Fernandina Beach, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Fernandina Beach STRs averaged $360/night at 62.4% occupancy in April 2026, with average monthly revenue of $5,818.
Quick Answer: Fernandina Beach, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 62%. average monthly revenue is $5,818. average daily rate is $360. the top operator is Hodnett Cooper Vacation Rentals with 349 listings. market score is 55/100 (grade D).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Fernandina Beach market in the data covers two distinct coastal clusters: Amelia Island in Nassau County, Florida, and the Georgia Golden Isles (Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island in Glynn County, GA). Fernandina Beach is the principal city on Amelia Island, which draws an estimated 3 million annual visitors and generated over $1.2 billion in total tourism economic impact for Nassau County in 2023. The combined area population is approximately 104,376.
In April 2026, the market posted a 62.4% average occupancy rate and a $359.62 average daily rate, yielding a RevPAR of $224.29. Average monthly revenue per listing was $5,818. Year-over-year, occupancy slipped 2.2 percentage points, ADR was essentially flat (up 0.05%), and revenue edged up 1.2%.
Inventory is dominated by entire-place listings, which account for 5,304 of approximately 5,390 tracked units; private rooms account for 90. The channel mix skews toward dual-platform listings (3,495), with Airbnb-only (989) slightly ahead of VRBO-only (910). Two-bedroom properties lead the bedroom mix (1,986 units), followed by 3-bedroom (1,802), 1-bedroom (715), 4-bedroom (596), and 5-bedroom (291). Market scores reflect strong rental demand (86.4) and investability (84.5), with a moderate seasonality score (51.2) consistent with a year-round coastal destination.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40% | $232 | $2,444 |
| Feb | 63% | $238 | $3,166 |
| Mar | 68% | $293 | $4,672 |
| Apr | 59% | $303 | $4,511 |
| May | 57% | $309 | $4,482 |
| Jun | 73% | $347 | $6,473 |
| Jul | 74% | $335 | $6,520 |
| Aug | 48% | $295 | $4,000 |
| Sep | 46% | $273 | $3,347 |
| Oct | 51% | $279 | $3,540 |
| Nov | 40% | $270 | $2,925 |
| Dec | 36% | $261 | $2,637 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Fernandina Beach
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hodnett Cooper Vacation Rentals | 349 | 6,784 | ★ 4.72 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 292 | 9,241 | ★ 4.56 |
| 3 | RedAwning | 236 | 4,646 | ★ 4.46 |
| 4 | Lighthouse Vacations | 187 | 8,334 | ★ 4.86 |
| 5 | Real Escapes | 184 | 6,523 | ★ 4.68 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Fernandina Beach?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 715 |
| 2 bed | 1,986 |
| 3 bed | 1,802 |
| 4 bed | 596 |
| 5 bed | 291 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $363 |
| Luxury | $608 |
| Professionally Managed | $407 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $5,481 |
| Entire Place | $5,874 |
| House | $6,255 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 18.3% |
| vrbo | 16.9% |
| both | 64.8% |
Investment Analysis
At a typical home value of $609,043 for the area, and April 2026 average monthly revenue of $5,818, an annualized revenue figure of approximately $69,816 implies a gross yield of roughly 11.5%. That is a materially attractive return relative to most coastal markets and reflects Amelia Island’s combination of relatively affordable barrier-island real estate and high nightly rates. The median sale price of $625,833 and median list price of $697,283 indicate a competitive buying environment, with the sale-to-list ratio at 0.898 and median days to pending of 49.
Property type matters for revenue: houses average $6,255 per month versus $5,481 for apartments, a $774 gap. Entire-place listings average $5,874. Luxury-tier properties command $608.25 per night — 69% above the all-listing ADR of $359.62. Professionally managed listings average $407.36 per night, a 13% premium over the market rate.
Revenue trends are stable rather than accelerating: 2025 annual average revenue was $4,894, up from $4,649 in 2024, and the 2026 partial-year average (through April) is $4,356 — tracking near prior-year levels. The investability score of 84.5 and rental demand score of 86.4 reflect consistent, year-round occupancy rather than a purely seasonal market.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Fernandina Beach STR guests book an average of 64.1 days in advance — one of the longer lead times for a Florida coastal market. That is roughly a 9-week planning window, which reflects the destination nature of Amelia Island and Golden Isles travel, where visitors plan trips specifically rather than booking impulsively.
Average length of stay is 4.33 nights — above the national STR average and consistent with a destination that attracts extended weekend and mid-week visits rather than just quick overnights. At 4.33 nights per booking and 62.4% occupancy (about 19 booked nights in April), operators average roughly 4 to 5 bookings per month. The longer stay means fewer turnovers, lower cleaning cost per revenue dollar, and more stable weekly pricing windows.
The 9-week lead time suggests that operators who price peak weeks in June and July 8 to 10 weeks before arrival have the best opportunity to capture high-intent, price-insensitive demand. Last-minute pricing adjustments still have utility for filling gaps in shoulder months like August and September.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
This market spans two states and multiple regulatory jurisdictions, each with distinct requirements.
Florida side (Fernandina Beach, Nassau County): Properties within Fernandina Beach city limits require a Resort Rental Dwelling Permit (RRDP) from the City Building Department. New permit fee: $300; renewal: $200; permit year runs October 1 to September 30. The RRDP number must appear in all advertisements. Operators must also hold a Florida DBPR Public Lodging License, a Florida Sales Tax ID, and Nassau County Tourist Development Tax registration. A local contact available 24/7 and able to respond within 30 minutes is required. Crucially, STRs are permitted only in R-3 (High Density Residential) zoning within the city. R-1 and R-2 properties may qualify only if grandfathered with a valid permit predating October 3, 2000 (Ordinance 2000-28). Combined lodging tax on the Florida side is 11%: 6% Florida state sales tax plus 5% Nassau County Tourist Development Tax.
Georgia side (Jekyll Island): All overnight vacation rentals require a Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) Rental License, renewed annually at $75. Properties must pass a Code Compliance inspection before licensing. Jekyll Island land is state-leased through the JIA, which administers all compliance.
Georgia side (St. Simons Island, Glynn County): A Glynn County Short-Term Rental Certificate is required for rentals under 30 consecutive days. Glynn County’s hotel-motel excise tax increased from 5% to 7% effective July 1, 2025, though Jekyll Island is explicitly exempt from this increase under its separate JIA framework.
Market Comparison
Fernandina Beach’s April 2026 occupancy of 62.4% exceeds the U.S. STR median of approximately 55% — a meaningful outperformance for a month that falls between peak spring and summer. The $359.62 ADR is well above the U.S. median of approximately $220, reflecting Amelia Island’s premium positioning as a historic, upscale coastal destination.
Annual average revenue for 2025 was $4,894 per listing per month, up from $4,649 in 2024 and $4,507 in 2023. This three-year trend shows modest but consistent growth, in contrast to markets that saw post-pandemic reversion.
Hodnett Cooper Vacation Rentals leads local management with 349 listings and a 4.72 average rating across 6,784 reviews — the highest rating among the top five. Vacasa follows with 292 listings and 9,241 reviews (4.56 rating). RedAwning operates 236 listings (4.46 rating) and Lighthouse Vacations holds 187 listings with a 4.86 rating across 8,334 reviews. Together, the top four operators account for 1,064 listings, or roughly 19.7% of total tracked inventory in this area.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fernandina Beach, Florida
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