Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi Short-Term Rental Market
Bay Saint Louis STRs averaged $224/night at 46.3% occupancy in April 2026, with peak summer months reaching 66% occupancy and $3,987 monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 46%. average monthly revenue is $2,844. average daily rate is $224. the top operator is Evolve with 170 listings. market score is 81/100 (grade B).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi operates one of the Gulf Coast’s more active short-term rental markets, with approximately 4,136 active listings captured in the most recent dimension snapshot. The market recorded a $223.77 average daily rate and 46.3% occupancy in April 2026, generating an average of $2,844 in monthly revenue per listing. RevPAR stood at $103.54.
The listing mix is overwhelmingly entire-place rentals: 4,034 of the 4,136 listed units (97.5%) are entire properties, with 101 private rooms and one shared room rounding out the supply. By bedroom count, 2- and 3-bedroom units are nearly tied for dominance, with 1,380 and 1,385 listings respectively, across the 4,130 listings with confirmed bedroom data. Studio and 1-bedroom units account for 870 listings, 4-bedroom properties for 323, and 5-bedroom or larger homes for 172.
Channel distribution shows broad multi-platform reach: 2,541 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, while 1,225 list exclusively on Airbnb and 370 exclusively on VRBO. That dual-platform majority reflects the vacation rental character of this Gulf Coast coastal market.
Year-over-year as of April 2026, occupancy declined 4.37% while ADR grew 2.05% and revenue rose 4.92%. The market’s composite score from Apivex ranks at 80.71 out of 100, with an exceptionally high investability sub-score of 96.85, though rental demand (61.23) and regulation scores (61.70) are more moderate.
Historically, the market posted its strongest performance in 2021 (64.4% occupancy, $178 ADR, $3,047 monthly revenue), followed by a normalization period. Annual average occupancy has ranged from 37.9% in 2017 to 64.4% in 2021, with 2024 and 2025 annual averages settling near 47%.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40% | $148 | $1,699 |
| Feb | 59% | $160 | $2,134 |
| Mar | 64% | $181 | $2,959 |
| Apr | 50% | $190 | $2,498 |
| May | 52% | $193 | $2,589 |
| Jun | 66% | $223 | $3,694 |
| Jul | 66% | $219 | $3,987 |
| Aug | 44% | $191 | $2,438 |
| Sep | 44% | $184 | $2,161 |
| Oct | 45% | $197 | $2,299 |
| Nov | 40% | $169 | $1,826 |
| Dec | 41% | $164 | $1,803 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Bay Saint Louis
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 170 | 8,780 | ★ 4.67 |
| 2 | Biloxi Beach Resort Rentals | 142 | 1,936 | ★ 4.39 |
| 3 | Dunn Deal Properties & Vacations Rentals | 136 | 286 | ★ 4.61 |
| 4 | Gulf Coast Resort Rentals | 75 | 332 | ★ 4.77 |
| 5 | Busch Realty Group | 56 | 2,093 | ★ 4.85 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Bay Saint Louis?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 870 |
| 2 bed | 1,380 |
| 3 bed | 1,385 |
| 4 bed | 323 |
| 5 bed | 172 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $225 |
| Luxury | $391 |
| Professionally Managed | $300 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,319 |
| Entire Place | $2,881 |
| House | $3,141 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 29.6% |
| vrbo | 8.9% |
| both | 61.4% |
Investment Analysis
Bay Saint Louis presents a compelling entry point for coastal STR investors measured against its current home values. The Zillow typical home value for the area sits at $238,613, while the median list price stands at $389,000, suggesting active-listing pricing is well above the typical home estimate. With an average monthly STR revenue of $2,844 in April 2026, annualized gross revenue for an average listing runs approximately $34,129. That implies a gross revenue yield of roughly 14.3% against the typical home value of $238,613.
The tier premium data sharpens the investment picture. The all-listings ADR of $223.77 compares to $225.44 for entire-home listings (a modest premium), $299.70 for professionally managed properties (a 34% premium over the average), and $391.24 for the luxury tier (a 75% premium). Investors who target larger, professionally managed, or higher-end properties can materially improve on average-market returns.
Revenue by property type reinforces the size-premium thesis: houses average $3,141/month, entire-place listings average $2,881/month, and apartments average $2,319/month in the latest data.
