Kennebunkport, Maine Short-Term Rental Market
Kennebunkport, ME STRs averaged $290/night at 44.5% occupancy in April 2026, with a strict town-wide license cap limiting new market entrants.
Quick Answer: Kennebunkport, Maine is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Maine Beaches market area is 64%. average monthly revenue in the Maine Beaches market area is $5,761. average daily rate in the Maine Beaches market area is $432. the top operator in the Maine Beaches market area is Vacasa with 152 listings. market score is 50/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Maine Beaches regional market, which includes Kennebunkport. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Kennebunkport.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Kennebunkport is a historic New England coastal resort town of approximately 3,684 residents on Maine’s southern coast. Long established as an affluent summer destination, the town draws leisure travelers from Boston, New York, and across the Northeast to its beaches, Dock Square village center, Ocean Avenue coastal drive, and Cape Porpoise harbor. The STR market is part of the broader Kennebunks coastal market and reflects the same seasonal demand pattern.
As of April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $290, occupancy of 44.5%, and RevPAR of $129. These figures represent shoulder-season performance, with July and August consistently the dominant months for this coastal market.
The shared Kennebunks market listing base totals approximately 4,615 units, with 4,425 entire-place listings (95.9% of supply), 189 private-room listings, and 1 shared-room unit. The bedroom mix shows 2-bedroom listings leading at 1,373, followed by 1-bedroom (1,130), 3-bedroom (1,031), 4-bedroom (656), and 5-bedroom (419). On the channel side, 1,403 listings are Airbnb-only, 871 VRBO-only, and 2,341 on both platforms.
Year-over-year for April 2026, occupancy fell 8.6 percentage points and revenue declined 8.2%, offset by a 4.7% ADR increase. This continues a normalization trend from the post-pandemic peak years of 2020-2022, when annual average occupancy reached as high as 60.2% (2021). The revenue-growth score of 79.2 out of 100 reflects favorable long-term fundamentals in this established resort corridor.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35% | $239 | $2,450 |
| Feb | 49% | $240 | $2,560 |
| Mar | 46% | $234 | $2,671 |
| Apr | 50% | $254 | $2,663 |
| May | 52% | $286 | $2,724 |
| Jun | 66% | $345 | $4,515 |
| Jul | 79% | $363 | $6,800 |
| Aug | 80% | $366 | $7,067 |
| Sep | 48% | $304 | $3,867 |
| Oct | 46% | $267 | $3,215 |
| Nov | 37% | $260 | $2,644 |
| Dec | 42% | $277 | $2,869 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Maine Beaches market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Maine Beaches market as a whole, which includes Kennebunkport, so these counts are not Kennebunkport-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 152 | 7,411 | ★ 4.49 |
| 2 | Evolve | 86 | 2,952 | ★ 4.69 |
| 3 | Salt & Shine Vacation Rentals | 60 | 980 | ★ 4.88 |
| 4 | Coastline Vacation Rentals | 55 | 1,133 | ★ 4.80 |
| 5 | Grand Welcome | 51 | 777 | ★ 4.89 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Kennebunkport?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,130 |
| 2 bed | 1,373 |
| 3 bed | 1,031 |
| 4 bed | 656 |
| 5 bed | 419 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $441 |
| Luxury | $680 |
| Professionally Managed | $513 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,963 |
| Entire Place | $5,917 |
| House | $6,663 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 30.4% |
| vrbo | 18.9% |
| both | 50.7% |
Investment Analysis
Kennebunkport’s STR investment picture differs significantly from neighboring Kennebunk due to a far higher entry cost and a town-imposed license cap that limits new operators.
The typical home value in Kennebunkport is $1,090,108 (Zillow, April 2026 snapshot), with a median list price of $1,753,333. For-sale inventory is extremely limited at 19 properties. The average STR listing generated $2,681 in revenue in April 2026, implying annualized gross revenue of approximately $32,170 at current run rates. Dividing that by the typical home value produces a gross yield of approximately 2.9%, before expenses and taxes. Houses average $3,089 per month, entire-place listings $2,769, and apartments $1,699.
Rate tiers show a professional-management premium: the all-listings ADR of $290 rises to $301 for entire-home listings, $315 for professionally managed properties, and $423 for luxury-tier listings.
