Isle Of Palms, South Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Isle of Palms STRs averaged $454/night at 70.0% occupancy in April 2026, generating $8,422 in average monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Isle Of Palms, 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 Isle Of Palms. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Isle Of Palms.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Isle of Palms, South Carolina is a barrier-island beach market approximately 15 miles east of Charleston, with a permanent population of around 4,377 and a short-term rental market of roughly 11,847 active listings. The market is dominated by entire-place rentals, which account for 11,253 of those listings (95% of total inventory), consistent with the whole-home beach vacation profile that defines the island. As of April 2026, the all-listings ADR was $454.23 and occupancy averaged 70.0%, producing a RevPAR of $318.12. Year-over-year, occupancy declined 3.94% and ADR slipped 0.67%, resulting in a modest 0.49% revenue decline. These small pullbacks follow a strong multi-year run in which average annual revenue grew from $3,312 in 2017 to $7,039 in 2025. The bedroom mix shows a market oriented toward group travel: 3,253 three-bedroom listings are the most common, followed by 2,761 two-bedroom and 2,652 one-bedroom units, with 1,898 four-bedroom and 1,283 five-bedroom or larger listings. Channel distribution shows 7,510 properties listed on both Airbnb and VRBO, 3,153 on Airbnb only, and 1,187 on VRBO only, reflecting the high dual-channel adoption typical of professionally managed coastal markets. The market scores reflect strong fundamentals: rental demand scores 91.2 out of 100 and investability scores 85.4, both well above typical U.S. benchmarks.
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 Isle Of Palms
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 Isle Of Palms?
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
Isle of Palms is a premium coastal market with above-average revenue potential and a high entry cost. At April 2026 rates, the average listing generated $8,422 per month, which projects to approximately $101,000 annualized. Against a typical home value of $1,638,707, that implies an unlevered gross yield of approximately 6.2%. Houses outperform, averaging $9,144 per month compared to $8,697 for entire-place listings broadly and $7,141 for apartments. Professionally managed listings command a meaningful premium: the tier_professionally_managed ADR of $585.53 is 29% above the all-listings average of $454.23, and the luxury tier ADR of $758.02 is 67% above the market average. The 2025 full-year average monthly revenue of $7,039 was the highest on record for the dataset, surpassing 2024 at $6,685 and 2022 at $6,055. The market scores an 85.4 on investability. Available for-sale inventory stood at 124 properties as of the April 2026 housing snapshot, with a median list price of approximately $2,073,000. Buyers entering at list-price levels should model returns against a higher asset cost than the typical home value of $1,638,707. The vote in November 2023 to reject a license cap removed a key regulatory risk, leaving no limit on the number of STR permits currently in place.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Isle of Palms guests book an average of 71 days in advance and stay an average of 4.03 nights per visit. A 71-day lead time is longer than many inland markets and reflects the planning habits of beach-vacation travelers who secure peak-summer weeks well ahead of arrival. For operators, this means the high-value June and July weeks are largely booked by April, and dynamic pricing must be set early to capture that demand at optimal rates. The average stay of just over 4 nights suggests a mix of long-weekend and full-week bookings, with the latter being common in a beach market where travelers often prefer Saturday-to-Saturday or Sunday-to-Sunday patterns. Operators should watch for midweek gaps in the 3 to 5-night average window and consider targeted pricing to fill them. At the April 2026 occupancy rate of 70.0% and average stay of 4.03 nights, most listings turn over roughly 5 to 6 times per month, which is a moderate housekeeping burden.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Isle of Palms requires a Short-Term Rental Business License from the city’s Building, Planning and Zoning Department for any residential rental. The annual license fee is $450 on the first $2,000 of gross rental income plus $4.60 per additional $1,000. Licenses must be renewed by April 30 each year, and owners file a Rental Revenue Affidavit and year-end revenue statement. There is currently no cap on the total number of licenses after voters rejected a proposed 1,600-license cap for investor-owned properties in November 2023 by approximately 54% to 46%. Owner-occupancy and primary-residence requirements do not apply. Single-family homes must be rented as a whole unit; owners may not offer individual private or shared rooms. Overnight occupancy is limited to two persons per bedroom plus two, up to a maximum of 12 (excluding children under age two). Daytime occupancy is capped at twice the overnight limit or 40 persons, whichever is less. Operators must maintain a 24/7 contact and a local representative able to be on-site within one hour of receiving a complaint. Guests pay approximately 14% in combined state and local lodging taxes on stays of 30 days or fewer, including the state sales tax, state accommodations tax, county and city accommodations taxes, an Isle of Palms Beach Preservation Fee, and transportation and school taxes. Airbnb and VRBO remit state-level taxes automatically, but owners remain responsible for local and county portions. Enforcement is moderate: five or more complaints of unlawful activity in a calendar year can result in license revocation.
Market Comparison
Isle of Palms significantly outperforms U.S. STR medians on both occupancy and ADR. The April 2026 occupancy of 70.0% is well above the national STR median of approximately 55%, and the ADR of $454.23 is more than double the national median of roughly $220. The rental demand score of 91.2 out of 100 places this market in the top tier nationally. The top property managers in the market reflect significant scale: Vacasa leads with 440 listings and a 4.57 rating across 27,869 reviews, followed by Stay Duvet with 368 listings and a strong 4.84 rating across 42,749 reviews. Casago operates 291 listings with a 4.56 rating, Sweetgrass Vacation Rentals manages 274 listings at 4.74, and Akers Ellis Real Estate and Rentals holds 268 listings at 4.73. These five firms collectively manage approximately 1,641 listings, representing roughly 14% of the total market. The heavy professional-management presence and the 29% ADR premium for managed listings both suggest that management quality is a meaningful performance differentiator in this market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Isle Of Palms, South Carolina
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