Fort Myers, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Fort Myers STRs averaged $301/night at 48.8% occupancy in April 2026 across a market of roughly 19,700 active listings.
Quick Answer: Fort Myers, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Cape Coral/Fort Myers market area is 55%. average monthly revenue in the Cape Coral/Fort Myers market area is $4,159. average daily rate in the Cape Coral/Fort Myers market area is $294. the top operator in the Cape Coral/Fort Myers market area is Roelens Realty & Property Management with 611 listings. market score is 48/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Cape Coral/Fort Myers regional market, which includes Fort Myers. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Fort Myers.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Fort Myers operates one of Southwest Florida’s largest short-term rental markets, with approximately 19,700 active listings across the city and surrounding Lee County communities. The market skews heavily toward entire-place rentals, which account for 19,050 of those listings (97% of the total), with private rooms making up the remaining 684 and shared rooms a negligible 7. In April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $301, an average occupancy rate of 48.8%, and a RevPAR of $147.
Channel distribution shows 12,026 listings active on both Airbnb and VRBO simultaneously, with 4,376 Airbnb-only and 3,339 VRBO-only properties. The bedroom mix spans 3,310 one-bedroom units, 5,474 two-bedrooms, 7,116 three-bedrooms, 3,013 four-bedrooms, and 814 properties with five or more bedrooms, indicating a market built primarily for groups and multi-night leisure stays rather than solo travelers.
Year-over-year as of April 2026, occupancy slipped 2.9 percentage points while ADR grew 4.9%, leaving overall revenue nearly flat at -0.2%. This divergence suggests the market absorbed post-hurricane-Ian recovery supply while rate growth remained intact. The investability score from the market data stands at 69.1 out of 100, and the revenue growth score is 76.4, reflecting a market where operator returns have trended upward over the longer term even as occupancy faces near-term pressure.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 67% |
| Feb | 82% |
| Mar | 80% |
| Apr | 53% |
| May | 49% |
| Jun | 60% |
| Jul | 61% |
| Aug | 44% |
| Sep | 40% |
| Oct | 52% |
| Nov | 59% |
| Dec | 61% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Fort Myers are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Cape Coral/Fort Myers market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Cape Coral/Fort Myers market as a whole, which includes Fort Myers, so these counts are not Fort Myers-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roelens Realty & Property Management | 611 | 8,126 | ★ 4.58 |
| 2 | Evolve | 445 | 11,614 | ★ 4.62 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 312 | 4,497 | ★ 4.45 |
| 4 | Sun Palace | 278 | 3,965 | ★ 4.60 |
| 5 | Royal Shell Vacations | 251 | 1,889 | ★ 4.64 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Fort Myers?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Fort Myers 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 | 22.2% |
| vrbo | 16.9% |
| both | 60.9% |
Home Value Trends (Fort Myers)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Fort Myers 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 Fort Myers — 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
Fort Myers operates under Florida’s state preemption framework established by F.S. 509.032(7)(b), which bars local governments from prohibiting STRs or imposing caps on rental duration or frequency unless the local ordinance predated June 1, 2011. Fort Myers did not have such an ordinance, so the city imposes no maximum nights per year, no owner-occupancy requirement, and no primary-residence restriction.
Operators must obtain two licenses: a Florida DBPR Vacation Rental license (required for any unit rented more than three times per year for periods under 30 days) and a City of Fort Myers Business Tax Receipt. There is no published per-unit permit fee in the city’s current data. The license renews annually.
On the tax side, hosts owe a 5% Lee County Tourist Development Tax on stays of six months or less, plus 6% Florida state sales tax and a 0.5% Lee County discretionary surtax, totaling approximately 11.5%. Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit the TDT automatically for transactions processed through their platforms; hosts using third-party property management software must register with Lee County and remit independently.
Enforcement is rated moderate. The city relies primarily on business tax receipt compliance, occupancy limits, parking, and life-safety rules rather than dedicated STR inspections. Important distinction: Fort Myers Beach (Town of Fort Myers Beach on Estero Island) is a separate municipality with a stricter registration program and should not be confused with mainland Fort Myers.
Market Comparison
Fort Myers’ April 2026 ADR of $301 sits well above the US STR median of approximately $220/night, reflecting the premium Gulf Coast leisure market and the concentration of entire-home inventory. However, the 48.8% occupancy rate trails the US STR median of approximately 55%, consistent with a market that saw supply growth outpace demand in the post-Ian recovery period.
The professional management presence is substantial. Roelens Realty and Property Management leads with 611 listings and 8,126 reviews at a 4.58 rating. Evolve follows with 445 listings, 11,614 reviews, and a 4.62 rating. Vacasa holds 312 listings at a 4.45 rating. Together, the top three managers account for approximately 1,368 listings, representing around 7% of the estimated 19,700-listing market. The market is fragmented, with the majority of listings operated by individual hosts.
The investability score of 69.1 and revenue growth score of 76.4 compare favorably to other Florida markets facing more restrictive regulatory environments. The market’s Lee County-wide tourism base of 3.3 million annual visitors and $3.3 billion in direct spending provides a durable demand foundation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fort Myers, Florida
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