Dunedin, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Dunedin, FL STRs averaged $292 ADR at 67.2% occupancy in April 2026, with spring peak months exceeding 80% occupancy near Honeymoon Island.
Quick Answer: Dunedin, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 67%. average monthly revenue is $5,334. average daily rate is $292. the top operator is Resort Rentals with 406 listings. market score is 56/100 (grade C).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Dunedin is a small Gulf Coast city of 35,770 residents in Pinellas County, anchored by Honeymoon Island State Park (Florida’s most-visited state park, drawing over 1 million visitors annually), Caladesi Island State Park, and a walkable downtown with a notable brewery scene and waterfront dining. Spring training at TD Ballpark (Toronto Blue Jays), the Pinellas Trail, and proximity to the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro drive a mix of beach tourism, sports visitors, and snowbirds.
The STR market in the broader Dunedin area encompasses approximately 19,280 active listings. Entire-place units account for the overwhelming majority at 18,503, with private rooms adding 798 and shared rooms 27. The bedroom distribution skews toward 1- and 2-bedroom units, which lead at 6,010 and 6,988 listings respectively, followed by 3-bedroom (4,213), 4-bedroom (1,427), and 5-bedroom (642). Channel distribution shows the market is heavily dual-listed: 11,671 properties appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, while 5,492 are Airbnb-only and 2,165 are VRBO-only.
In April 2026, Dunedin STRs averaged $292 per night at 67.2% occupancy, producing a RevPAR of $196 and average monthly revenue of $5,334. Year-over-year, ADR rose 3.5% while occupancy fell 5.4% and total revenue declined 2.2%. The overall market score is 56.0, with rental demand scoring highest at 77.7 and investability at 74.3.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65% | $187 | $3,151 |
| Feb | 82% | $215 | $3,951 |
| Mar | 82% | $249 | $5,114 |
| Apr | 65% | $233 | $4,080 |
| May | 62% | $216 | $3,648 |
| Jun | 70% | $231 | $4,262 |
| Jul | 70% | $220 | $4,222 |
| Aug | 54% | $196 | $3,124 |
| Sep | 48% | $174 | $2,328 |
| Oct | 56% | $179 | $2,572 |
| Nov | 57% | $175 | $2,466 |
| Dec | 57% | $188 | $2,624 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Dunedin
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Resort Rentals | 406 | 16,870 | ★ 4.59 |
| 2 | ITrip Vacations | 344 | 30,278 | ★ 4.65 |
| 3 | Travel Resort Services | 330 | 9,246 | ★ 4.65 |
| 4 | Evolve | 300 | 12,536 | ★ 4.69 |
| 5 | Vacasa | 299 | 15,071 | ★ 4.59 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Dunedin?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 6,010 |
| 2 bed | 6,988 |
| 3 bed | 4,213 |
| 4 bed | 1,427 |
| 5 bed | 642 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $299 |
| Luxury | $480 |
| Professionally Managed | $354 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $5,066 |
| Entire Place | $5,466 |
| House | $5,730 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 28.4% |
| vrbo | 11.2% |
| both | 60.4% |
Investment Analysis
Dunedin’s rental demand score of 77.7 reflects the genuine strength of Gulf Coast beach tourism and the Honeymoon Island anchor. However, investors must evaluate the regulatory environment before underwriting any acquisition: STRs are prohibited in all single-family residential zones and most residential neighborhoods. Viable STR properties are limited to units in designated commercial, downtown, mixed-use, multifamily, and light-industrial districts. This significantly constrains the investable universe and is the primary reason the regulation score is 62.2 and the total market score is 56.0 despite strong demand.
For properties in permitted zones, the numbers are compelling. Typical home values run approximately $407,000, with a median sale price of $426,500 in April 2026. The 2025 annual average monthly STR revenue was approximately $4,409, implying an annualized figure of roughly $52,900. Against a $407,000 acquisition cost, that represents an approximate gross yield of 13.0% on an annual average basis. April 2026’s stronger monthly revenue of $5,334 reflects spring peak seasonality; underwriting on annual averages is more conservative and appropriate.
