Santa Rosa Beach, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Santa Rosa Beach STRs averaged $688/night at 81.3% occupancy in June 2026 across 19,553 tracked listings.
Quick Answer: Santa Rosa Beach, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 81%. average monthly revenue is $14,773. average daily rate is $688. the top operator is Sandestin Golf And Beach Resort with 1,232 listings. market score is 63/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Santa Rosa/Rosemary Beach regional market, which includes Santa Rosa Beach. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Santa Rosa Beach.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Santa Rosa Beach short-term rental market tracked 19,553 active listings in the latest snapshot, almost entirely entire-place units at 99.8% of supply (19,509 listings), with private rooms at just 0.2% (44). Average daily rate was $687.63 at 81.29% occupancy in June 2026, generating average monthly revenue of $14,773 per listing. Year over year, occupancy rose 1.4 percentage points, ADR fell 2.3%, and revenue grew 4.3% compared to June 2025.
Note: Santa Rosa Beach’s STR performance data in this snapshot is identical to neighboring Rosemary Beach, reflecting the underlying data provider’s shared South Walton/30A submarket definition rather than distinct town-level metrics; investors should treat the occupancy, ADR, and revenue figures as representative of the broader 30A corridor rather than Santa Rosa Beach exclusively, while housing values, regulations, and population below are Santa Rosa Beach-specific.
Bedroom mix is broad, with 2-bedroom the largest single category at 25.1% of supply (4,896), followed by 3-bedroom at 23.7% (4,638), 1-bedroom at 18.8% (3,681), 4-bedroom at 17.5% (3,424), and 5-bedroom at 14.8% (2,900), reflecting the large-home inventory typical of this upscale corridor. On booking channels, 78.4% of listings (15,334) are on both Airbnb and Vrbo, 13.2% (2,587) are Vrbo-only, and 8.3% (1,632) are Airbnb-only. Santa Rosa Beach itself has a population of 9,517; Walton County drew more than 4.7 million visitors in 2024.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31% | $318 | $2,506 |
| Feb | 52% | $321 | $3,188 |
| Mar | 67% | $415 | $6,023 |
| Apr | 52% | $408 | $5,593 |
| May | 66% | $448 | $7,111 |
| Jun | 81% | $527 | $10,763 |
| Jul | 81% | $476 | $9,834 |
| Aug | 53% | $398 | $5,791 |
| Sep | 49% | $348 | $4,551 |
| Oct | 50% | $345 | $4,236 |
| Nov | 32% | $358 | $2,961 |
| Dec | 28% | $375 | $2,781 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Santa Rosa Beach
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sandestin Golf And Beach Resort | 1,232 | 2,042 | ★ 4.50 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 1,199 | 40,928 | ★ 4.51 |
| 3 | RealJoy | 723 | 26,843 | ★ 4.66 |
| 4 | 360 Blue | 671 | 9,901 | ★ 4.70 |
| 5 | Ocean Reef | 449 | 6,815 | ★ 4.59 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Santa Rosa Beach?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 3,681 |
| 2 bed | 4,896 |
| 3 bed | 4,638 |
| 4 bed | 3,424 |
| 5 bed | 2,900 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $688 |
| Luxury | $1,020 |
| Professionally Managed | $738 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $10,328 |
| Entire Place | $14,783 |
| House | $20,076 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 8.3% |
| vrbo | 13.2% |
| both | 78.4% |
Investment Analysis
Rate tiers show a spread concentrated at the high end. The blended average daily rate of $687.63 compares to $687.93 for the entire-home tier (essentially matching blended, since this market is almost entirely entire-place inventory), $737.57 for professionally managed listings (7.3% above blended), and $1,019.59 for the luxury tier, 48.3% above blended.
Revenue grew 4.3% year over year through June 2026 even as ADR declined 2.3%, meaning the gain came from higher occupancy (up 1.4 points) rather than rate growth. Against a typical home value of $872,224, average listing revenue of $14,773 per month ($177,271 annualized) implies a gross yield of roughly 20.3% before operating expenses, mortgage costs, taxes, or management fees, notably higher than Rosemary Beach’s implied yield on the same revenue base, reflecting Santa Rosa Beach’s lower typical home value.
On the acquisition side, homes are selling at 89.0% of list price on average with a median 69 days to pending and a much larger for-sale inventory of 1,004 active listings than Rosemary Beach’s 28, suggesting more entry points for buyers here. By property type, houses generate the highest average revenue at $20,076 per month, 35.9% above the all-listings blended average, while apartments trail at $10,328, about 30.1% below blended.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Average booking lead time is 79.7 days, one of the longer windows among comparable Florida markets, meaning most guests book more than two and a half months before arrival. That long window reflects the destination, high-value nature of this market, where trips are planned and deposits committed well ahead of the summer peak.
Average length of stay is 4.75 nights, a moderate booking pattern typical of a near-weeklong beach vacation. Combined with the long lead time, operators here can expect strong forecasting visibility for the summer peak season, with pricing largely set well in advance rather than adjusted close to arrival.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are fully legal in Santa Rosa Beach (unincorporated Walton County), but the county runs an active, enforcement-heavy registration program. Operators must hold both a Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling License and a Walton County Short-Term Vacation Rental Registration. Per BCC Resolution 2024-57, effective February 1, 2025, the annual individual registration fee rose from $125 to $300 (community-property rate roughly $227). Registration is required for any dwelling rented more than three times per year for stays under 30 days or advertised as an STR.
Prerequisites include state and local licensing, appointment of a 24/7-reachable local responsible party (over 18, able to respond within roughly an hour), property sketches, and compliance and safety affidavits. Rentals must pass South Walton Fire District life-safety checks, and leases must disclose maximum occupancy, noise rules, trash and recycling days, parking, and evacuation procedures.
Taxes are significant here: South Walton (south of Choctawhatchee Bay, which includes Santa Rosa Beach) carries a 5% Tourist Development Tax on top of 6% state sales tax and 1% local sales tax, totaling 12%. Enforcement is rated strict, with $500 per day fines for operating an unregistered rental. Effective February 1, 2025, the individual annual registration fee increased from $125 to $300 and safety and enforcement requirements were tightened; Walton County is transitioning toward a unified June 1 annual renewal date, with a further transition announced February 2, 2026.
Market Comparison
Santa Rosa Beach’s tracked market runs dramatically above typical U.S. short-term rental benchmarks on both metrics. At 81.29% occupancy, the market is about 26.3 percentage points above the roughly 55% national median. Average daily rate of $687.63 is about 212.6% above the roughly $220 national median ADR, reflecting this corridor’s position as one of Florida’s most premium beach markets. These figures reflect the shared 30A/South Walton submarket data referenced above rather than town-exclusive metrics.
Among property managers, Sandestin Golf And Beach Resort leads with 1,232 active listings (6.3% of the market’s 19,553 tracked listings) and 2,042 reviews at a 4.50 average rating. Vacasa ranks second with 1,199 listings and by far the most reviews among the top five at 40,928, at a 4.51 rating. 360 Blue holds the highest guest rating among the top five at 4.70 across 671 listings. The top five combined operators hold 4,274 listings, about 21.9% of tracked inventory, a notably higher concentration among large operators than most Florida markets in this batch.
Frequently Asked Questions About Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
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