Cape Canaveral, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Cape Canaveral STRs averaged $239/night at 60.2% occupancy in April 2026 across 6,500+ active listings.
Quick Answer: Cape Canaveral, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 60%. average monthly revenue is $3,956. average daily rate is $239. the top operator is Happy Palm Stays with 408 listings. market score is 62/100 (grade C).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Cape Canaveral short-term rental market covers Florida’s Space Coast (Brevard County), a market anchored by Port Canaveral — the world’s second-busiest cruise homeport — and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. As of April 2026, the market carried an average daily rate of $239 and an occupancy rate of 60.2%, producing average monthly revenue of $3,956 per active listing. RevPAR came in at $143.77.
The market includes approximately 6,500 active listings. Entire-place listings dominate at 5,976 units (roughly 92% of the total), with 558 private-room listings and just 3 shared-room units. By bedroom count, 2-bedroom properties are the most common at 2,328 listings, followed by 1-bedroom (1,718), 3-bedroom (1,529), 4-bedroom (602), and 5-bedroom (347).
Channel distribution shows strong multi-platform presence: 3,550 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 2,260 are Airbnb-exclusive, and 727 are VRBO-only. The market’s rental demand score of 88.96 out of 100 is among the stronger readings in Florida’s coastal markets.
Year-over-year, occupancy declined 3.5% and ADR rose 0.54%, producing a net revenue decline of 3.95% versus April 2025. The 2024 and 2025 annual average revenue figures were both around $3,700, suggesting the April 2026 reading reflects a period of stabilization rather than a structural shift.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65% | $173 | $3,058 |
| Feb | 81% | $187 | $3,585 |
| Mar | 81% | $213 | $4,525 |
| Apr | 63% | $200 | $3,428 |
| May | 61% | $187 | $3,168 |
| Jun | 71% | $209 | $3,958 |
| Jul | 72% | $201 | $3,984 |
| Aug | 56% | $179 | $2,915 |
| Sep | 49% | $160 | $2,254 |
| Oct | 56% | $163 | $2,531 |
| Nov | 57% | $166 | $2,433 |
| Dec | 59% | $176 | $2,695 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Cape Canaveral
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Happy Palm Stays | 408 | 13,709 | ★ 4.82 |
| 2 | Beachside Vacation Rentals | 284 | 8,885 | ★ 4.70 |
| 3 | Evolve | 111 | 5,255 | ★ 4.69 |
| 4 | Beachside VR | 65 | 1,862 | ★ 4.49 |
| 5 | Vacasa | 63 | 1,562 | ★ 4.32 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Cape Canaveral?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,718 |
| 2 bed | 2,328 |
| 3 bed | 1,529 |
| 4 bed | 602 |
| 5 bed | 347 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $249 |
| Luxury | $410 |
| Professionally Managed | $272 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,627 |
| Entire Place | $4,157 |
| House | $4,364 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 34.6% |
| vrbo | 11.1% |
| both | 54.3% |
Investment Analysis
At an average home value of $318,402 (Zillow estimate, April 2026) and average monthly STR revenue of $3,956, Cape Canaveral properties produce a gross annualized revenue of approximately $47,477, representing a gross yield of roughly 14.9% before operating expenses, management fees, and vacancies. Investors should treat this as a ceiling, not a net return.
Tier comparisons show meaningful upside for higher-end properties. Luxury-tier properties averaged $410/night versus the market-wide $239, a 71% premium. Professionally managed properties averaged $273/night, outperforming the overall average by 14%. Entire-place properties averaged $4,157 in monthly revenue versus $3,627 for apartments, and houses came in highest at $4,364 per month.
The housing market shows some friction: median days to pending was 73 as of April 2026, and the sale-to-list ratio was 1.075, indicating sellers still receive above-ask offers on average. Median sale price of $344,550 sits slightly above the typical home value estimate of $318,402.
The market’s investability score of 77.89 out of 100 is solid. Revenue growth score of 48.29 reflects the recent YoY softness. The no owner-occupancy and no primary-residence requirements mean investment properties face no structural regulatory barrier here, though the grandfathered 7-night minimum in R-1 through R-3 zones is a critical factor to evaluate per parcel.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Cape Canaveral bookings arrive an average of 54 days in advance as of April 2026, with a typical stay length of 4.92 nights. Both figures have direct pricing implications.
A 54-day lead time means most bookings lock in roughly 8 weeks out. Operators who hold rates too long before dropping them leave revenue on the table during the demand window. Dynamic pricing tools calibrated to the 45-60 day booking horizon are particularly effective here. For cruise-adjacent properties, pre- and post-cruise stays often book with shorter lead times as passengers confirm itineraries; maintaining flexible last-minute pricing captures this segment.
The 4.92-night average stay sits just under 5 nights, meaning a meaningful share of guests is booking 5-7 night stays (consistent with the 7-night minimum in R-1 through R-3 zones). Operators in commercially-zoned properties have the flexibility to offer 2-3 night minimum stays, which can improve gap-fill rates during shoulder months. Turnover cost management is important at this stay length; cleaning efficiency is a real factor in net margins.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Cape Canaveral requires three separate credentials to operate legally: a City of Cape Canaveral Business Tax Receipt (BTR), a Brevard County BTR, and an annual Vacation Rental Registration through the city’s Deckard portal. Operators renting for under 30 days more than three times per year also need a Florida DBPR transient lodging license. The program launched October 1, 2021 under Ordinance No. 10-2021.
Permit costs (effective October 1, 2025): Annual Registration is $450 per unit for non-homesteaded properties and $300 for homesteaded properties. Safety inspection costs $100. Late registration is $150. The City BTR adds approximately $57.50 base, and Brevard County BTR is an additional annual cost. The Florida transient rental tax rate for this market is 5.0%.
A critical zoning constraint applies: properties in R-1, R-2, and R-3 residential zones face a grandfathered minimum 7-consecutive-night stay requirement. This predates Florida’s 2011 state preemption law and is legally enforceable. Only C-1 commercial-zoned and certain non-conforming multi-family properties may offer shorter stays. Owner-occupancy and primary-residence requirements do not apply.
Occupancy is capped by conditioned square footage: up to 2,000 sq ft allows 8 guests; 2,001-3,000 sq ft allows 10; 3,001-4,500 sq ft allows 12; over 4,500 sq ft allows 14. Individual room rentals are prohibited; the entire unit must be rented. A 24-hour local contact must be able to respond within one hour. Enforcement is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
Cape Canaveral’s April 2026 occupancy of 60.2% is modestly above the US STR median of approximately 55%. Its ADR of $239 is above the US median of roughly $220, reflecting the coastal location and cruise-port demand premium. RevPAR of $144 is above average for the Southeast Florida coastal segment.
The market total score of 62.39 (out of 100) is mid-tier, driven by a strong rental demand score (88.96) and investability (77.89), offset by below-average revenue growth (48.29) and moderate regulatory scores (60.01).
Operator concentration is notable. Happy Palm Stays leads with 408 listings and 13,709 reviews (average rating 4.82), making it the dominant local operator. Beachside Vacation Rentals holds 284 listings with 8,885 reviews (4.70 rating). Evolve rounds out the top three with 111 listings and 5,255 reviews (4.69 rating). The top three operators together account for roughly 803 listings, or approximately 12% of the market, indicating a competitive but not monopolized landscape. Independent operators hold the majority of inventory.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cape Canaveral, Florida
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