Ocean City, Maryland Short-Term Rental Market
Ocean City, MD short-term rentals averaged $409/night at 67.9% occupancy in June 2026, with a roughly 17.3% gross rental yield.
Quick Answer: Ocean City, Maryland is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Delaware/Maryland Beaches market area is 68%. average monthly revenue in the Delaware/Maryland Beaches market area is $6,346. average daily rate in the Delaware/Maryland Beaches market area is $409. the top operator in the Delaware/Maryland Beaches market area is Vacasa with 2,346 listings. market score is 49/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Delaware/Maryland Beaches regional market, which includes Ocean City. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Ocean City.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Ocean City is a premier Mid-Atlantic beach resort drawing up to eight million visitors annually, with peak summer weekends swelling the town to 320,000-345,000 vacationers against a year-round population of just 6,844. In June 2026, the latest month with data, short-term rentals in this market averaged $408.63 per night at 67.9% occupancy, generating $6,346 in average monthly revenue per listing. Revenue was down 1.3% year over year and ADR fell 2.4%, while occupancy held essentially flat, consistent with recent reporting on softening per-visitor spending and a more budget-conscious traveler mix. By property type, apartments averaged $5,845/month, entire homes $6,380/month, and houses $7,296/month. Regionally, entire-place listings account for roughly 99% of inventory, with condo/hotel-style 2- and 3-bedroom units making up the largest bedroom-size shares (31% and 29% respectively).
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 25% |
| Feb | 35% |
| Mar | 39% |
| Apr | 39% |
| May | 46% |
| Jun | 70% |
| Jul | 79% |
| Aug | 78% |
| Sep | 45% |
| Oct | 26% |
| Nov | 25% |
| Dec | 31% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Ocean City are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Delaware/Maryland Beaches market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Delaware/Maryland Beaches market as a whole, which includes Ocean City, so these counts are not Ocean City-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 2,346 | 60,626 | ★ 4.36 |
| 2 | Coastal Resort Rentals | 355 | 1,646 | ★ 4.39 |
| 3 | Shoreline Properties | 349 | 1,861 | ★ 4.28 |
| 4 | Central Reservations | 328 | 4,890 | ★ 4.53 |
| 5 | VacayHome Connect | 312 | 593 | ★ 4.18 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Ocean City?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Ocean City 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 | 17.3% |
| vrbo | 25.9% |
| both | 56.8% |
Home Value Trends (Ocean City)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Ocean City 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 Ocean City — 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
Ocean City allows short-term rentals but requires licensing. Any rental needs an annual rental license (roughly $196, including a noise-control permit), and stays of 30 consecutive days or fewer additionally require a supplemental Short-Term Rental license (about $50 extra, roughly $246/year total), renewed annually May 1 through April 30. Operators must register with the Maryland Comptroller and collect lodging tax: the Worcester County room tax on stays of four months or less rose to 6% effective January 1, 2026, on top of Maryland’s 6% state sales tax, for about 12% combined. Owner-occupancy and primary-residence status are not required. Occupancy in R-1/MH districts is capped at 2 persons per bedroom plus 2 (excluding children 10 and under), and owners must provide a local contact able to respond within about 60 minutes. The R-1 Single-Family and Mobile Home districts have been a regulatory battleground: voters narrowly rejected a phased ban/5-night-minimum plan in a July 2025 referendum, a new-permit moratorium in those zones was imposed in December 2025 and repealed in March 2026 after a citizen petition. Enforcement is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
Ocean City’s 67.9% occupancy in June 2026 runs well above the roughly 55% U.S. median often cited for short-term rentals, and its $408.63 ADR is nearly double the roughly $220 national median, reflecting its status as a top-tier Mid-Atlantic beach destination. No property manager snapshot data is currently published for this market, so a top-operator comparison is not available here; based on available data, Ocean City’s dense condo inventory suggests ownership may be more fragmented among individual unit owners than in single-family-home markets dominated by large management companies.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ocean City, Maryland
What is the average occupancy rate for short-term rentals in Ocean City, MD?
What is the average nightly rate for an Ocean City short-term rental?
What is the gross rental yield on an Ocean City, MD short-term rental?
Can you still get a new short-term rental permit in Ocean City's R-1 residential zones?
When is the busiest season for Ocean City short-term rentals?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Ocean City, MD?
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