The market’s investability score of 96.85 out of 100 from the Apivex composite model reflects strong fundamentals for STR use, notwithstanding a moderate regulation score of 61.70 reflecting Bay Saint Louis’s 2024 ordinance introduction. Median days to pending for for-sale homes is 72 days, indicating a market where buyers have time to evaluate properties rather than bidding competitively. For-sale inventory stands at 189 active listings.
The ADR trend is positive: ADR rose from $176 in 2017 to $209 in 2025 on an annual-average basis, a 19% gain over eight years. Revenue grew 4.92% year-over-year in April 2026 despite a 4.37% occupancy dip, driven entirely by rate growth.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Bay Saint Louis guests book an average of 48 days in advance, with an average length of stay of 3.83 nights in April 2026. These two figures together shape the practical pricing and operations calendar for the market.
A 48-day booking lead time means the typical reservation arrives roughly six to seven weeks before the stay. For the summer peak (June through July), that window falls in April and May. Operators who wait until May to adjust June pricing are working inside the typical booking window, reducing their ability to capture early-bird demand at premium rates. Dynamic pricing tools should be calibrated to the 48-day lead time, with rates set and tested six weeks out from high-demand dates.
The 3.83-night average stay indicates that most guests are booking long weekends or short midweek stays rather than week-long vacations. At that stay length, a property turning over every 3-4 nights generates roughly seven to eight arrivals per month in peak season. Cleaning, linen, and supply costs are per-turnover, so properties achieving longer stays carry a meaningful cost advantage. Minimum-night settings of 3 or 4 nights during peak season align with this market’s natural demand pattern.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Bay Saint Louis adopted its first short-term rental ordinance (Ordinance No. 669-08-2024) on August 20, 2024. Registration opened October 1, 2024, with full enforcement beginning January 1, 2025.
STRs are permitted citywide. Annual registration with the City of Bay Saint Louis Building and Zoning Department is required at a cost of $100 per year. There is no owner-occupancy requirement, no primary residence requirement, no cap on the total number of STRs, and no maximum nights-per-year limit. Only legally habitable dwellings qualify for registration.
Operational requirements include: submission of a parking plan at registration, designation of a 24-hour contact person to resolve complaints, and periodic property inspections. Violation fines reach up to $500 per infraction; permits are revoked after three violations within any 12-month period. Enforcement is rated moderate.
On the tax side, Mississippi imposes a 7% state sales tax on short-term rental revenue. Hancock County had historically assessed an additional 2% local lodging/tourism tax (total approximately 9%), but that county-level tax carried a stated repeal date of July 1, 2025. Operators should verify current county tax applicability directly with the Mississippi Department of Revenue, as its status may have changed.
No neighborhood-specific zoning restrictions were codified in the 2024 ordinance. The city was actively debating additional zoning rules as of late 2024 in response to rapid STR growth (a 186% increase in listings from 2019 to 2023). Prospective operators should monitor the City of Bay Saint Louis for any zoning amendments in 2025 or 2026.
The regulation composite score from Apivex is 61.70 out of 100, reflecting a market that is legally permissive but in an active regulatory environment.
Market Comparison
Measured against national STR benchmarks, Bay Saint Louis’s April 2026 ADR of $223.77 is roughly in line with the US STR median of approximately $220. Occupancy at 46.3% sits below the national median of approximately 55%, consistent with a coastal resort market that experiences strong seasonal peaks offset by a pronounced winter trough.
The market’s composite score of 80.71 out of 100, and particularly the investability score of 96.85, suggest the market outperforms on investment return signals relative to its regulation and demand consistency metrics.
Among Gulf Coast regional markets, Bay Saint Louis competes with Biloxi and Gulfport to the east and with Louisiana coastal markets to the west. The city’s distinct arts and history character (Old Town district, Second Saturday Art Walk) differentiates it from pure beach-access destinations.
The professional management landscape is competitive. Evolve leads the market with 170 listings and 8,780 reviews at a 4.67 rating. Biloxi Beach Resort Rentals manages 142 listings with 1,936 reviews. Dunn Deal Properties and Vacations Rentals holds 136 listings with a 4.61 rating. Gulf Coast Resort Rentals (75 listings, 4.77 rating) and Busch Realty Group (56 listings, 4.85 rating) round out the top five. The top five operators together manage 579 listings, approximately 14% of the 4,136 total active listings, indicating a fragmented market without dominant consolidation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi
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