Lewes, Delaware Short-Term Rental Market
The Delmarva Atlantic coast STR market around Lewes posted $372 ADR, 42.6% occupancy and $4,269 monthly revenue in September 2026
Quick Answer: Lewes, Delaware is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Delaware/Maryland Beaches market area is 43%. average monthly revenue in the Delaware/Maryland Beaches market area is $4,269. average daily rate in the Delaware/Maryland Beaches market area is $372. the top operator in the Delaware/Maryland Beaches market area is Vacasa with 2,346 listings. market score is 49/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Delaware/Maryland Beaches regional market, which includes Lewes. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Lewes.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
This profile describes the Delmarva Atlantic coast STR market, a shared metric series that covers Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, Ocean View, Frankford, Fenwick Island, Ocean City (MD) and Berlin (MD). Every performance number below refers to that region, not to Lewes alone. Bedroom, channel and listing-type counts and top operator names are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Lewes, so this profile omits them.
In September 2026 the Delmarva Atlantic coast STR market averaged an ADR of $372, occupancy of 42.6% and revenue of $4,269 per listing for the month. Entire-home listings averaged $374 per night. Compared with September 2025, occupancy rose 12.5%, ADR rose 5.2% and revenue rose 11.9%. That is a notable turn after annual occupancy slipped from 52.8% in 2021 to 43.7% in 2025. The nine months of 2026 reported so far average 48.2% occupancy, a $337 ADR and $4,287 in monthly revenue, ahead of the full 2025 figures of $319 ADR and $3,791 monthly revenue.
Lewes itself is a historic Delaware Bay and Atlantic coastal town of 3,604 residents and a gateway to the southern Delaware beaches. No discrete annual visitor count is published for Lewes. It sits within Sussex County, where tourism generates more than $3 billion in economic impact and supports roughly 27,000 jobs. Visitors are mostly drive-market leisure travelers from Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and the New Jersey and New York area, including beachgoers, retirees and second-home owners. The main draws are Cape Henlopen State Park, historic downtown Lewes, Lewes Beach and the ferry to Cape May. Peak season runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
September falls after that peak. Its 42.6% occupancy sits well below the July high of 78.9%, and monthly revenue of $4,269 is about 61% of the July seasonal average of $6,980. Investors should read September as a shoulder-season month with a strong year over year trend, not as a typical summer month.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 25% |
| Feb | 35% |
| Mar | 39% |
| Apr | 39% |
| May | 46% |
| Jun | 70% |
| Jul | 79% |
| Aug | 77% |
| Sep | 45% |
| Oct | 26% |
| Nov | 25% |
| Dec | 31% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Lewes are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Delaware/Maryland Beaches market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Delaware/Maryland Beaches market as a whole, which includes Lewes, so these counts are not Lewes-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 2,346 | 60,626 | ★ 4.36 |
| 2 | Coastal Resort Rentals | 355 | 1,646 | ★ 4.39 |
| 3 | Shoreline Properties | 349 | 1,861 | ★ 4.28 |
| 4 | Central Reservations | 328 | 4,890 | ★ 4.53 |
| 5 | VacayHome Connect | 312 | 593 | ★ 4.18 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Lewes?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Lewes 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 | 17.3% |
| vrbo | 25.9% |
| both | 56.8% |
Home Value Trends (Lewes)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Lewes 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 Lewes — 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 permitted in Lewes. The city defines a short-term rental as any stay of 30 consecutive days or less and regulates them under its Chapter 150 Rental Licensing ordinance, adopted October 10, 2022 and effective January 1, 2023.
Every STR needs a City of Lewes rental license. The application fee is $100 and the license runs the calendar year, renewed annually. Licenses are not transferable between owners or properties. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, and no cap on nights per year is listed.
Zoning matters. STRs must follow the Table of Permitted Uses in Chapter 197 and the rules of their zoning district. They are allowed across Lewes Beach, downtown and the residential zones R1, R2 and R5. Rentals in recreational vehicles or non-residential structures are prohibited.
Operating rules include a maximum overnight occupancy of two persons per bedroom plus two additional persons, with children 12 and under not counted. Each rental needs a local contact reachable 24/7 who can respond within two hours, posted emergency, trash and evacuation information, the rental ID in all advertising, and required safety equipment such as smoke and CO detectors, a fire extinguisher and GFCI outlets near sinks.
Taxes stack. Owners remit the city’s 5% Gross Receipts Rental Tax and keep proof of payment for renewal. Delaware’s state lodging tax is 4.5% as of January 1, 2025, and a Sussex County lodging tax of up to 3% may apply. In April 2025 the city proposed raising its rental tax to 5.5%, and the final outcome is not stated here.
Enforcement is rated moderate. It escalates from written warnings to fines to license revocation, and repeat violations can bar a license for 12 months.
Market Comparison
The Delmarva Atlantic coast STR market shows a distinct profile. September 2026 occupancy of 42.6% and an ADR of $372 produced $4,269 in revenue per listing for the month.
The occupancy level is mostly a seasonal effect. July occupancy of 78.9% and August occupancy of 77.1% are the peaks, while the five months from October through February fall to between 25.1% and 34.6%. A calendar-year occupancy average of 43.7% in 2025 and 48.2% so far in 2026 reflects that, but the strong summer ADR of about $355 keeps monthly revenue per listing at $3,791 in 2025.
Growth is a point in the region’s favor. Revenue rose 11.9% year over year in September 2026, and the 2026 year to date ADR of $337 is up from $319 for 2025. Occupancy has recovered from the 2025 level of 43.7%.
The region is tracked at a shared level rather than uniquely for Lewes, so this profile omits top operator names. Investors comparing Lewes with other coastal markets should weigh the high entry cost, with a typical Lewes home value of $587,283, against the strong summer rates and the short, concentrated earning season.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lewes, Delaware
How much do short-term rentals earn near Lewes, Delaware?
Are short-term rentals legal in Lewes?
What are the best months for Airbnb occupancy in Lewes?
What taxes apply to Lewes short-term rentals?
How much does a home cost in Lewes for an STR investor?
How far ahead do guests book, and how long do they stay?
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