Worcester, Massachusetts Short-Term Rental Market
Worcester, MA STR listings averaged $205/night at 62% occupancy in June 2026 across the market's roughly 2,365 listings.
Quick Answer: Worcester, Massachusetts is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Massachusetts Area market area is 62%. average monthly revenue in the Massachusetts Area market area is $3,421. average daily rate in the Massachusetts Area market area is $205. the top operator in the Massachusetts Area market area is Evolve with 53 listings. market score is 79/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Massachusetts Area regional market, which includes Worcester. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Worcester.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Worcester is the second-largest city in New England and the commercial and cultural hub of Central Massachusetts, with a population of roughly 213,862. The Worcester market includes approximately 2,365 short-term rental listings tracked by StaySTRA, 1,660 entire-place, 701 private-room and 4 shared-room, distributed 1,677 on Airbnb, 87 on Vrbo and 601 dual-listed on both platforms. Bedroom mix skews smaller: 1,141 one-bedroom listings, 546 two-bedroom, 421 three-bedroom, 161 four-bedroom and 96 five-plus-bedroom.
In June 2026, Worcester STRs posted an average daily rate of $205 and occupancy of 61.8%, producing average monthly revenue of $3,421 per listing. Year over year, occupancy climbed 4.3 percentage points, ADR rose 6.9%, and revenue jumped 12.8%, one of the stronger combined growth readings in this batch, reflecting both more nights booked and higher rates.
Tourism demand centers on arts and culture (Worcester Art Museum, Mechanics Hall, EcoTarium), live entertainment at the Hanover Theatre (170,000-plus annual patrons), and sports, Polar Park, home of the Worcester Red Sox (Boston’s AAA affiliate), opened in the Canal District in 2021 and became a major regional draw. Visitors are largely regional day-trippers and overnight guests from the Boston metro and New England, plus college-related visitation tied to Worcester’s several universities.
StaySTRA’s market_score data rates Worcester’s total_score at 78.9 and seasonality at 80.1, both notably strong, while investability sits lower at 67.1, still the highest investability reading in this batch of five markets.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49% | $110 | $1,576 |
| Feb | 56% | $112 | $1,592 |
| Mar | 56% | $110 | $1,716 |
| Apr | 61% | $118 | $1,883 |
| May | 63% | $144 | $2,322 |
| Jun | 65% | $148 | $2,555 |
| Jul | 70% | $144 | $2,783 |
| Aug | 71% | $144 | $2,819 |
| Sep | 64% | $135 | $2,368 |
| Oct | 63% | $138 | $2,440 |
| Nov | 54% | $126 | $1,931 |
| Dec | 52% | $122 | $1,811 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Massachusetts Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Massachusetts Area market as a whole, which includes Worcester, so these counts are not Worcester-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 53 | 2,248 | ★ 4.73 |
| 2 | Aspengrove Country Resort | 14 | 1,631 | ★ 4.61 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 7 | 32 | ★ 4.88 |
| 4 | DXW Rentals | 5 | 1,207 | ★ 4.82 |
| 5 | Ulrich Estates | 5 | 176 | ★ 3.98 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Worcester?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,141 |
| 2 bed | 546 |
| 3 bed | 421 |
| 4 bed | 161 |
| 5 bed | 96 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $250 |
| Luxury | $378 |
| Professionally Managed | $238 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,642 |
| Entire Place | $4,182 |
| House | $3,900 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 70.9% |
| vrbo | 3.7% |
| both | 25.4% |
Investment Analysis
Worcester STRs generated average monthly revenue of $3,421 in June 2026, up a strong 12.8% year over year, against a typical home value of $443,387, the lowest of the five markets in this batch. Summing revenue across the 12 months of the seasonal series, rather than annualizing a single month, gives approximately $25,796 in typical annual revenue per listing, for a gross rental yield of roughly 5.8%, the strongest yield in this batch, before Massachusetts DOR registration, insurance, and the roughly 14.45% room occupancy excise.
Pricing shows a wide tier spread: the all-listing ADR of $205 compares to $250 for entire-home listings, $238 for professionally-managed listings, and $378 for the luxury tier, nearly double the market average. Revenue splits also vary sharply by property type, entire-place listings averaged $4,182 in monthly revenue versus $2,642 for apartment-type and $3,900 for house-type listings, showing entire-place inventory substantially outperforms the blended average.
Worcester currently has no city-specific STR licensing ordinance, which keeps entry costs low (no local permit fee) but also means the regulatory environment could tighten; a past proposal to require an annual city license and restrict STRs to commercially zoned areas has been discussed but never adopted, and should be treated as dormant rather than imminent. Investors should still budget for the mandatory Massachusetts DOR registration and $1 million liability insurance requirement, both of which apply regardless of local rules.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Worcester STR bookings run a longer lead time than most markets in this batch, about 67 days on average, with a typical stay of roughly 4.1 nights. That longer booking window is consistent with a mix of planned event travel (Polar Park games, Hanover Theatre shows) and college-related visits (move-ins, graduations, orientation weekends) that guests tend to book well in advance, alongside shorter-notice regional day-trip extensions. Given the market’s relatively broad, gradual seasonal curve rather than a sharp single peak, operators likely have more flexibility to adjust pricing incrementally through the spring-to-summer ramp than in markets with a compressed high season.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Worcester currently has no city-specific short-term rental licensing ordinance in effect, so no local STR permit is required today. Operators must, however, comply with Massachusetts state law: all STRs (rentals of 31 days or less) must register with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue regardless of the number of rental days, and hosts are required by state law to carry at least $1 million in liability insurance.
Rentals are subject to the room occupancy excise: 5.7% state, plus Worcester’s 6% local option, plus a 2.75% convention center financing fee that applies in Worcester, an effective total of roughly 14.45%.
There is currently no local permit fee, no citywide cap on rental nights, and no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement. A past proposal to require an annual city license and potentially restrict STRs to commercially zoned areas has been discussed but never adopted and has not advanced in recent years; investors should treat it as dormant rather than imminent, while still monitoring for renewed action. Enforcement is rated minimal today, consistent with the absence of a local licensing regime.
Market Comparison
Worcester’s June 2026 occupancy of 61.8% ran above the commonly cited US STR median of roughly 55%, while its $205 ADR was modestly below the roughly $220 national median, a combination pointing to solid volume-driven demand without a significant rate premium.
Evolve leads the local property management market with 53 listings, a 4.73 rating and 2,248 reviews. Aspengrove Country Resort (14 listings, 4.61 rating, 1,631 reviews) and Vacasa (7 listings, 4.88 rating) follow, with DXW Rentals (5 listings, 4.82 rating) and Ulrich Estates (5 listings, 3.98 rating) rounding out the top five. The market is notably fragmented, even the top operator holds only about 2% of the roughly 2,365 tracked listings, suggesting no single manager dominates and room remains for new professional operators to scale.
Frequently Asked Questions About Worcester, Massachusetts
What was the average daily rate for STRs in Worcester, MA in June 2026?
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When is peak season for Airbnb in Worcester?
What is the gross rental yield for a typical Worcester STR?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Worcester, MA?
Is short-term rental demand growing in Worcester?
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