Mechanicsville, Maryland Short-Term Rental Market
Mechanicsville, MD STRs averaged $211/night at 48.6% occupancy in April 2026, with $3,195/month average revenue recorded in 2025.
Quick Answer: Mechanicsville, Maryland is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 58%. average monthly revenue is $4,538. average daily rate is $290. the top operator is Evolve with 95 listings. market score is 59/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Maryland Area regional market, which includes Mechanicsville. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Mechanicsville.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Mechanicsville is a small rural unincorporated community (census-designated place) in northern St. Mary’s County, Maryland, in the Southern Maryland tourism region, with a population of 1,742. It is not a standalone tourist hub; the area draws visitors through the county’s colonial heritage sites, Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River waterfront recreation, and proximity to Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Visitors are primarily heritage tourists, outdoor-recreation travelers (boating, fishing, paddling), and military-connected visitors from the mid-Atlantic region.
The short-term rental market covers approximately 3,415 listings in the latest snapshot. Entire-place units account for 2,762 of 3,415 listings (80.9%), private rooms for 643 (18.8%), and shared rooms for 10. Bedroom distribution: one-bedroom leads at 1,272 listings (37.3% of 3,411 bedroom-segmented), followed by three-bedroom (748, 21.9%), two-bedroom (686, 20.1%), four-bedroom (397, 11.6%), and five-or-more-bedroom (308, 9.0%). Channel distribution: 1,960 listings on Airbnb only, 222 on VRBO only, and 1,233 cross-listed on both platforms.
In April 2026, the market posted an ADR of $211, occupancy of 48.6%, and RevPAR of $102.42, generating average monthly revenue of $2,623 per listing. Year-over-year, occupancy slipped 1.1 percentage points and revenue declined 0.3%, while ADR edged up 1.3% versus April 2025. The 2025 full-year average was 50.5% occupancy and $224 ADR, with revenue averaging $3,195/month. Revenue climbed from $2,878/month in 2023 to $3,126 in 2024 and $3,195 in 2025.
Market scores: total 58.7 out of 100, investability 71.1, rental demand 69.5, regulation 70.0, seasonality 63.4, revenue growth 62.9.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40% | $148 | $1,751 |
| Feb | 49% | $141 | $1,715 |
| Mar | 51% | $150 | $1,984 |
| Apr | 53% | $177 | $2,383 |
| May | 56% | $213 | $2,978 |
| Jun | 61% | $249 | $3,979 |
| Jul | 63% | $244 | $4,139 |
| Aug | 61% | $249 | $4,133 |
| Sep | 53% | $218 | $3,099 |
| Oct | 51% | $198 | $2,838 |
| Nov | 46% | $181 | $2,311 |
| Dec | 45% | $167 | $2,174 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Mechanicsville
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 95 | 2,986 | ★ 4.74 |
| 2 | Eastern Shore Vacations | 61 | 806 | ★ 4.76 |
| 3 | Flaneur | 34 | 981 | ★ 4.89 |
| 4 | Equitable | 28 | 286 | ★ 4.38 |
| 5 | Bartlett Real Estate Solutions | 16 | 1,109 | ★ 4.74 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Mechanicsville?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,272 |
| 2 bed | 686 |
| 3 bed | 748 |
| 4 bed | 397 |
| 5 bed | 308 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $325 |
| Luxury | $594 |
| Professionally Managed | $478 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,549 |
| Entire Place | $5,122 |
| House | $5,079 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 57.4% |
| vrbo | 6.5% |
| both | 36.1% |
Investment Analysis
The April 2026 average monthly revenue of $2,623 implies an annualized run rate of approximately $31,476. At a typical home value of $438,242, the gross yield calculates to approximately 7.2% ($31,476 divided by $438,242). For a more representative full-year view, the 2025 average of $3,195/month implies $38,340 annualized, or approximately 8.7% gross yield against the same home value. Both figures are before operating expenses, management fees, taxes, and vacancy adjustments.
By revenue sub-type, entire-place listings generated $2,913/month in April 2026. House-type listings averaged $2,856/month. Apartment-type listings averaged $2,010/month. Entire-place and house sub-categories are close in revenue, reflecting the market’s mix of waterfront and rural residential properties.
