Kailua Kona, Hawaii Short-Term Rental Market
Kailua Kona restricts new rentals by zone; September 2026 ADR $333, occupancy 53.6%, monthly revenue $4,784.
Quick Answer: Kailua Kona, Hawaii is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 54%. average monthly revenue is $4,784. average daily rate is $333. the top operator in Kailua Kona is Kona Coast Vacations with 291 listings. market score is 91/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the Big Island regional market, which includes Kailua Kona. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Kailua Kona.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Kailua Kona is the primary tourism gateway and resort hub of Hawaii Island, and the figures here run through September 2026, the latest month available. In September 2026 the average daily rate across all listings was $333, occupancy was 53.6%, and the average listing earned $4,784 for the month. Compared with a year earlier, occupancy is up 4.3%, ADR is up 6.7%, and monthly revenue is up 9.3%, so growth is coming from both rate and demand.
The tracked Kailua Kona area STR market includes about 9,544 listings. Entire places make up 8,868 of them (92.9%), private rooms 670 (7.0%), and shared rooms 6. By channel, 5,115 listings appear on both Airbnb and Vrbo, 3,565 are on Airbnb only, and 864 are on Vrbo only. The bedroom mix leans small: 3,759 one-bedroom listings, 3,156 two-bedroom, 1,745 three-bedroom, 547 four-bedroom, and 321 five-bedroom.
Revenue differs by property type. Houses averaged $5,814 for the month, entire places $4,983, and apartments $4,125. The StaySTRA market score for Kailua Kona is 91.1 overall, with seasonality at 88.7, rental demand at 87.1, investability at 74.4, regulation at 72.4, and revenue growth at 65.1.
Demand draws on Hawaii Island’s visitor base of about 1.73 million visitors in 2024 (down 2.8% from 2023, per the Hawaii Tourism Authority). That figure is island-wide, and Kona does not publish a separate count. Visitors are mostly U.S. mainland travelers, with Canadian and Japanese segments. Kailua Kona is the west-side arrival point and lodging center, and events such as the Ironman World Championship and the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival add seasonal demand. The town has a population of 19,713. Investors should note that new rentals are limited to certain zones, covered in the regulatory section.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 71% |
| Feb | 78% |
| Mar | 69% |
| Apr | 62% |
| May | 61% |
| Jun | 65% |
| Jul | 63% |
| Aug | 60% |
| Sep | 55% |
| Oct | 60% |
| Nov | 62% |
| Dec | 70% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Kailua Kona are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Kailua Kona
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kona Coast Vacations | 291 | 12,122 | ★ 4.81 |
| 2 | Knutson & Associates | 267 | 13,159 | ★ 4.73 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 207 | 8,928 | ★ 4.56 |
| 4 | Gather Vacations | 184 | 7,896 | ★ 4.84 |
| 5 | Evolve | 159 | 8,302 | ★ 4.52 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Kailua Kona?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Kailua Kona 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 | 37.4% |
| vrbo | 9.1% |
| both | 53.6% |
Home Value Trends (Kailua Kona)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Kailua Kona 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 Kailua Kona — 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 legal in Kailua Kona, but new operations are limited by zone. Kailua Kona follows County of Hawaii rules, with no separate city code. New STVRs are generally allowed only in Resort, hotel, General and Village Commercial, and certain RM zones where condo rules permit. They are not allowed in most standalone-home residential or agricultural zones. Properties that operated legally before April 1, 2019 in restricted zones may continue under a Nonconforming Use Certificate, renewed annually. The Aliʻi Drive and Keauhou resort nodes are the main permitted areas.
A permit is required. The permit type is STVR Registration, with the Nonconforming Use Certificate for grandfathered properties outside permitted zones. The cost is listed at $500 and renews annually. The occupancy tax is listed at 14%. There is no owner-occupancy requirement and no primary-residence requirement. Enforcement severity is rated moderate.
Bill 47 (Ordinance 25-50, signed June 23, 2025) overhauled the county’s rules. It requires annual registration for hosted and unhosted rentals, adds fines and liens for noncompliance, and requires hosting platforms to register ($1,000) and file monthly reports. Fees are about $250 to register and $100 to renew for hosted rentals, and $500 and $250 for unhosted rentals, with a $90 late fee. The effective date was extended from December 20, 2025 to July 1, 2026. As of the June 2026 profile update the registration mandate was not yet in force, so operators should confirm current status with the county. The state transient accommodations tax also rose to 11% on January 1, 2026. Verify all rules with the county before buying.
Market Comparison
Kailua Kona is a premium-priced market with moderate occupancy. September 2026 occupancy was 53.6%, the ADR of $333 sits well into premium territory, and luxury listings reach $771.
The trade-off is that rate, not volume, drives results here. Monthly revenue of $4,784 reflects a premium-priced market with moderate occupancy, and year-over-year revenue growth of 9.3% shows the premium is holding.
Professional management is a large part of the local market. The top operators by listing count are Kona Coast Vacations (291 listings, 4.81 rating), Knutson & Associates (267 listings, 4.73), Vacasa (207, 4.56), Gather Vacations (184, 4.84), and Evolve (159, 4.52). Together these five manage 1,108 listings, about 11.6% of the 9,544 tracked. Managed listings earn an ADR of $465 versus $333 for all listings, so owners who self-manage should expect to compete with well-reviewed professional operators.
For investors, the market combines high rates and a high entry price, with zoning limits that restrict new supply.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kailua Kona, Hawaii
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