Melbourne Beach, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Melbourne Beach, FL STRs averaged $239/night at 60.2% occupancy in April 2026 on Brevard County's Space Coast.
Quick Answer: Melbourne Beach, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 67%. average monthly revenue is $4,433. average daily rate is $246. the top operator is Happy Palm Stays with 408 listings. market score is 62/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Melbourne/Titusville regional market, which includes Melbourne Beach. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Melbourne Beach.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Melbourne Beach is a small, affluent barrier-island town in Brevard County on Florida’s Space Coast, with a population of 3,273. The town anchors the south end of the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, the most significant loggerhead and green sea-turtle nesting area in the Western Hemisphere, drawing beach-goers, eco-tourists, anglers, and nature-focused visitors rather than mass tourism. The broader Brevard County tourism economy generated $4.6 billion in economic impact and approximately 3 million overnight room nights countywide in 2023.
The short-term rental market covers approximately 6,537 listings in the latest snapshot. Entire-place units account for 5,976 of 6,537 listings (91.4%), private rooms for 558 (8.5%), and shared rooms for 3. Bedroom distribution: two-bedroom units lead at 2,328 listings (35.7% of 6,524 bedroom-segmented), followed by one-bedroom (1,718, 26.3%), three-bedroom (1,529, 23.4%), four-bedroom (602, 9.2%), and five-or-more-bedroom (347, 5.3%). Cross-listing is substantial: 3,550 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 2,260 on Airbnb only, and 727 on VRBO only.
In April 2026, the market posted an ADR of $239, occupancy of 60.2%, and RevPAR of $143.77, generating average monthly revenue of $3,956 per listing. Year-over-year, occupancy slipped 3.5 percentage points and revenue declined 4.0%, while ADR edged up 0.5% versus April 2025. The 2025 full-year average was 62.3% occupancy and $212 ADR, with revenue averaging $3,707/month.
Market scores: total 62.4 out of 100, investability 77.9, rental demand 88.96, regulation 60.0, seasonality 67.4, revenue growth 48.3. The rental demand score of 88.96 reflects strong and consistent beachfront lodging pull.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65% | $173 | $3,059 |
| Feb | 81% | $187 | $3,587 |
| Mar | 81% | $213 | $4,524 |
| Apr | 63% | $200 | $3,427 |
| May | 61% | $191 | $3,212 |
| Jun | 71% | $213 | $4,011 |
| Jul | 72% | $201 | $3,985 |
| Aug | 56% | $179 | $2,916 |
| Sep | 49% | $161 | $2,254 |
| Oct | 56% | $163 | $2,531 |
| Nov | 57% | $166 | $2,434 |
| Dec | 59% | $176 | $2,697 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Melbourne Beach
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Happy Palm Stays | 408 | 13,709 | ★ 4.82 |
| 2 | Beachside Vacation Rentals | 284 | 8,885 | ★ 4.70 |
| 3 | Evolve | 111 | 5,255 | ★ 4.69 |
| 4 | Beachside VR | 65 | 1,862 | ★ 4.49 |
| 5 | Vacasa | 63 | 1,562 | ★ 4.32 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Melbourne Beach?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,718 |
| 2 bed | 2,328 |
| 3 bed | 1,529 |
| 4 bed | 602 |
| 5 bed | 347 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $257 |
| Luxury | $407 |
| Professionally Managed | $277 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,883 |
| Entire Place | $4,654 |
| House | $5,078 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 34.6% |
| vrbo | 11.1% |
| both | 54.3% |
Investment Analysis
The April 2026 average monthly revenue of $3,956 implies an annualized run rate of approximately $47,472. At a typical home value of $624,742, the gross yield calculates to approximately 7.6% ($47,472 divided by $624,742). For a more representative full-year view, the 2025 average of $3,707/month implies $44,484 annualized, or approximately 7.1% gross yield. Both figures are before operating expenses, management fees, taxes, and vacancy adjustments.
By revenue sub-type, house-type listings generated $4,364/month in April 2026, the highest sub-category. Entire-place listings averaged $4,157/month. Apartment-type listings averaged $3,627/month.
By ADR tier: the market-wide average is $239/night. Entire-home listings averaged $249/night, a $10 or 4.2% premium. Professionally managed listings averaged $272/night, a $33 or 13.8% premium. The luxury tier averaged $410/night, a $171 or 71.5% premium above the market average. Separate monthly revenue data for the professionally managed and luxury tiers is not available in the dataset.
