Foley, Alabama Short-Term Rental Market
Foley, AL STRs averaged $338/night at 57.6% occupancy in April 2026 across roughly 20,000 active listings.
Quick Answer: Foley, Alabama is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Gulf Shores/Mobile market area is 82%. average monthly revenue in the Gulf Shores/Mobile market area is $11,156. average daily rate in the Gulf Shores/Mobile market area is $495. the top operator in the Gulf Shores/Mobile market area is Vacasa with 1,878 listings. market score is 82/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Gulf Shores/Mobile regional market, which includes Foley. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Foley.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Foley anchors Baldwin County’s inland Gulf Coast corridor, drawing overflow lodging demand from nearby Gulf Shores and Orange Beach as well as direct visitors to OWA Parks & Resort and Tanger Outlets. The short-term rental market here is large: roughly 20,063 active listings spread across bedroom sizes, with 2-bedroom (6,773 listings) and 3-bedroom (6,650) units making up the core supply. Nearly the entire market is entire-place rentals (19,825 listings, or about 98.7% of supply), reflecting the vacation-rental character of the Gulf Coast region.
In April 2026, the market averaged a daily rate of $338 and an occupancy rate of 57.6%, producing a RevPAR of $194.73. Occupancy was up 8.9% year-over-year, and total revenue grew 7.2% year-over-year despite a 2.4% dip in ADR, suggesting the market is adding bookings faster than it is adding rate. The multi-platform mix is well-developed: 13,519 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, while 3,565 are VRBO-only and 2,995 are Airbnb-only, indicating most professional operators run dual-channel distribution. The market’s total score of 82.3 out of 100 reflects strong investability (95.0) and rental demand (87.3), offset by pronounced seasonality (43.5).
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 39% |
| Feb | 64% |
| Mar | 69% |
| Apr | 50% |
| May | 64% |
| Jun | 80% |
| Jul | 79% |
| Aug | 54% |
| Sep | 52% |
| Oct | 53% |
| Nov | 34% |
| Dec | 30% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Foley are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Gulf Shores/Mobile market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Gulf Shores/Mobile market as a whole, which includes Foley, so these counts are not Foley-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 1,878 | 81,402 | ★ 4.37 |
| 2 | Brett Robinson Vacation Rentals | 1,775 | 15,937 | ★ 4.53 |
| 3 | Liquid Life | 898 | 23,604 | ★ 4.59 |
| 4 | My Beach Getaways | 443 | 10,896 | ★ 4.58 |
| 5 | Beachball Properties | 420 | 13,232 | ★ 4.62 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Foley?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Foley are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 14.9% |
| vrbo | 17.8% |
| both | 67.3% |
Home Value Trends (Foley)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Foley are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Foley — how far ahead guests book and how to price around it — is available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are legal in Foley and regulated through a two-step city process. Operators must first obtain a City of Foley business license (one license per owner, covering all their Foley STRs), then apply for a separate Short Term Rental Permit for each individual rental unit. Applications go through the city’s CitizenServe portal. Each unit requires designating an owner, property manager, a 24-hour contact, and an emergency contact, which the city shares with Police and Fire. A fire safety inspection must occur before permits are issued.
The municipal occupancy tax rate is 7%. Combined with Alabama’s state lodgings tax (4% in Baldwin County) and Baldwin County’s 2% lodging tax, the all-in guest tax is approximately 13%. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, making this market accessible to non-resident investors. No cap on annual rental nights was identified in the city’s published rules. The business license renews annually, with gross STR revenue reported each year. Enforcement is rated moderate. HOA, condo, and subdivision covenants may impose additional restrictions independent of city rules and should be verified before acquisition.
Market Comparison
At 57.6% occupancy in April 2026, Foley is above the US STR median of approximately 55%, which is notable given April is a transitional month preceding the summer peak. The April ADR of $338.33 is well above the US median ADR of approximately $220, reflecting the premium the Gulf Coast beach corridor commands relative to most domestic markets.
Professional management is heavily concentrated. The top three operators account for significant market share: Vacasa leads with 1,878 listings and 81,402 reviews (average rating 4.37), followed by Brett Robinson Vacation Rentals with 1,775 listings and 15,937 reviews (average rating 4.53), and Liquid Life with 898 listings and 23,604 reviews (average rating 4.59). Together these three operators account for roughly 4,551 listings out of approximately 20,063 total, or about 22.7% of the market. The high concentration of professional management explains the elevated professionally managed ADR tier ($376) and the strong total market score of 82.3.
Frequently Asked Questions About Foley, Alabama
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