Milford, Delaware Short-Term Rental Market
Milford, DE STRs averaged $157/night at 49.6% occupancy in April 2026 across 598 active listings near Delaware's Culinary Coast.
Quick Answer: Milford, Delaware is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 50%. average monthly revenue is $1,886. average daily rate is $157. the top operator is Evolve with 13 listings. market score is 41/100 (grade D).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Milford is a historic town of 14,079 residents straddling Kent and Sussex Counties along the Mispillion River in Delaware’s ‘Culinary Coast’ region, situated as an inland alternative and stopover near the state’s Atlantic beach destinations. The STR market is small at 598 active listings. The market recorded an average daily rate of $157 and occupancy of 49.6% in April 2026, producing a RevPAR of $78. The market-wide ADR of $157 is notably below the entire-home ADR of $227, reflecting the unusually high share of private-room listings: 207 of 598 total listings (34.6%) are private rooms, and 391 (65.4%) are entire-place rentals. No shared rooms appear in the data. By bedroom count among all 598 categorized listings, one-bedroom leads at 273 (45.7%), followed by three-bedroom at 144 (24.1%), two-bedroom at 106 (17.7%), four-bedroom at 49 (8.2%), and five-bedroom at 26 (4.3%). Channel distribution shows 377 Airbnb-only listings, 77 VRBO-only, and 144 on both platforms. Year-over-year as of April 2026, occupancy held essentially flat (-0.1 percentage points), ADR edged up 1.2%, and revenue declined 5.3%. The market total score is 40.6 out of 100, with investability the strongest dimension at 66.0.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40% | $112 | $1,352 |
| Feb | 50% | $110 | $1,344 |
| Mar | 53% | $116 | $1,519 |
| Apr | 54% | $139 | $1,806 |
| May | 53% | $149 | $1,982 |
| Jun | 65% | $195 | $3,149 |
| Jul | 66% | $197 | $3,600 |
| Aug | 65% | $190 | $3,441 |
| Sep | 52% | $165 | $2,334 |
| Oct | 44% | $140 | $1,782 |
| Nov | 46% | $128 | $1,618 |
| Dec | 43% | $125 | $1,511 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Milford
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 13 | 389 | ★ 4.69 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 6 | 180 | ★ 4.50 |
| 3 | BHHS PenFed Realty | 5 | 124 | ★ 4.66 |
| 4 | Your.Rentals | 4 | 70 | ★ 3.61 |
| 5 | Jack Lingo Inc Realtor Lewes Office | 1 | 39 | ★ 4.80 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Milford?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 273 |
| 2 bed | 106 |
| 3 bed | 144 |
| 4 bed | 49 |
| 5 bed | 26 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $227 |
| Luxury | $327 |
| Professionally Managed | $285 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,599 |
| Entire Place | $2,391 |
| House | $1,955 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 63% |
| vrbo | 12.9% |
| both | 24.1% |
Investment Analysis
Average monthly STR revenue in Milford was $1,886 in April 2026, projecting to approximately $22,632 annualized based on the April figure. No Zillow housing data is available for this area. Entire-place listings averaged $2,391 per month in April 2026 (a more representative figure for whole-unit investors than the blended market average). House-type listings averaged $1,955 per month, and apartments averaged $1,599. The professionally managed tier averaged $285 per night, 81.0% above the market-wide $157, a premium explained by the composition effect: PM listings are predominantly entire-home properties, while the market average is weighed down by lower-priced private rooms. Entire-home properties averaged $227 per night. Luxury-tier properties averaged $327 per night. Annual revenue per listing averaged $2,411 in 2025 (full year), up slightly from $2,390 in 2024. No housing data is available to compute a gross yield for Milford specifically. The small market size (598 listings) and moderate total score (40.6) suggest investors should treat Milford as a secondary coastal market with summer demand concentration rather than a year-round high-yield market.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Milford guests book an average of 40 days in advance and stay approximately 3.8 nights per visit. The 40-day booking window suggests travelers planning summer beach-area getaways secure accommodations 4 to 6 weeks ahead. A 3.8-night average stay reflects weekend-centric leisure travel, with some mid-week stays from guests using Milford as an inland base for day trips to Rehoboth, Lewes, and the Delaware beaches. Operators should hold pricing for summer weeks through at least 5 weeks out and consider weekend-minimum-stay requirements in June through August to consolidate high-revenue bookings.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Milford does not have a standalone short-term-rental ordinance. Rentals are regulated under Chapter 180 (Residential Rental Operating License) and Chapter 230 (Zoning, amended in July 2023). Operators must obtain a Residential Rental Operating License through the city’s Code Enforcement and Licensing Division, administered via the city’s online Civic Access portal. An inspection is required; the property must pass the city’s residential rental inspection for compliance with building, housing, and zoning codes. Whether a specific parcel may be used as an STR depends on its zoning district, and investors must verify permitted use with the city’s Planning and Zoning office before purchasing. Specific license fees and renewal terms were not confirmed from official city sources and should be obtained directly from the city. No owner-occupancy, primary-residence, or annual night-cap requirement was found. At the state level, Delaware imposes a 4.5% short-term rental lodging tax on stays of 31 consecutive nights or fewer, effective January 1, 2025. For listings booked through Airbnb or VRBO, the platform collects and remits this tax. Owners who book directly must register with the Delaware Division of Revenue, obtain a state accommodations intermediary business license (approximately $25), and remit the 4.5% tax by the 15th of the following month.
Market Comparison
Milford’s 49.6% occupancy in April 2026 is below the U.S. national STR median of approximately 55%, and its market-wide ADR of $157 is below the national median of approximately $220. However, the entire-home ADR of $227 is more comparable to national norms for whole-unit vacation rentals. The market’s 40.6 total score and 66.0 investability score reflect a small, low-competition market with moderate demand. Among professional operators, Evolve leads with 13 listings (389 reviews, 4.69 avg rating), followed by Vacasa with 6 listings (180 reviews, 4.50 rating) and BHHS PenFed Realty with 5 listings (124 reviews, 4.66 rating). Your.Rentals holds 4 listings (70 reviews, 3.61 rating) and Jack Lingo Inc Realtor Lewes Office holds 1 listing (39 reviews, 4.80 rating). The top five operators collectively manage 29 listings, approximately 4.9% of the 598 total. The low PM concentration reflects the fragmented, owner-operated nature of this small inland market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Milford, Delaware
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Why is the Milford STR average daily rate so much lower than other Delaware beach markets?
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