Revenue has been relatively flat from 2023 through 2025, averaging $3,598 to $3,707/month annually, following the 2021 to 2022 post-pandemic surge. The revenue growth score of 48.3 out of 100 reflects this plateau. ADR has risen modestly from $206 in 2023 to $212 in 2025 while occupancy has drifted from 65.5% to 62.3%.
The median sale price for Melbourne Beach area homes was $628,417 in April 2026, with 186 homes for sale, a sale-to-list ratio of 84.8%, and a median of 65 days to pending. The sale-to-list ratio of 84.8% indicates homes sell significantly below list price on average, suggesting negotiating room on acquisitions. Typical home value sits at $624,742.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
In April 2026, the average booking lead time for Melbourne Beach STRs was 54.5 days, meaning guests typically reserve about eight weeks ahead of arrival. Average length of stay was 4.9 nights.
A 54.5-day lead time is longer than many comparable Florida markets, reflecting the planning behavior of nature-focused travelers booking sea-turtle excursion trips and winter-season beach escapes. The longest planning windows likely correspond to the peak winter-spring months (February through March) and the sea-turtle nesting season (June through July). Operators should hold peak-season rates firm through the 45-to-60-day pre-arrival window.
A 4.9-night average stay is notably above the weekend-trip average, indicating guests are booking extended beach stays rather than short overnight stops. This stay pattern aligns well with minimum-night policies of 5 to 7 nights during peak season, which reduce turnover costs for the larger beachfront and barrier-island properties common in this market. Nightly rates that incentivize 5- to 7-night bookings help optimize revenue per stay while supporting cleaning operations.
Combined, the 54.5-day lead time and 4.9-night stay suggest the 45-to-60-day pre-arrival window as the primary zone for dynamic pricing decisions.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term vacation rentals (stays under 30 days) are permitted in Melbourne Beach but subject to one of the more demanding registration regimes in Brevard County, codified in Chapter 74 of the Town Code. Every rental must register with the Town Clerk before operating. The registration application carries a $500 fee and requires interior and exterior inspections, proof of insurance, a floor plan, documented maximum occupancy, and a designated local responsible party available by phone 24/7, who must respond to complaints within three hours and to police, fire, or emergency requests at any time. Registration is renewed annually.
Zoning eligibility is a critical pre-purchase check. Vacation rentals are clearly permitted in the business, mixed-use, and oceanfront districts (zones 4-RM, 5-RMO, 8-B). Eligibility in the three residential districts (1-RS, 2-RS, 3-RS) is actively contested: Ordinance 2020-02 is read by some as opening vacation-rental use town-wide, but opponents cite zoning unchanged since September 1972 that prohibits STRs in those residential districts. Town Code §74-22 states that registration does not by itself constitute an approved use that would otherwise be prohibited. Confirm zoning eligibility in writing from the Town before purchasing.
No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies. The Brevard County Tourist Development Tax (occupancy tax) is 5.0%. Effective October 1, 2025, the Brevard County Clerk of Court took over Tourist Development Tax collection. Ordinance 2024-05 updated the vacation-rental rules, and the Town Commission approved further amendments to Chapter 74 and the noise ordinance in February 2025, including deployment of STR management and compliance software. Enforcement is rated strict.
Market Comparison
Melbourne Beach’s April 2026 occupancy of 60.2% is above the U.S. STR median of 55%, reflecting steady demand from the Space Coast beachfront market even during the post-winter-season transition of April. The rental demand score of 88.96 out of 100 confirms the strong underlying pull of barrier-island beaches, the Archie Carr refuge, and Sebastian Inlet recreation.
ADR at $239 is above the U.S. STR median of approximately $220, consistent with an affluent oceanfront destination. RevPAR at $143.77 is above the $131.45 that U.S. median occupancy of 55% at this ADR would imply ($239 x 0.55), because Melbourne Beach’s April occupancy of 60.2% exceeds the national median.
Among active property managers, Happy Palm Stays leads with 408 listings and 13,709 reviews (rating 4.82). Beachside Vacation Rentals holds 284 listings with 8,885 reviews (rating 4.70). Evolve manages 111 listings (5,255 reviews, 4.69 rating). Beachside VR operates 65 listings (1,862 reviews, 4.49 rating). Vacasa holds 63 listings (1,562 reviews, 4.32 rating). The top five together account for 931 of approximately 6,537 tracked listings (14.2%), with the majority of inventory independently operated.
Revenue growth scored 48.3 out of 100, reflecting the post-2022 plateau. Regulation scored 60.0, capturing the strict Chapter 74 registration requirements and the contested zoning status in residential districts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Melbourne Beach, Florida
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