Camden, Maine Short-Term Rental Market
Camden, ME STRs averaged $201/night at 48.8% occupancy in April 2026, supported by Midcoast Maine's windjammer, hiking, and arts tourism.
Quick Answer: Camden, Maine is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Maine Midcoast market area is 63%. average monthly revenue in the Maine Midcoast market area is $4,204. average daily rate in the Maine Midcoast market area is $312. the top operator in the Maine Midcoast market area is Vacasa with 284 listings. market score is 52/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Maine Midcoast regional market, which includes Camden. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Camden.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Camden is one of Maine’s most recognized coastal destinations, a small harbor town of about 5,200 residents on Penobscot Bay that draws an estimated 2.5 million visitors annually to the broader Maine Midcoast region. Anchored by Camden Hills State Park, the windjammer fleet operating from Camden Harbor, and proximity to the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, the market draws outdoor recreation travelers, sailing enthusiasts, and arts and heritage visitors primarily from New England and the Mid-Atlantic.
In April 2026, Camden STRs posted an average daily rate of $201 and occupancy of 48.8%, generating a RevPAR of $98 and average monthly revenue of $2,208 per listing. Year-over-year, occupancy rose 3.6 percentage points and ADR grew 5.8%, though average revenue edged down 0.8%.
The market supports approximately 4,489 active listings. One-bedroom units are the largest segment at about 1,416 listings, followed by two-bedroom at 1,210, three-bedroom at 1,103, four-bedroom at 472, and five-plus-bedroom at 288. Entire-place rentals account for roughly 4,234 listings (94% of supply), with 257 private rooms. Platform distribution shows strong dual-channel presence: about 2,079 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 1,763 list Airbnb-only, and 650 list VRBO-only.
The market’s total score of 51.6 reflects the pronounced seasonality of a northern New England coastal destination. Its revenue-growth score of 77.6 and investability score of 70.1 indicate positive long-term trends within a market that requires active seasonal management.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 37% |
| Feb | 50% |
| Mar | 47% |
| Apr | 51% |
| May | 55% |
| Jun | 66% |
| Jul | 76% |
| Aug | 78% |
| Sep | 55% |
| Oct | 52% |
| Nov | 38% |
| Dec | 47% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Camden are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Maine Midcoast market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Maine Midcoast market as a whole, which includes Camden, so these counts are not Camden-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 284 | 10,040 | ★ 4.60 |
| 2 | Tides To Pines | 215 | 4,496 | ★ 4.54 |
| 3 | Evolve | 61 | 2,496 | ★ 4.76 |
| 4 | Your Island Connection | 51 | 1,079 | ★ 4.77 |
| 5 | On The Water | 49 | 23 | ★ 4.71 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Camden?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Camden 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 | 39.2% |
| vrbo | 14.5% |
| both | 46.3% |
Home Value Trends (Camden)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Camden 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 Camden — 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
Camden enacted a comprehensive STR licensing ordinance (Chapter 215) effective January 1, 2025, following voter approval in June 2024. The ordinance requires annual licenses for all STRs, with three tiers: Residential (owner-occupied, primary residence at least 6 months per year) at $350 per year; Seasonal (properties with water service only) at $500 per year; and Commercial (non-owner-occupied) at $1,000 per year. A $100 surcharge applies to properties on septic systems. Life safety inspections are required at least every three years. Only the property owner of record may apply; permits are not transferable. Owner-occupancy is not required citywide; the Commercial category explicitly accommodates investor-owned STRs.
Rockland, which forms part of the broader Midcoast market, has required STR permits since 2018 under Chapter 19, Section 19-309 of its city code at $500 per unit annually. Rockland caps non-owner-occupied (STR-2) permits at 45 citywide. In July 2024, the Rockland City Council voted 3-2 to reject a proposed phase-out of STR-2 permits, keeping the 45-unit cap in place.
Belfast’s STR registration ordinance took effect May 3, 2024, capping non-hosted STRs at 1% of total dwelling units citywide, limiting each operator to 5 units, and restricting non-hosted rentals to no more than 50% of units in any multi-family building.
Rockport proposed a registration requirement tabled by the Select Board in 2024 with no active ordinance as of mid-2024.
The applicable state lodging tax in Maine is 9% on short-term rentals. Platforms like Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit this tax automatically for most transactions.
Market Comparison
At 48.8% occupancy and $201 ADR in April 2026, Camden sits below the U.S. national STR median occupancy of approximately 55% and below the national median ADR of approximately $220. Both gaps reflect the northern New England seasonal profile: the April snapshot captures one of the weaker months before the summer peak drives occupancy to 76-78% in July and August.
Vacasa leads the Camden-area management market with 284 listings and 10,040 reviews at a 4.60 average rating, representing the largest operator by a meaningful margin. Tides To Pines holds second position with 215 listings and a 4.54 rating, followed by Evolve with 61 listings at a 4.76 rating. Your Island Connection manages 51 listings at a 4.77 rating, and On The Water rounds out the top five with 49 listings.
The top 5 operators collectively hold approximately 660 listings out of roughly 4,489 total, or about 15% of supply. This is a relatively low concentration for a coastal Maine market, indicating that self-managed properties make up the majority of supply. The tight for-sale inventory of only 24 active listings at an April 2026 snapshot reflects the competitive acquisition environment; buyers typically pay median list prices well above $1 million for coastal Maine properties. The market’s total score of 51.6 reflects seasonal limits, while the revenue-growth score of 77.6 points to continued improvement in per-property performance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Camden, Maine
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