Pensacola, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
The Pensacola, FL area STR market averaged $427 a night at 82.9% occupancy in June 2026.
Quick Answer: Pensacola, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 83%. average monthly revenue is $9,568. average daily rate is $427. the top operator is Vacasa with 474 listings. market score is 82/100 (grade B).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Pensacola sits at the western tip of Florida’s Panhandle, encompassing the city itself, Pensacola Beach, and nearby Perdido Key, a Gulf Coast market anchored by sugar white sand beaches, the free National Naval Aviation Museum, and the Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron based at NAS Pensacola. The broader Pensacola area welcomed a record 2.54 million visitors in fiscal year 2024, up 2.3% year over year, generating about $2.01 billion in economic impact and supporting roughly 18,700 jobs.
As of June 2026, the Pensacola area STR market shows an average daily rate of $426.79 with occupancy at 82.92%, one of the highest occupancy readings in this entire data set, up 1.91% year over year even as ADR fell 5.68%. Revenue per listing rose 4.18% year over year to $9,567.80 per month for the average active listing, one of the strongest absolute revenue figures covered so far.
Listing count, bedroom mix, and channel split data for this area are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Pensacola, so this profile omits those specific breakdowns.
An interesting nuance in the property type data: apartment style units here average $10,153.18 in monthly revenue, actually higher than the market wide blended average and higher than standalone houses at $9,087.91, likely reflecting a supply mix weighted toward premium, high-rise beachfront condos and apartments on Pensacola Beach rather than inland single-family homes.
Entire home rentals average $433.28 a night, close to the area wide figure, while listings in the top luxury tier command $671.62 a night and professionally managed listings average $529.87, both well above the $426.79 area wide ADR.
Pensacola has a population of 53,898, and peak demand runs spring through early fall, spanning beach season and Blue Angels practice shows from March through November.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40% | $171 | $1,872 |
| Feb | 62% | $186 | $2,453 |
| Mar | 70% | $250 | $4,093 |
| Apr | 58% | $261 | $4,076 |
| May | 69% | $294 | $5,136 |
| Jun | 81% | $344 | $7,238 |
| Jul | 80% | $325 | $6,804 |
| Aug | 56% | $267 | $4,213 |
| Sep | 54% | $237 | $3,422 |
| Oct | 56% | $222 | $3,215 |
| Nov | 43% | $196 | $2,160 |
| Dec | 38% | $190 | $1,942 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Pensacola
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 474 | 22,239 | ★ 4.51 |
| 2 | Premier Island Management Group | 434 | 7,989 | ★ 4.75 |
| 3 | Southern Vacation Rentals by Vtrips | 371 | 10,594 | ★ 4.52 |
| 4 | Luxury Coatal Vacation Rentlas | 355 | 10,788 | ★ 4.78 |
| 5 | Paradise Beach Homes | 264 | 12,547 | ★ 4.77 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Pensacola?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,792 |
| 2 bed | 3,086 |
| 3 bed | 3,144 |
| 4 bed | 1,142 |
| 5 bed | 458 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $433 |
| Luxury | $672 |
| Professionally Managed | $530 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $10,153 |
| Entire Place | $9,753 |
| House | $9,088 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 23.7% |
| vrbo | 13.4% |
| both | 62.9% |
Investment Analysis
Pensacola’s average listing rents for $426.79 a night, with a real premium for higher tier properties. Listings in the top luxury tier average $671.62 a night, about 57% above the area wide ADR, while professionally managed listings average $529.87, about 24% above market. This gap points to real upside for owners who can position a property into professional management or the luxury tier.
Revenue per listing rose 4.18% year over year even as ADR fell 5.68%, offset by higher occupancy (up 1.91%) on top of an already very high base, suggesting the market absorbed a real rate decline through strong booking volume rather than losing revenue. The average active listing generated $9,567.80 in monthly revenue, or roughly $114,814 annualized, one of the highest revenue figures in this data set.
