Eastham, Massachusetts Short-Term Rental Market
Eastham caps owners at two rentals; regional STR averaged $566 ADR, 44.6% occupancy, $6,957 monthly revenue, September 2026
Quick Answer: Eastham, Massachusetts is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Cape Cod market area is 45%. average monthly revenue in the Cape Cod market area is $6,957. average daily rate in the Cape Cod market area is $566. the top operator in the Cape Cod market area is Vacasa with 649 listings. market score is 46/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Cape Cod regional market, which includes Eastham. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Eastham.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
This profile uses data through September 2026. Short-term rental performance is tracked at a shared regional level, so every performance figure on this page describes the Cape Cod and Southeastern Massachusetts STR market rather than Eastham alone. Bedroom, channel and listing-type counts and top operators are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Eastham, so this profile omits them.
In September 2026 the regional market recorded an average daily rate of $566 and occupancy of 44.6%, producing average monthly revenue of $6,957 per listing. Year over year, occupancy rose 7.0%, ADR rose 11.3% and revenue rose 12.9%. The entire-home ADR was $584, above the all-listings figure.
Eastham itself is a small Outer Cape Cod resort town with 5,824 residents and is the southern gateway to the Cape Cod National Seashore, whose Salt Pond Visitor Center sits in town. The seashore drew roughly 3.8 million recreation visits in 2024 across all six of its towns, with traffic heavily compressed into the Memorial Day to Labor Day season. Demand centers on Coast Guard Beach, Nauset Light Beach, First Encounter Beach and the Cape Cod Rail Trail. Town specific visitor counts are not published.
Over the longer record, annual regional occupancy peaked at 55.4% in 2021 and was 47.4% in 2025. The 2026 year to date reading across nine months is 52.4% occupancy, a $476 ADR and $6,174 in average monthly revenue, all ahead of the 2025 full year figures of $432 ADR and $5,238. September is a shoulder month: its 44.6% occupancy compares with 78.6% in August, so the latest reading understates the summer peak and should be read alongside the seasonal pattern below.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 30% |
| Feb | 42% |
| Mar | 42% |
| Apr | 48% |
| May | 51% |
| Jun | 67% |
| Jul | 77% |
| Aug | 79% |
| Sep | 45% |
| Oct | 34% |
| Nov | 31% |
| Dec | 33% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Eastham are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Cape Cod market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Cape Cod market as a whole, which includes Eastham, so these counts are not Eastham-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 649 | 21,321 | ★ 4.51 |
| 2 | Del Mar Vacation Rentals | 398 | 18,661 | ★ 4.78 |
| 3 | Kinlin Grover Vacation Rentals | 352 | 1,817 | ★ 4.69 |
| 4 | New England Vacation Rentals | 277 | 1,581 | ★ 4.66 |
| 5 | Robert Paul Vacations | 190 | 1,836 | ★ 4.69 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Eastham?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Eastham 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 | 29.2% |
| vrbo | 21.6% |
| both | 49.2% |
Home Value Trends (Eastham)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Eastham 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 Eastham — 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
Eastham permits short-term rentals, defined as rentals of 31 consecutive days or less, but the rules are more demanding than a simple registration. The town regulates rentals mainly through a Board of Health rental certificate bylaw (Chapter 116) rather than a use-based zoning ban.
Every rental property must hold a town Rental Certificate (Certificate of Registration) from the Board of Health, plus a registration with the Massachusetts DOR short-term rental registry through MassTaxConnect. Certificates renew annually, with applications due by January 31, and online submission through OpenGov has been mandatory since November 1, 2024. Short-term fees are $225 for a studio or 1 bedroom and $350 for 2 or more bedrooms. A health and safety inspection covering smoke and CO alarms, labeled electrical panels and minimum sanitary code is required before first issuance and every three years after, provided the unit is rented consecutively.
The key cap took effect January 1, 2025. An owner may register only two dwelling units as short-term rentals. Owners who held certificates for more than two units before that date may keep renewing them until the unit transfers or the certificate lapses. Cottage colonies under single ownership are exempt. Registration deadlines under the bylaw were January 30, 2026 for year-round rentals and ADUs and April 24, 2026 for part-time properties.
There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement and no published limit on nights per year. Operators collect room-occupancy excise of about 14.45%, made up of 5.7% state, 6% local and 2.75% for the Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund. Enforcement severity is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
The Cape Cod and Southeastern Massachusetts STR market runs a rate-driven profile. September 2026 occupancy was 44.6% with a $566 ADR. The market earns on rate rather than on volume.
Over a longer view, occupancy for 2026 year to date is 52.4% and ADR is $476. In peak season the regional market runs well above its own annual levels: June is 66.9%, July 77.0% and August 78.6%. From October through April occupancy runs from 29.7% to 47.7%.
The seasonal pattern shows the cost of seasonality. A property needs strong summer pricing to offset the months when occupancy is below 48%. Top operators are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Eastham, so this profile omits them. Investors comparing Eastham with other markets should weigh high rates, a short peak window, a two-unit ownership cap and an $823,265 typical home value.
Frequently Asked Questions About Eastham, Massachusetts
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What are typical ADR and occupancy for Eastham STRs?
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