Johns Island, South Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Johns Island SC STRs averaged $454/night at 70.0% occupancy in April 2026, generating $8,422 average monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Johns Island, South Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 79%. average monthly revenue is $11,567. average daily rate is $549. the top operator is Vacasa with 440 listings. market score is 75/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Charleston regional market, which includes Johns Island. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Johns Island.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Johns Island is a fast-growing sea island southwest of Charleston, South Carolina, drawing visitors as a quieter gateway to the Charleston metro, Kiawah Island beaches, and the island’s own natural and agricultural attractions. The Angel Oak Tree alone draws approximately 400,000 visitors per year. The short-term rental market holds approximately 11,850 active listings: 11,253 entire-place rentals (94.9% of supply), 596 private-room listings, and 1 shared-room unit.
In April 2026, the market posted a $454.23 average daily rate and 70.0% occupancy, generating a RevPAR of $318.12. Average monthly revenue per listing was $8,422. Year-over-year, ADR declined 0.7% and revenue slipped 0.5%, while occupancy fell 3.9% versus April 2025, indicating modest softening from recent peaks.
By bedroom count: 3,253 three-bedroom units lead, followed by 2,761 two-bedrooms, 2,652 one-bedrooms, 1,898 four-bedrooms, and 1,283 five-bedroom listings. Channel distribution shows strong dual-platform penetration: 7,510 listings on both Airbnb and VRBO, 3,153 on Airbnb only, and 1,187 on VRBO only. The composite market score of 75.3 out of 100 is anchored by exceptional rental demand (91.2) and strong investability (85.4), partially offset by lower seasonality scores (50.4) reflecting the concentration of revenue in spring and summer months.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39% | $239 | $2,725 |
| Feb | 57% | $261 | $3,435 |
| Mar | 68% | $321 | $5,488 |
| Apr | 66% | $365 | $6,278 |
| May | 66% | $394 | $6,939 |
| Jun | 75% | $438 | $8,489 |
| Jul | 73% | $403 | $7,747 |
| Aug | 62% | $382 | $6,444 |
| Sep | 56% | $329 | $4,927 |
| Oct | 59% | $315 | $5,064 |
| Nov | 49% | $291 | $3,798 |
| Dec | 44% | $281 | $3,431 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Johns Island
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 440 | 27,869 | ★ 4.57 |
| 2 | Stay Duvet | 368 | 42,749 | ★ 4.84 |
| 3 | Casago | 291 | 9,129 | ★ 4.56 |
| 4 | Sweetgrass Vacation Rentals | 274 | 9,186 | ★ 4.74 |
| 5 | Akers Ellis Real Estate & Rentals | 268 | 8,693 | ★ 4.73 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Johns Island?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,652 |
| 2 bed | 2,761 |
| 3 bed | 3,253 |
| 4 bed | 1,898 |
| 5 bed | 1,283 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $565 |
| Luxury | $917 |
| Professionally Managed | $703 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $8,829 |
| Entire Place | $11,937 |
| House | $13,008 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 26.6% |
| vrbo | 10% |
| both | 63.4% |
Investment Analysis
Johns Island presents a high-revenue STR opportunity, with average monthly revenue of $8,422 in April 2026 and an exceptional rental demand score of 91.2 out of 100. Annualized at current monthly averages, gross revenue is approximately $101,064 per listing. Houses average $9,144 per month and entire-place units average $8,697.
Professionally managed properties command a significant premium: $585.53 per night versus $454.23 for all listings, a 28.9% uplift. Luxury-tier listings average $758.02 per night, nearly 67% above the overall market rate, reflecting the premium achievable for oceanfront or large-estate properties near Kiawah and Seabrook Island beaches.
Typical home value data was not published in our dataset for Johns Island, so a gross yield calculation is not available at this time. Investors should note the Charleston County regulatory framework constrains non-primary-residence (investor-owned) STRs to a maximum of 144 nights per year under the Extended Home Rental category, and Extended Home Rental permits require a Special Exception from the Board of Zoning Appeals plus Site Plan Review before operating. The county is also actively tightening enforcement in 2026 using permit-detection software.
The long-run revenue trend is strong: from $3,312 average monthly revenue in 2017 to $8,422 in April 2026, a 154% nominal increase over nine years. The 2025 annual average of $7,039 per month represents a 10.3% increase from 2024’s $6,685.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Johns Island guests book an average of 70.6 days in advance, one of the longer lead times in the data, with an average length of stay of 4.0 nights. The long booking window reflects the Charleston region’s popularity as a planned leisure destination: visitors often book a Charleston-area trip months ahead, particularly for spring wedding season, summer beach vacations, and fall travel.
The 4.0-night average stay is consistent with the entire-place dominated supply and the multi-night itinerary nature of Charleston-area visits. Hosts who open their calendars early and price competitively for peak spring and summer windows (especially April through June) can capture bookings from planners making reservations two to three months in advance. Given the 144-night annual cap on Extended Home Rental properties, maximizing revenue per night during the permitted window is critical.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Johns Island straddles two jurisdictions. Most of the island is unincorporated Charleston County, while some parcels fall within City of Charleston limits.
For the majority of the island (Charleston County), STRs are legal under three categories defined in Article 6.8 of the Zoning and Land Development Regulations. Limited Home Rental applies to primary residences and is capped at 72 nights per year. Extended Home Rental covers investor-owned or non-primary-residence properties, capped at 144 nights per year, but requires a Special Exception from the Board of Zoning Appeals and Site Plan Review before any permit is issued. Commercial Guest House applies only to commercially zoned properties.
All operators must obtain a Charleston County STR Zoning Permit and a Business License, both renewed annually (by December 31). There is no owner-occupancy requirement, but the 144-night annual cap and the Special Exception requirement for investment properties are material constraints for non-owner-occupant hosts.
Accommodations taxes include a 2% South Carolina state accommodations tax plus a 2% county tax, with additional state and local sales taxes raising the effective lodging tax burden above 4%. Our data source records the base combined county rate as 4%.
For parcels inside City of Charleston limits, the off-peninsula Category 3 rules apply: one STR unit per property and dedicated off-street parking required.
Enforcement is rated moderate but is actively tightening. In early 2026, Charleston County Council advanced ordinance amendments using permit-detection software to identify unpermitted listings, issued mass notices to operators, and proposed allowing the zoning director to deny STR applications for up to two years after a violation.
Market Comparison
Johns Island’s $454 average daily rate in April 2026 more than doubles the national STR median ADR of approximately $220, placing it among the premium coastal and resort-adjacent markets in the Southeast. Occupancy at 70.0% is well above the national median of approximately 55%.
The rental demand score of 91.2 out of 100 reflects the structural appeal of the Charleston metro as a major U.S. tourism destination. The investability score of 85.4 is strong, though constrained somewhat by the regulatory 144-night cap on investor-owned STRs.
The Johns Island market is served by a well-organized professional management sector. Vacasa leads with 440 listings and 27,869 reviews at a 4.57 rating. Stay Duvet holds 368 listings with an exceptional 42,749 reviews at a 4.84 rating, the highest review count among top operators. Casago manages 291 listings (4.56 rating), Sweetgrass Vacation Rentals holds 274 listings (4.74 rating), and Akers Ellis Real Estate and Rentals manages 268 listings (4.73 rating). The top five operators collectively manage 1,641 listings, representing approximately 13.8% of the 11,850-listing market, a comparatively high concentration indicating a mature professional management ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions About Johns Island, South Carolina
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