishes this market from urban STR markets where Airbnb is dominant.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cape Coral, Florida
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