The ADR tier spread is notable. All-listing ADR averaged $292, entire-home listings averaged $299, professionally managed properties averaged $354, and the luxury tier averaged $480. The professionally managed premium of $62 per night over the all-listing average (21%) suggests quality operations and strategic pricing can materially lift revenue in this market.
The sale-to-list ratio in April 2026 was 1.048, meaning homes sold for more than their listing price on average. Median days-to-pending was 38. These indicators suggest a competitive acquisition environment with limited price negotiating room.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Dunedin guests book an average of 62 days in advance, one of the longer lead times in this analysis. The extended planning horizon reflects the market’s strong snowbird and spring-break demand, where travelers book their winter escape or spring vacation weeks or months ahead. For operators, this provides a substantial pricing window to optimize rates well before arrival.
Average length of stay is 5.05 nights, just over a week minus two days. This is longer than many urban STR markets and reflects the beach-vacation character of the demand base, where guests are taking genuine multi-night vacations rather than short urban getaways. The 5-night average also reduces turnover frequency, which lowers cleaning costs per booking and can improve net margins.
The combination of long lead time and extended stays creates favorable conditions for revenue management. Operators can set firm minimum stays (4-7 nights) for peak March and spring-training weekends without significant booking volume risk, given that guests are planning well in advance and prepared for multi-night commitments.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Dunedin has one of the most restrictive short-term rental frameworks in Pinellas County. Under Chapter 103 of the Land Development Code, any rental for fewer than 90 days is classified as a transient use and is permitted ONLY in designated non-residential districts: Tourist Facility, General Office, Neighborhood Business, General Business, Commercial Parkway, Commercial Recreation, Downtown Core, Form-based Medium and High Density, Light Industrial, and Multifamily Residential. Short-term rentals are prohibited in all single-family residential zones. In Downtown Residential and Multifamily Residential, only owner-occupied Bed and Breakfast inns are permitted for transient stays, and those require a Conditional Use Permit in Multifamily zones.
All STR operators in permitted zones must register each unit with the city. Ordinance 24-09 (2024) raised the annual registration fee to $200 per unit, assigned a unique registration number to each property, and added a requirement that a responsible person be available to respond to issues within 2 hours and be located within 25 miles. The city uses monitoring software to detect unregistered rentals and issues civil citations for violations. Registered properties are listed publicly on the city portal. City records report approximately 82 STR properties encompassing 125-150 units currently registered.
On taxes, Pinellas County levies a 6% Tourist Development Tax on stays under 6 months. Florida charges a 6% state sales tax plus a 1% local surtax, bringing the combined lodging tax burden to approximately 13% of gross rental receipts. Enforcement severity is rated strict. Investors should verify zoning designation for any specific parcel before purchasing.
Market Comparison
Dunedin’s April 2026 ADR of $292 is well above the US STR median of approximately $220, positioning it in the upper tier of Florida Gulf Coast markets. Occupancy at 67.2% in April exceeds the US STR median of approximately 55%, and the historical seasonal peak of 82.4% in March is competitive with top Florida beach markets.
The market’s total score of 56.0 is below average primarily due to the regulatory constraint (single-family STR prohibition) suppressing the eligible market size. The rental demand score of 77.7 and RevPAR of $196 tell a more favorable story about the underlying demand environment.
The professional management segment in Dunedin is competitive and well-established. Resort Rentals leads with 406 listings and 16,870 reviews at a 4.59 average rating. ITrip Vacations holds 344 listings and 30,278 reviews at a 4.65 rating. Travel Resort Services operates 330 listings with 9,246 reviews at a 4.65 rating. Evolve manages 300 listings with 12,536 reviews at a 4.69 average rating. Vacasa rounds out the top five with 299 listings and 15,071 reviews at a 4.59 rating. The top 5 operators together account for 1,679 listings, approximately 8.7% of total active inventory, indicating significant but not dominant professional management presence.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dunedin, Florida
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