Seaside Heights, New Jersey Short-Term Rental Market
Seaside Heights STRs averaged $293/night at 42.6% occupancy in April 2026, with August peak above $487 ADR and a 180-day annual cap.
Quick Answer: Seaside Heights, New Jersey is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 43%. average monthly revenue is $2,870. average daily rate is $293. the top operator is Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Zack Shore, REALTORS with 181 listings. market score is 43/100 (grade D).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Seaside Heights, New Jersey short-term rental market covers the Jersey Shore boardwalk district and surrounding Ocean County coastal communities, with approximately 5,750 tracked listings. The borough itself swells from roughly 2,478 year-round residents to a summer population of 30,000 to 65,000 at peak, driven by the 2-mile boardwalk, Casino Pier, and Atlantic beachfront.
In April 2026, the market recorded a 42.6% occupancy rate and a $293.15 average daily rate, producing a RevPAR of $124.81. The April data reflects the pre-summer shoulder period; this market is dramatically seasonal with a July-August peak that is among the strongest in this batch. Year-over-year, occupancy declined 5.7 percentage points while ADR rose 3.1% and monthly revenue increased 5.0%, indicating rate improvement more than offsetting softening occupancy.
By listing type, the market is nearly all entire-place rentals (5,468 units) with 282 private rooms. By bedroom count, three-bedroom properties lead at 1,629 units, followed by four-bedroom (1,073), two-bedroom (1,285), five-bedroom-plus (915), and one-bedroom (842). Larger properties dominate, reflecting the group-travel and multi-generation trip patterns typical of Jersey Shore markets. Channel distribution is relatively balanced: 2,416 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 1,912 are Airbnb-only, and 1,422 are VRBO-only.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32% | $245 | $2,379 |
| Feb | 44% | $240 | $2,289 |
| Mar | 44% | $241 | $2,516 |
| Apr | 46% | $257 | $2,585 |
| May | 51% | $355 | $3,009 |
| Jun | 63% | $446 | $5,630 |
| Jul | 74% | $464 | $7,786 |
| Aug | 76% | $487 | $8,527 |
| Sep | 37% | $382 | $3,834 |
| Oct | 28% | $280 | $2,647 |
| Nov | 38% | $259 | $2,532 |
| Dec | 40% | $259 | $2,746 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Seaside Heights
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Zack Shore, REALTORS | 181 | 277 | ★ 4.48 |
| 2 | Shore Points Vacations | 89 | 258 | ★ 4.55 |
| 3 | Mary Allen Realty | 86 | 404 | ★ 4.69 |
| 4 | Evolve | 84 | 2,205 | ★ 4.57 |
| 5 | Breezy Beach Stays | 58 | 1,735 | ★ 4.98 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Seaside Heights?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 842 |
| 2 bed | 1,285 |
| 3 bed | 1,629 |
| 4 bed | 1,073 |
| 5 bed | 915 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $307 |
| Luxury | $787 |
| Professionally Managed | $243 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,893 |
| Entire Place | $2,990 |
| House | $3,221 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 33.3% |
| vrbo | 24.7% |
| both | 42% |
Investment Analysis
At a $716,519 typical home value and $2,870 average monthly revenue (April 2026), Seaside Heights produces an estimated gross annualized yield of approximately 4.8% based on the April snapshot before fees, taxes, and operating costs (($2,870 x 12) / $716,519). The 2025 annual average monthly revenue of $4,530 provides a more representative underwriting basis, implying a gross yield of approximately 7.6% using the typical home value.
The luxury tier carries a notable premium: luxury-tier listings averaged $786.68 per night, a 168% premium over the all-listings average of $293.15. This exceptional spread indicates that the highest-end properties in this market operate in a different demand category, likely large beachfront or premium boardwalk-adjacent homes. The entire-home ADR of $306.89 is close to the market average. Notably, the professionally managed tier averaged $243.09, below the market average, which may reflect that the professionally managed segment in this market skews toward smaller, more standardized units rather than premium properties.
By property type, houses average $3,221 per month versus $2,990 for entire-place listings broadly and $1,893 for apartments. The 180-day annual cap on STR nights is a material constraint for investment modeling: at maximum utilization (180 days) and a $293 daily rate, the gross revenue ceiling is approximately $52,740 per year, regardless of demand. The $700 initial licensing cost plus inspection and mercantile fees, combined with high enforcement (Ordinance 2025-17 raised fines to $1,500-$2,000 per violation), underscores the importance of full regulatory compliance.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Guests booking Seaside Heights properties plan an average of 46.2 days ahead, roughly six and a half weeks out. For a beach market with a concentrated July-August peak, this is a moderate lead time, suggesting that many peak-season guests do plan ahead but that last-minute and shorter-window bookings also play a meaningful role in fill during shoulder months.
The average length of stay is 3.72 nights, consistent with a long-weekend Jersey Shore trip pattern rather than full-week rentals. This is important for the 180-day cap: at 3.72 nights per stay, operators can accommodate approximately 48 bookings per year before hitting the cap, meaning pricing optimization is essential to maximize revenue within the constrained annual utilization ceiling. Minimum-stay requirements of 5-7 nights for peak summer weeks are common in comparable Jersey Shore markets and can improve per-booking revenue while reducing the number of cap-consuming stays.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Seaside Heights regulates short-term rentals (under 30 days) through its Short-Term Rental Property (STRP) program under Chapter 179, Article II of the Borough Code. Every STR requires both a Mercantile License and a STRP rental license, plus a Rental Certificate of Occupancy from Code Enforcement. First-year fees total approximately $700 in Borough fees ($200 application plus $500 annual license), plus approximately $31.50 for the Mercantile License, $100 inspection fee, $50 insurance processing fee, and $100 reinspection fee if needed. Annual renewals are approximately $100 per inspection.
Key restrictions: rentals are capped at 180 days per calendar year and fewer than 30 consecutive days; occupancy is capped at 10 people regardless of bedroom count; parking is limited to one vehicle per four occupants; between April 15 and June 30 the primary renter must be at least 21; and operators must file a Security Plan including a SORA-certified security officer unless the property is owner-occupied, a Parking Plan, and for condos an association approval letter. The STRP license number must appear in all advertising.
On the tax side: a 3% municipal short-term rental tax (effective January 1, 2024) applies on top of the 6.625% New Jersey Sales Tax and the 5% State Occupancy Fee. Following Memorial Day weekend 2025 incidents, Ordinance 2025-17 raised STRP violation fines to $1,500 to $2,000 per violation per day, up from $100. Enforcement severity is rated high. There is no owner-occupancy requirement and no primary-residence requirement.
Market Comparison
Seaside Heights’ April 2026 occupancy of 42.6% is below the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, but the shoulder-month timing and extreme seasonality make this comparison less meaningful than the July-August peak metrics. The $293.15 ADR is well above the national median of approximately $220, reflecting the premium nature of Jersey Shore beach access. The 76% August occupancy at $487 ADR is a strong peak-period performance.
The professional management layer is locally dominated by real estate firms rather than national platforms. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Zack Shore, REALTORS leads with 181 listings and a 4.480 rating. Shore Points Vacations (89 listings, 4.554 rating) and Mary Allen Realty (86 listings, 4.693 rating) reflect the traditional shore realty model of vacation rental management. Evolve (84 listings, 4.565 rating) provides national-scale distribution. Breezy Beach Stays (58 listings, 4.982 rating) is the highest-rated operator in the top five. The top five together manage roughly 498 of approximately 5,750 total market listings, or about 8.7% of supply.
Frequently Asked Questions About Seaside Heights, New Jersey
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