Saco, Maine Short-Term Rental Market
Saco, ME short-term rentals averaged $432/night at 63.7% occupancy in June 2026, with revenue up 8.1% year over year.
Quick Answer: Saco, 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 156 listings. market score is 50/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Maine Beaches regional market, which includes Saco. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Saco.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Saco is a coastal southern Maine city of 20,819 residents in York County, part of the Biddeford-Saco tourism corridor adjacent to Old Orchard Beach. Its marquee attraction, Funtown Splashtown USA, is Northern New England’s largest amusement and water park. In June 2026, the latest month with data, short-term rentals in this market averaged $431.66 per night at 63.7% occupancy, generating $5,761 in average monthly revenue per listing, one of the highest revenue figures in this batch of markets. Revenue rose 8.1% year over year even though occupancy declined 2.1 percentage points and ADR eased 2.6%, indicating the market absorbed rate and occupancy softness through other factors such as a shift toward larger or higher-value properties. By property type, apartments averaged $3,963/month, entire homes $5,917/month, and houses $6,663/month. Regionally, entire-place listings account for roughly 96% of inventory.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35% | $239 | $2,451 |
| Feb | 49% | $240 | $2,558 |
| Mar | 46% | $234 | $2,669 |
| Apr | 50% | $254 | $2,663 |
| May | 52% | $286 | $2,724 |
| Jun | 66% | $345 | $4,516 |
| Jul | 79% | $363 | $6,799 |
| Aug | 80% | $366 | $7,067 |
| Sep | 48% | $303 | $3,867 |
| Oct | 46% | $267 | $3,216 |
| Nov | 37% | $260 | $2,642 |
| Dec | 42% | $276 | $2,867 |
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 Saco, so these counts are not Saco-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 156 | 7,738 | ★ 4.50 |
| 2 | Evolve | 86 | 2,963 | ★ 4.69 |
| 3 | Salt & Shine Vacation Rentals | 60 | 981 | ★ 4.88 |
| 4 | Coastline Vacation Rentals | 55 | 1,136 | ★ 4.80 |
| 5 | Grand Welcome | 51 | 784 | ★ 4.88 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Saco?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,136 |
| 2 bed | 1,382 |
| 3 bed | 1,030 |
| 4 bed | 659 |
| 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 | 18.8% |
| both | 50.7% |
Investment Analysis
Saco’s market-wide ADR of $431.66 already sits close to the professionally-managed tier average ($512.87) and well above the entire-home tier average ($441.06), which is unusually tight relative to other markets in this batch, suggesting Saco listings are already competing near the top of the local pricing ladder. The luxury tier averages $679.54, a roughly $248 premium over the market average. The typical home value here is $525,605, and average monthly revenue of $5,761 annualizes to about $69,131, working out to a gross rental yield of roughly 13.2% before expenses, notably strong relative to most other markets in this dataset, though buyers should stress-test that figure against local operating costs, insurance, and the ordinance limits described below. For-sale inventory of 57 homes gives more selection than some smaller markets in this batch. On regulation, Saco’s dedicated Seasonal Property Rental ordinance applies specifically to a coastal zone around Camp Ellis, with a 6-day minimum stay, one family per rental period, and no subletting; rentals elsewhere in the city fall under general municipal zoning rather than this specific ordinance, so confirming exact district rules before purchase is essential.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Guests book Saco listings an average of 89.9 days ahead, one of the longest lead times in this batch, and stay 4.2 nights per trip. That long booking window gives operators substantial advance visibility into summer demand, useful for setting minimum-stay requirements and adjusting rates well before the peak July-August window, when the market’s steep seasonal swing makes accurate early pricing especially valuable.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Saco regulates short-term and seasonal rentals primarily through its Seasonal Property Rental ordinance, which applies to a defined coastal district around Camp Ellis (east of Seaside Avenue and Camp Ellis Avenue, plus 400 feet west of their centerlines). Owners renting dwellings in that zone for six days to four months must obtain a Seasonal Rental License from the Code Enforcement Officer, passing Fire Code, Building Code, and Life-Safety Code inspections, having fewer than three documented complaints in the prior year, and being current on property taxes and city fees. Each licensed unit may be occupied by only one family per rental period and may not be sublet; there is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement. Maine imposes a statewide 9% lodging tax on rentals under 28 days; Saco levies no separate local occupancy tax, and rentals of fewer than 15 days per year are generally exempt from the state tax. Enforcement is rated moderate. Outside the Camp Ellis seasonal district, STRs fall under general zoning rather than this specific ordinance; the city has publicly discussed broader short-term rental rules but had not adopted a citywide STR ordinance as of the latest available data. Confirm current status with Saco Code Enforcement before purchase.
Market Comparison
Saco’s 63.7% occupancy in June 2026 runs well above the roughly 55% U.S. median often cited for short-term rentals, and its $431.66 ADR is nearly double the roughly $220 national median, reflecting Saco’s position as a premium coastal Maine market. No property manager snapshot data is currently published for this market, so a top-operator comparison is not available here; based on available data, ownership appears fragmented among individual and small-scale operators rather than concentrated under a dominant professional manager.
Frequently Asked Questions About Saco, Maine
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