Mexico Beach, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Mexico Beach short-term rentals averaged $416 ADR, 49.5% occupancy and $5,390 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Mexico Beach, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Cape San Blas/St. George Island market area is 49%. average monthly revenue in the Cape San Blas/St. George Island market area is $5,390. average daily rate in the Cape San Blas/St. George Island market area is $416. the top operator in the Cape San Blas/St. George Island market area is Pristine Properties with 382 listings. market score is 59/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Cape San Blas/St. George Island regional market, which includes Mexico Beach. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Mexico Beach.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Mexico Beach is a small Gulf Coast town of 1,271 residents on Florida’s Forgotten Coast, about 20 miles southeast of Panama City. STR performance figures on this page describe the Florida Panhandle Gulf Coast STR market. In September 2026 the average daily rate across all listings was $416 and occupancy was 49.5%, with average monthly revenue of $5,390 per listing. Compared with September 2025, occupancy is up 21.5%, ADR is up 8.4% and revenue is up 18.2%, a strong rebound after several softer years. The year to date picture agrees: the nine months of 2026 on record average 57.8% occupancy, an ADR of $418 and $6,281 in monthly revenue, compared with 51.1% occupancy, a $382 ADR and $5,247 in monthly revenue for full year 2025. Occupancy peaked at 65.9% in 2021 and slid to 50.7% by 2024, so the 2026 recovery is meaningful, though it has not yet returned to the pandemic era high. Rate growth has been steadier than occupancy. ADR rose from $275 in 2017 to $382 in 2025, and 2026 is running higher still. Seasonally, the Panhandle Gulf Coast is a spring and summer destination. Visitors skew toward repeat vacationers, retirees, anglers and second-home owners who come for roughly five miles of quiet white-sand beach, sportfishing, boating through the canal and ecotourism. Bedroom mix, booking channel counts and listing-type counts are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Mexico Beach, so this profile omits them. The same applies to top operator names. Treat the figures here as a read on the regional market, and pair them with local comparable listings before underwriting a specific property.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 42% |
| Feb | 64% |
| Mar | 68% |
| Apr | 53% |
| May | 64% |
| Jun | 81% |
| Jul | 78% |
| Aug | 49% |
| Sep | 50% |
| Oct | 50% |
| Nov | 38% |
| Dec | 35% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Mexico Beach are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Cape San Blas/St. George Island market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Cape San Blas/St. George Island market as a whole, which includes Mexico Beach, so these counts are not Mexico Beach-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pristine Properties | 382 | 4,820 | ★ 4.59 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 299 | 8,881 | ★ 4.58 |
| 3 | Cape & Coast Vacation Rentals | 241 | 3,235 | ★ 4.65 |
| 4 | Collins Vacation Rentals | 186 | 174 | ★ 4.48 |
| 5 | 360 Blue | 119 | 1,554 | ★ 4.69 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Mexico Beach?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Mexico 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 | 12.6% |
| vrbo | 27.8% |
| both | 59.6% |
Home Value Trends (Mexico Beach)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Mexico 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 Mexico 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
Short-term rentals are permitted in Mexico Beach, and no city-specific ban was found. Florida state law (Chapter 509, F.S.) preempts local governments from prohibiting STRs or regulating their duration or frequency, so cities are limited to registration, safety and tax rules. Compliance has three layers. At the state level, operators need a Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling License or Vacation Rental Condo License, because a unit rented for 30 days or less more than three times a year is a transient public lodging establishment. At the county level, Bay County Ordinance 23-18, effective August 1, 2023, requires a Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate that must be renewed annually. Applicants submit the DBPR license, proof of insurance, a 24/7 local contact, safety-equipment documentation, and pool or balcony inspection certificates where applicable, and approval typically takes 5 to 10 business days. The certificate covers houses, duplexes, small residential buildings up to four units, RVs and mobile homes, while high-rise condominium units and apartment complexes are currently noted as exempt. The permit cost is not published. For taxes, a 5% Bay County Tourist Development Tax is remitted to the Bay County Clerk of Court, on top of 6% Florida state sales tax and any applicable county surtax. There is no maximum nights cap, no owner-occupancy requirement and no primary residence requirement. Enforcement is handled by the county through inspections, complaint investigations and tax audits, and severity is rated moderate. Violations can lead to certificate suspension or revocation.
Market Comparison
September 2026 ADR was $416 and occupancy was 49.5% in the Panhandle Gulf Coast market. A high rate paired with moderate occupancy means owners who manage vacancy well are rewarded. Full year 2025 occupancy was 51.1%, and the nine months of 2026 are running at 57.8%. Peak months reach 80.7% in June and 78.3% in July, while November and December fall to 37.6% and 35.4%. Revenue per listing of $5,390 per month in September is strong for a destination with a population of 1,271, helped by the area’s draw as an uncrowded alternative to busier Panama City Beach. Operator names are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Mexico Beach, so this profile omits them. Investors should weigh the high ADR and the improving trend against the thin winter months and the cost of entry, with a typical home value of $505,274.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mexico Beach, Florida
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