Against a typical home value of $268,526.87 (Zillow, June 2026), one of the more affordable entry points in this data set, that annualized revenue figure equals a striking 43% of the purchase price on a gross basis. This is an unusually high ratio driven by the combination of Pensacola’s high absolute revenue and comparatively low typical home value; it does not account for cleaning fees, management commissions, taxes, insurance, and vacancy, and it reflects a blended market average rather than what any single property will achieve, so actual net cash on cash returns for an individual buyer will be considerably lower than this gross figure implies.
Resale housing shows a median sale price of $270,483.33 against a median list price of $319,649.33, a sale to list ratio of 0.846, meaning homes are trading meaningfully below asking price. With 1,756 homes currently for sale, one of the largest resale inventories in this data set, and a median 31 days to pending, buyers have substantial selection in a market that, thanks to Florida’s state preemption law, cannot be banned or capped by local ordinance.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
Run a Free Address Analysis
Skip the market averages. Get revenue projections, comp analysis, and ROI for your specific property address. Free, instant, no signup required.
Analyze My Property →Home Value Trends (Pensacola)
Booking Insights
Guests book Pensacola stays an average of 76.47 days in advance, a moderate to long planning window consistent with visitors organizing a Gulf Coast beach vacation well ahead of arrival, often around a specific Blue Angels practice show or spring break window.
Average length of stay sits at 4.77 nights, one of the longer average stays in this data set, pointing to a full week or extended beach vacation rather than a quick overnight stop, consistent with Pensacola’s position as a destination beach market rather than a day-trip stop.
Given the long booking lead time, owners have a wide window to set and adjust pricing well ahead of the summer peak, while the longer average stay helps reduce cleaning and turnover costs per night booked compared to markets built around one or two night stays.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are legal and common in the Pensacola area. Florida licenses vacation rentals at the state level through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, which requires a Vacation Rental license, and Florida law preempts local governments from banning STRs or capping the number or length of stays, unless a locality had a qualifying ordinance before June 1, 2011.
Operators must also register with the Escambia County Clerk of Courts Treasury Department to collect and remit the county Tourist Development Tax, which has been 5% since April 1, 2021 on rentals of six months or less, in addition to Florida’s 6% state sales tax and any applicable local sales surtax. Reported county level licensing costs include a $50 non-refundable application fee plus a license fee starting around $90 for a half year and about $170 for a full year single unit license, with annual renewal.
Operational rules commonly cited include occupancy limits, roughly two people per bedroom plus two, up to about twelve total, and in certain unincorporated tourist oriented zones, a minimum lot size of about 15,000 square feet and setback from major road requirements. There is no state or local cap on nights per year, and no owner occupancy or primary residence requirement.
Enforcement runs primarily through state licensing compliance, tax remittance, and local code and nuisance rules rather than aggressive caps, making the environment relatively investor friendly. Escambia County’s Tourist Development Tax rose from 4% to 5% effective April 1, 2021 and remains 5% as of the latest update, and Florida continued strengthening statewide vacation rental licensing and preemption protections through 2024 legislative activity.
Market Comparison
Pensacola’s occupancy of 82.92% is one of the strongest readings in this entire data set, well above the broader US short-term rental median of roughly 55%, while its $426.79 average daily rate also runs well above the roughly $220 national median, reflecting a premium, high demand Gulf Coast beach market.
Property manager data for this area is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Pensacola, so this profile omits naming specific operators here.
Pensacola’s combination of exceptionally high occupancy, premium rate, and Florida’s structural state preemption protecting STRs from local bans or caps points to one of the more attractive markets in this data set for STR investment, tempered by the reminder that the market’s blended revenue figures, especially the standout apartment segment, reflect an average across a wide range of property types and locations rather than a guaranteed outcome for any single acquisition.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pensacola, Florida
What is the average daily rate for short-term rentals in the Pensacola, FL area?
What is the occupancy rate for the Pensacola area STR market?
Are short-term rentals legal in Pensacola, Florida?
What is the lodging tax rate for short-term rentals in Pensacola?
Why do apartments earn more than houses in the Pensacola STR market?
When is peak season for the Pensacola area STR market?
How much does a typical home cost in Pensacola, Florida?
Analyze Pensacola Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Pensacola.
Free Pensacola STR Calculator →
