Saint James City, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
The Lee County STR market in September 2026 averaged a $226 ADR, 38.2% occupancy and $2,411 monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Saint James City, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Cape Coral/Fort Myers market area is 38%. average monthly revenue in the Cape Coral/Fort Myers market area is $2,411. average daily rate in the Cape Coral/Fort Myers market area is $226. the top operator in the Cape Coral/Fort Myers market area is Roelens Realty & Property Management with 614 listings. market score is 48/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Cape Coral/Fort Myers regional market, which includes Saint James City. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Saint James City.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Performance figures on this page describe the Lee County, Florida STR market, which covers the Fort Myers and Cape Coral area including Saint James City and Cape Coral. These metrics are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Saint James City, so this profile omits bedroom, channel and listing type counts. Saint James City itself is an unincorporated community of 3,876 residents on the southern end of Pine Island, known for sportfishing and a quiet Old Florida setting.
In September 2026 the Lee County STR market averaged an ADR of $226 at 38.2% occupancy, which produced average monthly revenue of $2,411 per listing. Entire place rentals averaged $2,472 a month and houses averaged $2,543, while apartments averaged $2,222. Year over year, occupancy rose 8.4%, ADR rose 7.5% and revenue rose 8.1%, so growth came from both more booked nights and higher rates.
September is also the weakest month of the year here, so the 38.2% reading is a seasonal low and not a full year picture. Using the seasonal sum of monthly figures, annualized revenue is $40,821 per listing. Calendar 2025 averaged 56.1% occupancy, a $260 ADR and $3,889 in monthly revenue. Through the first nine months of 2026 the market averaged 56.9% occupancy, a $279 ADR and $4,276 in monthly revenue, which is ahead of 2025 on every measure. The strongest year in the data for occupancy was 2022 at 67.6%, so occupancy has not returned to that level, but monthly revenue in 2026 is now above 2022’s $3,944.
Demand draws on Lee County’s roughly 3.2 million visitors in 2024, up 15.5% year over year. Most are domestic, led by the Midwest at 34.4% and the Northeast at 20%, with an average stay of 6.4 nights.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 67% |
| Feb | 82% |
| Mar | 80% |
| Apr | 53% |
| May | 50% |
| Jun | 60% |
| Jul | 61% |
| Aug | 43% |
| Sep | 40% |
| Oct | 52% |
| Nov | 59% |
| Dec | 61% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Saint James City 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 Saint James City, so these counts are not Saint James City-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roelens Realty & Property Management | 614 | 8,143 | ★ 4.58 |
| 2 | Evolve | 446 | 11,657 | ★ 4.62 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 340 | 4,515 | ★ 4.44 |
| 4 | Sun Palace | 278 | 4,019 | ★ 4.60 |
| 5 | Royal Shell Vacations | 249 | 1,913 | ★ 4.64 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Saint James City?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Saint James City 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 | 17.1% |
| both | 60.7% |
Home Value Trends (Saint James City)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Saint James City 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 Saint James City — 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
Florida is a state preemption state. Under FS 509.032, local governments generally cannot ban short term rentals or regulate how long or how often a home is rented. Saint James City is an unincorporated community in Lee County, so there is no city ordinance, and the Lee County Land Development Code applies.
Short term rentals are permitted. Operators need a Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling License, which is state issued and renews annually. Lee County does not run a separate local STR permit or registration program for unincorporated areas, unlike incorporated towns such as Fort Myers Beach, which requires a $300 per unit registration. The permit cost is not published in the profile data.
Taxes on stays of six months or less include a 5% Lee County Tourist Development Tax. With the 6.5% Florida sales and discretionary tax, the combined rate is about 11.5%. Operators must also hold a Florida sales tax certificate and a Lee County tourist tax account. Platforms such as Airbnb collect the county portion automatically.
There is no owner occupancy requirement, no primary residence requirement and no cap on nights per year. Rentals must still comply with residential zoning, county noise and nuisance codes, occupancy and parking standards, and any HOA or deed restrictions. No STR specific overlay or cap was identified. Enforcement is rated minimal and is largely complaint based, focused on tax collection and nuisance issues.
No Saint James City specific ordinance has been identified, and the Tourist Development Tax remained at 5%. Investors should watch for future county registration programs or state licensing changes, and confirm current rules with Lee County and DBPR before buying.
Market Comparison
The Lee County STR market in September 2026 shows a mixed picture, with an ADR of $226 and occupancy of 38.2%. September is the market’s weakest month, so that reading understates the typical year. Across the twelve seasonal months, simple average occupancy is 58.8% and seasonal ADR ranges from $192 to $280.
Year to date 2026 is stronger, with occupancy of 56.9% and an ADR of $279. That makes this a higher rate, winter weighted market more than a year round high occupancy one. Growth is healthy as well, with September occupancy up 8.4%, ADR up 7.5% and revenue up 8.1% year over year.
Top operators are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Saint James City, so this profile omits them. Investors comparing Saint James City with nearby Cape Coral should note that the two share the same regional performance figures, so differences between them will come from property type, location and management rather than from this data.
Frequently Asked Questions About Saint James City, Florida
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