By ADR tier: the market-wide average is $211/night. Entire-home listings averaged $236/night, a $25 or 11.8% premium. Professionally managed listings averaged $327/night, a $116 or 55.0% premium. The luxury tier averaged $440/night, a $229 or 108.5% premium above the market average. Separate monthly revenue data for the professionally managed and luxury tiers is not available in the dataset.
ADR climbed from $206 in 2023 to $224 in 2025 while occupancy held near 50%, indicating rate-driven rather than volume-driven revenue recovery from the 2021 peak of $3,443/month.
The median list price for the Mechanicsville area was $452,467 in April 2026, with 44 homes for sale. The Zillow-sourced typical home value is $438,242.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
In April 2026, the average booking lead time for Mechanicsville STRs was 45.1 days, meaning guests typically reserve about six and a half weeks ahead of arrival. Average length of stay was 4.0 nights.
A 45.1-day lead time indicates moderate planning behavior, likely reflecting the area’s leisure and heritage tourism draw from the Baltimore, DC, and Northern Virginia corridors. Operators can hold rates firm through the 30-to-45-day pre-arrival window, particularly for peak summer weeks in June through August.
A 4.0-night average stay is slightly above the common weekend-trip average, suggesting some guests book mid-week extensions or full-week stays around summer waterfront activities. Minimum-night policies of 3 to 4 nights during peak summer periods can help reduce turnover costs while aligning with the observed booking pattern.
Combined, the 45.1-day lead time and 4.0-night average stay suggest the 30-to-45-day pre-arrival window as the primary zone for dynamic pricing, with longer advance price-holds justified for peak summer weekend inventory.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Mechanicsville is an unincorporated community in St. Mary’s County, MD, so short-term rentals are regulated at the county and state level. As of mid-2026, no dedicated St. Mary’s County STR ordinance, county STR permit, owner-occupancy mandate, or annual night cap has been identified. STRs are generally permitted but governed by standard zoning and land-use rules administered by the St. Mary’s County Department of Land Use & Growth Management (LUGM, 301-475-4200). Operators should verify their parcel’s zoning allows transient lodging before listing.
On taxes, St. Mary’s County imposes a 5% hotel/transient rental tax (Maryland Local Government Article §20-405) on stays under approximately 90 days. Maryland also imposes a 6% state sales tax on lodging. Airbnb and VRBO may collect some of these taxes automatically; operators should confirm which require independent remittance.
Maryland’s statewide STR regulatory framework was under active legislative review during the 2025 session (bills SB 132 and HB 1103 addressed oversight and taxation). Third-party sources disagree on whether a uniform state STR license currently applies; investors should confirm current state requirements directly with the Maryland Comptroller before operating.
No permit cost data is available for St. Mary’s County. Enforcement is rated minimal, reflecting the rural and unincorporated setting. Confirm zoning and tax requirements with LUGM and the county Treasurer before listing.
Market Comparison
Mechanicsville’s April 2026 occupancy of 48.6% is slightly below the U.S. STR median of 55%, consistent with a rural regional market that sees strong summer demand but quieter winters. The 2025 full-year occupancy of 50.5% also falls below the national median, though summer months (June to August) consistently exceed 60%.
ADR at $211 is slightly below the U.S. STR median of approximately $220, placing Mechanicsville in a mid-market position for Southern Maryland. RevPAR at $102.42 is below the $116.05 that would result from applying the U.S. median occupancy of 55% to Mechanicsville’s $211 ADR, because April occupancy of 48.6% is below the national median.
The overall market score of 58.7 and investability of 71.1 are moderate, reflecting adequate but not exceptional returns relative to home acquisition costs at $438,242 typical home value.
Among active property managers, Evolve leads with 95 listings and 2,986 reviews (rating 4.74). Eastern Shore Vacations holds 61 listings with 806 reviews (rating 4.76). Flaneur manages 34 listings (981 reviews, 4.89 rating). Equitable operates 28 listings (286 reviews, 4.38 rating). Bartlett Real Estate Solutions holds 16 listings (1,109 reviews, 4.74 rating). The top five together account for 234 of approximately 3,415 tracked listings (6.9%), indicating the market is overwhelmingly independently operated.
Revenue growth scored 62.9 out of 100, consistent with the modest 2023-to-2025 recovery trend.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mechanicsville, Maryland
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