Shapleigh, Maine Short-Term Rental Market
The York County area STR market near Shapleigh averaged $432/night at 64% occupancy in June 2026.
Quick Answer: Shapleigh, 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 Shapleigh. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Shapleigh.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Shapleigh is a small rural lakeside town of roughly 2,921 residents in York County, southern Maine, whose visitor base is dominated by summer lake recreation. Its two large water bodies, Mousam Lake and Square Pond, draw regional lake-vacation traffic, boaters, swimmers, anglers, and paddlers, plus weekly cottage renters from the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metro and greater New England. Pavilion Beach on Mousam Lake offers public summer access; off-season use includes hiking, snowshoeing, wildlife watching, and ATV/snowmobile use in the Shapleigh Town Forest.
StaySTRA tracks Shapleigh’s short-term rental performance at a shared York County regional level covering Shapleigh alongside Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Sanford, Wells and York, so the figures below describe the York County area STR market rather than Shapleigh alone. Listing-type mix, bedroom mix and top property managers are also tracked at that shared regional level, so this profile omits those breakdowns rather than presenting regional totals as Shapleigh-specific.
In June 2026, the York County area STR market posted an average daily rate of $432 and occupancy of 63.7%, producing average monthly revenue of $5,761 per listing. Year over year, occupancy fell 2.1 percentage points and ADR fell 2.6%, yet revenue still rose 8.1%.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 35% |
| Feb | 49% |
| Mar | 46% |
| Apr | 50% |
| May | 52% |
| Jun | 66% |
| Jul | 79% |
| Aug | 80% |
| Sep | 48% |
| Oct | 46% |
| Nov | 37% |
| Dec | 42% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Shapleigh are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
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 Shapleigh, so these counts are not Shapleigh-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 Shapleigh?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Shapleigh 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 | 30.4% |
| vrbo | 18.9% |
| both | 50.7% |
Home Value Trends (Shapleigh)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Shapleigh 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 Shapleigh — 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
Shapleigh has no identified stand-alone short-term-rental ordinance. STRs are effectively permitted and common, cottages and cabins along Mousam Lake and Square Pond are widely marketed for weekly and seasonal rental. Maine leaves most STR regulation to municipalities, and Shapleigh has not adopted a dedicated licensing or permit scheme; no local registration, night cap, or owner-occupancy requirement was found.
Owners should still confirm details directly with the Code Enforcement Office, since lakefront dwellings are subject to the town’s Shoreland District rules and Maine’s Mandatory Shoreland Zoning (setbacks, structures, expansions) as well as state plumbing, subsurface wastewater and floodplain regulations, requirements that apply to lakefront property generally, not just STRs.
On taxes, Maine imposes a flat 9% statewide lodging (sales) tax on rentals under 28 consecutive days, with no local add-on; Airbnb and Vrbo collect and remit this as marketplace facilitators. A single property rented fewer than 15 days per year is exempt from collecting the tax. Enforcement at the town level appears minimal and complaint-driven, focused on shoreland and building compliance rather than rental operations specifically.
Market Comparison
The York County area STR market’s June 2026 occupancy of 63.7% ran above the commonly cited US STR median of roughly 55%, while its $432 ADR ran well above the roughly $220 national median, a combination pointing to a genuine rate premium on top of solid demand, consistent with the region’s standing as a premier New England summer destination.
Top property manager data (which operators lead the market, their listing counts and reviews) is tracked at the shared York County regional level rather than uniquely for Shapleigh, so this profile omits operator rankings rather than presenting regional totals as Shapleigh-specific. Investors researching who manages properties in Shapleigh should review individual listing pages directly.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shapleigh, Maine
Do I need a permit to operate a short-term rental in Shapleigh, ME?
What was the average daily rate for STRs in the York County area in June 2026?
What rules apply to lakefront STRs in Shapleigh?
When is peak season for STRs near Shapleigh's lakes?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Shapleigh, ME?
How does enforcement work for short-term rentals in Shapleigh?
Analyze Shapleigh Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Shapleigh.
Free Shapleigh STR Calculator →
