Fernandina Beach, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Fernandina Beach STRs averaged $360/night at 62.4% occupancy in April 2026, with average monthly revenue of $5,818.
Quick Answer: Fernandina Beach, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Amelia/St. Simons/Jekyll Islands market area is 73%. average monthly revenue in the Amelia/St. Simons/Jekyll Islands market area is $8,224. average daily rate in the Amelia/St. Simons/Jekyll Islands market area is $421. the top operator in the Amelia/St. Simons/Jekyll Islands market area is Hodnett Cooper Vacation Rentals with 349 listings. market score is 55/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Amelia/St. Simons/Jekyll Islands regional market, which includes Fernandina Beach. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Fernandina Beach.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Fernandina Beach market in the data covers two distinct coastal clusters: Amelia Island in Nassau County, Florida, and the Georgia Golden Isles (Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island in Glynn County, GA). Fernandina Beach is the principal city on Amelia Island, which draws an estimated 3 million annual visitors and generated over $1.2 billion in total tourism economic impact for Nassau County in 2023. The combined area population is approximately 104,376.
In April 2026, the market posted a 62.4% average occupancy rate and a $359.62 average daily rate, yielding a RevPAR of $224.29. Average monthly revenue per listing was $5,818. Year-over-year, occupancy slipped 2.2 percentage points, ADR was essentially flat (up 0.05%), and revenue edged up 1.2%.
Inventory is dominated by entire-place listings, which account for 5,304 of approximately 5,390 tracked units; private rooms account for 90. The channel mix skews toward dual-platform listings (3,495), with Airbnb-only (989) slightly ahead of VRBO-only (910). Two-bedroom properties lead the bedroom mix (1,986 units), followed by 3-bedroom (1,802), 1-bedroom (715), 4-bedroom (596), and 5-bedroom (291). Market scores reflect strong rental demand (86.4) and investability (84.5), with a moderate seasonality score (51.2) consistent with a year-round coastal destination.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 40% |
| Feb | 63% |
| Mar | 68% |
| Apr | 59% |
| May | 57% |
| Jun | 73% |
| Jul | 74% |
| Aug | 48% |
| Sep | 46% |
| Oct | 51% |
| Nov | 40% |
| Dec | 36% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Fernandina Beach are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Amelia/St. Simons/Jekyll Islands market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Amelia/St. Simons/Jekyll Islands market as a whole, which includes Fernandina Beach, so these counts are not Fernandina Beach-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hodnett Cooper Vacation Rentals | 349 | 6,784 | ★ 4.72 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 292 | 9,241 | ★ 4.56 |
| 3 | RedAwning | 236 | 4,646 | ★ 4.46 |
| 4 | Lighthouse Vacations | 187 | 8,334 | ★ 4.86 |
| 5 | Real Escapes | 184 | 6,523 | ★ 4.68 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Fernandina Beach?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Fernandina Beach 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 | 18.3% |
| vrbo | 16.9% |
| both | 64.8% |
Home Value Trends (Fernandina Beach)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Fernandina Beach 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 Fernandina Beach — 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
This market spans two states and multiple regulatory jurisdictions, each with distinct requirements.
Florida side (Fernandina Beach, Nassau County): Properties within Fernandina Beach city limits require a Resort Rental Dwelling Permit (RRDP) from the City Building Department. New permit fee: $300; renewal: $200; permit year runs October 1 to September 30. The RRDP number must appear in all advertisements. Operators must also hold a Florida DBPR Public Lodging License, a Florida Sales Tax ID, and Nassau County Tourist Development Tax registration. A local contact available 24/7 and able to respond within 30 minutes is required. Crucially, STRs are permitted only in R-3 (High Density Residential) zoning within the city. R-1 and R-2 properties may qualify only if grandfathered with a valid permit predating October 3, 2000 (Ordinance 2000-28). Combined lodging tax on the Florida side is 11%: 6% Florida state sales tax plus 5% Nassau County Tourist Development Tax.
Georgia side (Jekyll Island): All overnight vacation rentals require a Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) Rental License, renewed annually at $75. Properties must pass a Code Compliance inspection before licensing. Jekyll Island land is state-leased through the JIA, which administers all compliance.
Georgia side (St. Simons Island, Glynn County): A Glynn County Short-Term Rental Certificate is required for rentals under 30 consecutive days. Glynn County’s hotel-motel excise tax increased from 5% to 7% effective July 1, 2025, though Jekyll Island is explicitly exempt from this increase under its separate JIA framework.
Market Comparison
Fernandina Beach’s April 2026 occupancy of 62.4% exceeds the U.S. STR median of approximately 55% — a meaningful outperformance for a month that falls between peak spring and summer. The $359.62 ADR is well above the U.S. median of approximately $220, reflecting Amelia Island’s premium positioning as a historic, upscale coastal destination.
Annual average revenue for 2025 was $4,894 per listing per month, up from $4,649 in 2024 and $4,507 in 2023. This three-year trend shows modest but consistent growth, in contrast to markets that saw post-pandemic reversion.
Hodnett Cooper Vacation Rentals leads local management with 349 listings and a 4.72 average rating across 6,784 reviews — the highest rating among the top five. Vacasa follows with 292 listings and 9,241 reviews (4.56 rating). RedAwning operates 236 listings (4.46 rating) and Lighthouse Vacations holds 187 listings with a 4.86 rating across 8,334 reviews. Together, the top four operators account for 1,064 listings, or roughly 19.7% of total tracked inventory in this area.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fernandina Beach, Florida
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What permits are required to operate a short-term rental in Fernandina Beach, FL?
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