Bangor, Maine Short-Term Rental Market
Bangor, Maine STRs averaged $175/night at 36.0% occupancy in April 2026, a regulated market with an 88.2 investability score.
Quick Answer: Bangor, Maine is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 36%. average monthly revenue is $1,805. average daily rate is $175. the top operator is Morton & Furbish Vacation Rentals with 332 listings. market score is 54/100 (grade D).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Bangor is the third-largest city in Maine and the regional hub for the state’s northern and eastern corridors. The city draws leisure travelers, visitors en route to Acadia and Baxter State Park, literary tourists (hometown of Stephen King), and event crowds at the Maine Savings Amphitheater and Cross Insurance Center. Bangor International Airport provides direct access from major Northeast and Midwest markets.
As of April 2026, the STR market recorded an average daily rate of $175, occupancy of 36.0%, and RevPAR of $63. Average monthly revenue per active listing was $1,805. April is a seasonally slow month for Bangor; full-year 2025 occupancy averaged 48.8% and average monthly revenue averaged $2,740. Year-over-year, April occupancy fell 12.1% and revenue declined 6.5%, while ADR rose 7.1%, indicating operators are holding rates on lower-demand inventory.
Entire-place listings represent 5,680 of 6,065 tracked units (93.7%). Private rooms account for 381 listings. By bedroom count, 1-bedroom properties lead at 1,781 units, followed by 2-bedroom (1,728), 3-bedroom (1,552), 4-bedroom (691), and 5-bedroom (310) listings. Airbnb is the dominant single channel with 3,199 listings, and 2,260 properties hold dual Airbnb and VRBO presence.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46% | $205 | $2,436 |
| Feb | 58% | $223 | $3,026 |
| Mar | 45% | $206 | $2,655 |
| Apr | 41% | $163 | $1,831 |
| May | 48% | $159 | $1,675 |
| Jun | 57% | $187 | $2,341 |
| Jul | 68% | $204 | $3,513 |
| Aug | 67% | $204 | $3,683 |
| Sep | 48% | $177 | $2,360 |
| Oct | 48% | $166 | $2,147 |
| Nov | 40% | $144 | $1,667 |
| Dec | 47% | $175 | $1,914 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Bangor
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morton & Furbish Vacation Rentals | 332 | 4,697 | ★ 4.78 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 123 | 4,683 | ★ 4.62 |
| 3 | Evolve | 99 | 2,736 | ★ 4.68 |
| 4 | North Woods Maine Cabins Inc | 70 | 1,117 | ★ 4.84 |
| 5 | Sugarloaf Rentals LLC | 63 | 558 | ★ 4.89 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Bangor?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,781 |
| 2 bed | 1,728 |
| 3 bed | 1,552 |
| 4 bed | 691 |
| 5 bed | 310 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $184 |
| Luxury | $411 |
| Professionally Managed | $282 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,681 |
| Entire Place | $1,885 |
| House | $1,909 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 52.7% |
| vrbo | 10% |
| both | 37.3% |
Investment Analysis
Bangor’s composite market score of 54.2 out of 100 is anchored by a strong investability score of 88.2, suggesting the market’s entry cost is favorable relative to its demand profile. Revenue growth (54.4) and rental demand (53.1) scores reflect a stabilizing market after the 2020-2021 peak.
April 2026 average revenue was $1,805 per active listing. Using the 2025 full-year average of $2,740/month, annualized revenue comes to approximately $32,880. Entire-place properties averaged $1,885/month and houses averaged $1,909/month in April, while apartments averaged $1,681/month. The professionally managed tier averaged $282 ADR versus the market average of $175, a 61% premium, reflecting that the PM segment in Bangor skews toward larger, higher-quality inventory. The luxury tier reached $411 ADR.
Housing price data for the Bangor market was not available in the current dataset, so a gross yield estimate cannot be calculated. Bangor’s regulatory environment (see Regulatory Summary) introduces a relevant consideration for investors: VR-2 (non-owner-occupied) licenses are subject to a citywide cap of 1% of total dwelling units, which limits future supply but also constrains entry for new non-hosted investors. No more than 5 STR units may be held per operator.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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April 2026 data shows an average booking lead time of 47 days and an average length of stay of 4.5 nights. A 47-day lead window is longer than most comparable markets, indicating Bangor guests plan trips nearly seven weeks in advance on average. This gives operators substantial pricing leverage at the 60-45 day mark to hold or increase rates before softening closer to arrival.
A 4.5-night average stay is notably longer than the typical short-term rental benchmark, suggesting guests are using Bangor as a base for multi-day exploration of the Maine Highlands, Acadia, or Baxter State Park. Longer stays reduce per-guest cleaning overhead and lower vacancy risk. However, VR-2 licensed properties are subject to a 4-night minimum stay requirement under city ordinance, which aligns with the observed average.
Dual-channel presence is less dominant than in other markets: 2,260 properties list on both Airbnb and VRBO, while 3,199 list only on Airbnb. The 606 VRBO-exclusive listings serve a distinct audience of outdoor and cabin-vacation travelers who disproportionately book through that platform.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Bangor adopted a formal STR ordinance effective October 23, 2023, creating one of Maine’s more structured local STR frameworks.
All STRs must be registered and licensed through the city’s online portal (str.deckard.com). There are two license categories: VR-1 for owner-occupied or primary-residence (hosted) rentals, requiring the host to document that the property is their primary residence (lived in 6 or more months, used for tax ID purposes); and VR-2 for non-owner-occupied, whole-unit rentals.
New licenses cost $250 plus processing fees; renewals are $100 unless an additional inspection is required, rising to $250 at the third renewal when re-inspection is due. Safety inspections are required before registration and every three years afterward. Hosts must provide a 24/7 emergency contact and at least $1 million in property and general liability insurance acknowledging STR use.
Critically for investors: VR-2 (non-hosted) licenses are capped citywide at 1% of total dwelling units, issued first-come, first-served. No operator may hold more than 5 STR units, and no more than 50% of a multi-family building’s units may be licensed as STRs. Minimum-stay requirements apply: 2 nights for VR-1, 4 nights for VR-2. Maine’s 9% state lodging tax applies; no separate Bangor city occupancy tax was identified. A 24/7 complaint hotline (207-378-3966) is active.
Market Comparison
Bangor’s April 2026 occupancy of 36.0% is well below the US STR median of approximately 55%, but this reflects April being a seasonally weak month. The 2025 full-year average occupancy of 48.8% is also below the national median, consistent with a northern Maine market where winters dampen year-round demand. ADR at $175 is below the national median of approximately $220.
The market is led by Morton and Furbish Vacation Rentals, a Maine-specialized operator with 332 listings and 4,697 reviews (4.78 average rating). Vacasa holds 123 listings with a 4.62 average rating, and Evolve manages 99 listings with a 4.68 rating. North Woods Maine Cabins (70 listings, 4.84 rating) and Sugarloaf Rentals (63 listings, 4.89 rating) round out the top five. The top five operators collectively hold approximately 11.0% of the 6,065 total market listings, making Bangor more professionally managed than many comparable-sized markets.
Bangor’s investability score of 88.2 is the second-highest among the current batch, suggesting the market is attractively priced relative to its demand fundamentals despite the regulatory complexity introduced by the 2023 ordinance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bangor, Maine
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