Clearwater, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Clearwater STRs averaged $292/night at 67.2% occupancy in April 2026 across roughly 19,300 active listings.
Quick Answer: Clearwater, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 67%. average monthly revenue is $5,334. average daily rate is $292. the top operator is Resort Rentals with 406 listings. market score is 56/100 (grade C).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Clearwater and the broader Pinellas County coastal market represent one of Florida’s largest short-term rental corridors, with approximately 19,328 active listings tracked across the area. The market skews heavily toward entire-place rentals: 18,503 listings are whole-property units, 798 are private rooms, and 27 are shared rooms. The average daily rate in April 2026 was $292.10, with occupancy at 67.2% and RevPAR of $196.15.
The bedroom mix reflects a mix of condo-heavy coastal inventory and single-family homes. Two-bedroom units are the most common with 6,988 listings, followed closely by one-bedroom properties (6,010), three-bedroom homes (4,213), four-bedroom units (1,427), and five-bedroom-plus properties (642). The one and two-bedroom concentration is notably higher than more rural beach markets, pointing to a strong condo and townhome supply alongside traditional vacation houses.
By channel, 11,671 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 5,492 are Airbnb-only, and 2,165 are VRBO-only — Airbnb carries more weight here than in many vacation-home markets. Year over year, occupancy declined 5.4% while ADR rose 3.5%, resulting in a net revenue decline of 2.2%. This divergence between falling occupancy and rising rates is consistent with a market working through supply additions while operators defend per-night pricing. The population of the city itself is 267,073, and Pinellas County recorded 15.4 million total visitors in 2024.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65% | $187 | $3,151 |
| Feb | 82% | $215 | $3,951 |
| Mar | 82% | $249 | $5,114 |
| Apr | 65% | $233 | $4,080 |
| May | 62% | $216 | $3,648 |
| Jun | 70% | $231 | $4,262 |
| Jul | 70% | $220 | $4,222 |
| Aug | 54% | $196 | $3,124 |
| Sep | 48% | $174 | $2,328 |
| Oct | 56% | $179 | $2,572 |
| Nov | 57% | $175 | $2,466 |
| Dec | 57% | $188 | $2,624 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Clearwater
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Resort Rentals | 406 | 16,870 | ★ 4.59 |
| 2 | ITrip Vacations | 344 | 30,278 | ★ 4.65 |
| 3 | Travel Resort Services | 330 | 9,246 | ★ 4.65 |
| 4 | Evolve | 300 | 12,536 | ★ 4.69 |
| 5 | Vacasa | 299 | 15,071 | ★ 4.59 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Clearwater?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 6,010 |
| 2 bed | 6,988 |
| 3 bed | 4,213 |
| 4 bed | 1,427 |
| 5 bed | 642 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $299 |
| Luxury | $480 |
| Professionally Managed | $354 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $5,066 |
| Entire Place | $5,466 |
| House | $5,730 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 28.4% |
| vrbo | 11.2% |
| both | 60.4% |
Investment Analysis
Clearwater’s April 2026 monthly revenue average of $5,334 per listing projects to roughly $64,011 annualized. With a typical home value of $341,503 (Zillow, April 2026), the implied gross yield on a typical property is approximately 18.7% — though this figure uses the market-average monthly revenue and does not account for vacancy differences by property type, management costs, or the specific purchase price of any individual unit. Investors should treat this as a starting benchmark, not a return guarantee.
The sale-to-list ratio of 0.970 and 41 median days to pending indicate a market that has softened modestly from its 2021-2022 peak, which may present more negotiating room for buyers than was available in recent years. Inventory of 1,498 active for-sale listings provides reasonable selection.
By tier, professionally managed listings command $353.66 ADR versus the all-listings average of $292.10, a 21.1% premium that reflects the operational lift from dynamic pricing and quality management. The luxury tier reaches $479.55 ADR, a 64.2% premium over the market average. House-type listings generate $5,730 in monthly revenue versus $5,066 for apartment-type units — a gap of $664 per month. Entire-place listings average $5,466. The year-over-year revenue decline of 2.2% warrants attention: this market is competitive and operators who do not actively manage pricing and distribution may see continued compression.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Clearwater guests book an average of 62.3 days in advance, just over two months. This lead time is consistent with a market where travelers plan beach vacations and winter escapes well ahead, particularly for peak February and March stays when competition for desirable units is highest. For operators, this window supports an advance-booking strategy: publish peak season availability early, price at or slightly above market rate initially, and use dynamic pricing to capture late demand at a premium as calendars fill.
Average length of stay is 5.05 nights, slightly more than a standard five-night stay. This longer-than-weekend pattern is consistent with the market’s appeal to travelers booking week-long escapes rather than quick getaways. A 3-night minimum stay policy preserves operational efficiency while keeping the listing competitive in a market with 19,300-plus options. Operators who offer flexible check-in and longer minimum stays during shoulder months may fill gaps that fixed weekend-only policies leave open.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Clearwater and Pinellas County operate one of the more complex STR regulatory environments in Florida. The key distinction is location: properties within the City of St. Petersburg face a strict 3-rentals-per-12-month limit in all residential zoning districts (RT, RS), an ordinance pre-dating Florida’s June 2011 preemption cutoff and therefore still fully enforceable under Statute 509.032(7)(b). Full STR operations within St. Petersburg are only permitted in Downtown Center and Commercial General zones, or in properties that have obtained a Resort Facilities Overlay through a Future Land Use Map amendment — a process that typically takes five to six months and costs approximately $2,400 in application fees.
For properties in unincorporated Pinellas County (outside city limits), the county’s Certificate of Use applies. The permit costs $450 per year, with a $150 initial inspection fee, and requires that maximum occupancy not exceed 10 guests (2 per bedroom plus 2 in common areas). Pinellas County formally adopted a new STR ordinance for unincorporated areas in early 2025, with staggered application deadlines by ZIP code.
All operators statewide must hold a Florida DBPR Vacation Rental License and a City Business Tax Receipt. The combined lodging tax rate is 13%: 6% Florida state sales tax plus 1% Pinellas discretionary surtax plus 6% Pinellas Tourist Development Tax. Enforcement is described as strict: St. Petersburg raised fines to up to $1,000 per day or $10,000 per code hearing in mid-2024, and city staff actively monitor online listing platforms. Investors should confirm the zoning of any specific property before purchase.
Market Comparison
Clearwater’s April 2026 ADR of $292.10 is above the U.S. STR median ADR of approximately $220, reflecting the market’s strength as an established beach destination, though it sits below top-tier luxury coastal markets. Occupancy at 67.2% is well above the U.S. median of roughly 55%, placing this market in the upper tier of occupancy performance nationally — though the 5.4% year-over-year decline warrants monitoring.
The market is served by large national and regional operators. Resort Rentals leads with 406 listings (16,870 reviews, 4.59 average rating). ITrip Vacations follows with 344 listings (30,278 reviews, 4.648 rating), and Travel Resort Services holds 330 listings (9,246 reviews, 4.651 rating). Evolve manages 300 listings (12,536 reviews, 4.691 rating) and Vacasa rounds out the top five with 299 listings (15,071 reviews, 4.591 rating). Together these five operators account for approximately 1,679 of roughly 19,328 total listings — about 8.7% of the market — a lower concentration than smaller destination markets, reflecting Clearwater’s size and the broader distribution of independent operators in this corridor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Clearwater, Florida
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