Center Barnstead, New Hampshire Short-Term Rental Market
NH Lakes Region STRs averaged $268/night at 33.6% occupancy in April 2026 across 2,638 active listings.
Quick Answer: Center Barnstead, New Hampshire is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the New Hampshire Lakes Region market area is 63%. average monthly revenue in the New Hampshire Lakes Region market area is $7,735. average daily rate in the New Hampshire Lakes Region market area is $457. the top operator in the New Hampshire Lakes Region market area is Vacasa with 96 listings. market score is 46/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the New Hampshire Lakes Region regional market, which includes Center Barnstead. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Center Barnstead.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The New Hampshire Lakes Region short-term rental market is anchored by lake and outdoor recreation demand, with 2,638 active listings as of the latest snapshot. The market is overwhelmingly entire-place focused: 2,563 listings (97.2%) are whole-property rentals, with 74 private rooms and just 1 shared room rounding out the mix. Bedroom distribution skews toward mid-size properties: 3-bedroom listings lead at 774, followed by 2-bedrooms (617), 1-bedrooms (541), 4-bedrooms (446), and 5-bedrooms (258). Channel distribution shows 1,319 listings active on both Airbnb and VRBO, with 869 Airbnb-only and 450 VRBO-only properties.
In April 2026, the most recent month of data, average daily rate reached $267.52 and occupancy stood at 33.6%, producing a RevPAR of $89.86 and average monthly revenue of $2,180 per listing. On a year-over-year basis, ADR rose 4.3% while occupancy declined 6.8%, resulting in modest revenue growth of 1.96% compared to April 2025. The market total score is 45.55 out of 100, with investability (71.76) and regulation (70.51) as the strongest sub-scores and seasonality (48.70) and rental demand (48.09) as softer areas. Revenue growth scores 70.29, signaling a positive multi-year ADR trajectory even as occupancy normalizes from pandemic-era peaks.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 34% |
| Feb | 44% |
| Mar | 29% |
| Apr | 38% |
| May | 46% |
| Jun | 58% |
| Jul | 72% |
| Aug | 70% |
| Sep | 38% |
| Oct | 42% |
| Nov | 30% |
| Dec | 43% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Center Barnstead are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in New Hampshire Lakes Region market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the New Hampshire Lakes Region market as a whole, which includes Center Barnstead, so these counts are not Center Barnstead-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 96 | 2,962 | ★ 4.51 |
| 2 | Break Away | 91 | 500 | ★ 4.70 |
| 3 | Evolve | 83 | 3,142 | ★ 4.69 |
| 4 | At The Lake Vacation Rentals | 66 | 667 | ★ 4.62 |
| 5 | Vacanza | 31 | 768 | ★ 4.54 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Center Barnstead?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Center Barnstead 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 | 32.9% |
| vrbo | 17.1% |
| both | 50% |
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Center Barnstead — 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
Short-term rentals are permitted in the NH Lakes Region (Town of Barnstead), but operators must obtain Planning Board approval through a site plan review process that includes a fire and safety code review. Formal STR regulations were adopted in 2024, building on language first added to the zoning ordinance in 2022.
Operational requirements include parking limited to one vehicle per sleeping area, clearly posted emergency contact information near the front door (Barnstead Fire Department number and 911 notice), house numbers visible from the road (minimum 4 inches), and compliance with the town noise ordinance. The Planning Board may revoke permits for repeated or substantial violations.
At the state level, New Hampshire assesses a Meals and Rooms Tax of 8.5% on the total reservation price including cleaning fees. Operators must hold a NH Meals and Rooms Tax License from the Department of Revenue Administration. Major platforms including Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit this tax on behalf of hosts in New Hampshire. No additional local lodging tax is assessed by Belknap County or the Town of Barnstead beyond the state rate.
Specific permit fees, renewal periods, and owner-occupancy requirements were not confirmed in publicly available documents as of May 2026. Investors should contact the Barnstead Planning Board directly at 108 South Barnstead Road, Center Barnstead, NH 03225. Enforcement severity is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
The NH Lakes Region’s April 2026 occupancy of 33.6% is below the approximate U.S. STR median of 55%, which is expected given April is a shoulder month in a summer-oriented market. The annual 2025 average occupancy of 43.06% is also below the national median, reflecting the strongly seasonal demand profile. The $267.52 April ADR is above the approximate U.S. STR median ADR of $220, indicating above-average nightly pricing.
The professional management segment is fragmented. Vacasa leads with 96 listings, followed closely by Break Away (91 listings, 4.695 avg rating), Evolve (83 listings, 4.685 avg rating), At The Lake Vacation Rentals (66 listings, 4.616 avg rating), and Vacanza (31 listings, 4.537 avg rating). The top 5 operators together account for 367 listings, representing approximately 13.9% of the 2,638-listing market. Break Away and Evolve carry the highest guest ratings among the top operators. The market remains largely independently managed, with significant room for professional operators to grow share.
Frequently Asked Questions About Center Barnstead, New Hampshire
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