The critical constraint for new investors is the license cap (see Regulatory Summary). The town caps total STR licenses at roughly 9.5% of dwelling units outside the Goose Rocks Beach exemption zone, and the 2026 application portal was closed entirely to new and renewal applications. Without a transferable license, a property cannot legally operate as an STR. Investors acquiring existing STR properties must confirm that a current, transferable license (or a clear path to one) is included in the transaction. Annual licenses are non-transferable upon change of ownership, meaning each new owner must independently qualify for and obtain a new license in the constrained pool.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Kennebunkport STRs show an average booking lead time of 53 days as of April 2026, meaning guests reserve approximately seven and a half weeks in advance. This reflects deliberate planning typical of Northeast beach vacations where peak summer availability in a license-constrained market is limited.
Average length of stay is 3.32 nights. At roughly 3.3 nights per booking, units turn over approximately 4 to 5 times per month in shoulder periods and more frequently during peak summer. The longer average stay relative to urban markets reduces per-stay operational costs.
The 53-day lead window has clear pricing strategy implications. July and August inventory should be priced and minimum-stay requirements established by April or May at the latest. Because availability in this license-capped market is structurally limited, operators holding prime summer inventory can be more assertive on pricing than in unrestricted markets. Last-minute discounting for peak summer dates is rarely necessary and typically counterproductive. Operators should focus dynamic pricing on shoulder-month openings inside the 30-day window rather than on summer peak slots.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Kennebunkport imposes one of the most restrictive STR regulatory regimes in New England. Under Chapter 129 of the town code (in effect since January 2022), every short-term rental (defined as any rental of 30 days or less) must hold an annual Short-Term Rental License. No STR may be advertised, listed, rented, or operated without a license, and the license number must appear on all listings.
The critical constraint is a town-wide license cap. Outside the Goose Rocks Beach neighborhood, total licenses are capped at approximately 9.5% of dwelling units, meaning only roughly 7 to 15 new licenses open annually. The Goose Rocks Beach neighborhood is exempt from the numeric cap due to its historic rental tradition but still requires a license. The application window opens the first Monday in October for the following calendar year. As of the most recent update, the 2026 application portal was closed entirely to both new and renewal applications, an unprecedented restriction that effectively froze the licensed STR market for that year.
License fees are $325 for units with 3 bedrooms or fewer and $575 for units with 4 or more bedrooms. Licenses run calendar year (January 1 through December 31) and are non-transferable upon change of ownership. Each new owner must independently qualify for and obtain a license from the constrained pool.
Properties must pass an inspection checklist and must post the license and a Good Neighbor Guide inside the unit. Enforcement is rated strict: a published violation schedule escalates from warnings and fines to suspension and revocation, with potential revocation at three or more violations.
On taxes, Maine levies a flat 9% statewide lodging tax on short-term rentals. Maine does not authorize separate local occupancy taxes, so 9% is the all-in tax rate. Licenses are not transferable, so buyers of existing STR properties should seek legal counsel on license status before closing.
Market Comparison
Kennebunkport’s April 2026 ADR of $290 is above the approximate U.S. STR median of $220. At peak summer months, the ADR of $363 to $366 represents a 65-66% premium over the national median, consistent with the town’s positioning as a premium New England coastal resort.
Occupancy at 44.5% in April trails the U.S. median of approximately 55%, but peak summer months reach 78-80%, placing the market among the stronger seasonal performers in the Northeast. The YoY occupancy decline of 8.6 percentage points in April 2026 reflects post-pandemic normalization seen broadly across coastal New England markets.
The market’s investability score of 67.9 out of 100 is more moderate than neighboring Kemp or Kemah, partially reflecting the regulatory complexity (strict license cap, enforcement risk). Revenue growth scores 79.2, suggesting positive long-term demand trends.
The professional management segment mirrors the Kennebunks market: Vacasa leads with 152 listings and 7,411 reviews at a 4.49 average rating. Evolve holds 86 listings at 4.69. Salt and Shine Vacation Rentals manages 60 listings at 4.88, Coastline Vacation Rentals operates 55 listings at 4.80, and Grand Welcome rounds out the top five with 51 listings at 4.89. Together the top five manage approximately 404 listings across the broader Kennebunks corridor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kennebunkport, Maine
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