Vernon, New Jersey Short-Term Rental Market
Vernon Township, NJ (Mountain Creek/Crystal Springs country) STR data: $233/night at 61.2% occupancy in June 2026.
Quick Answer: Vernon, New Jersey is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the New Jersey Area market area is 61%. average monthly revenue in the New Jersey Area market area is $3,658. average daily rate in the New Jersey Area market area is $233. the top operator in the New Jersey Area market area is Evolve with 70 listings. market score is 53/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the New Jersey Area regional market, which includes Vernon. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Vernon.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Vernon Township is northern New Jersey’s premier four-season outdoor recreation destination in Sussex County, drawing regional day-trippers and weekend visitors primarily from the New York City metro area, roughly 50-60 miles away. Winter brings skiers and snowboarders to Mountain Creek Resort; summer draws water park guests, mountain bikers and hikers; and Crystal Springs Resort’s seven golf courses and spa draw visitors year-round.
Vernon has run a formal STR licensing program since 2020 (Chapter 476), requiring an annual permit, registration, and two Fire Marshal inspections, alongside HOA or condo-association approval where applicable and a 180-day annual cap on rental nights.
StaySTRA’s Airbnb/Vrbo performance data for this area is tracked at a shared regional level with nearby Hopatcong rather than uniquely for Vernon; treat the following as the northwest New Jersey area STR market. In June 2026, that market averaged 61.2% occupancy and a $233 ADR, producing $3,658 in average monthly revenue per listing. Year over year, occupancy is down 1.4 points and revenue is up 8.6%, driven by a 5.6% ADR increase.
StaySTRA does not have listing-type, bedroom-mix, or top-property-manager data broken out at the city level for this area; that data is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Vernon, so this profile omits it.
Vernon Township itself has 22,879 residents. Its resort-driven economy, anchored by Mountain Creek and Crystal Springs, makes short-term rentals a natural fit for visitors seeking lodging near the slopes, water park, golf courses, and the nearby Appalachian Trail.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46% | $133 | $1,827 |
| Feb | 54% | $137 | $1,919 |
| Mar | 54% | $130 | $1,908 |
| Apr | 58% | $139 | $2,083 |
| May | 60% | $158 | $2,365 |
| Jun | 64% | $173 | $2,852 |
| Jul | 67% | $167 | $3,020 |
| Aug | 66% | $171 | $3,077 |
| Sep | 59% | $151 | $2,389 |
| Oct | 57% | $151 | $2,428 |
| Nov | 54% | $145 | $2,130 |
| Dec | 55% | $154 | $2,292 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in New Jersey Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the New Jersey Area market as a whole, which includes Vernon, so these counts are not Vernon-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 70 | 3,018 | ★ 4.63 |
| 2 | Mountain Creek | 38 | 34 | ★ 4.93 |
| 3 | GTL Properties LLC | 36 | 3,162 | ★ 4.91 |
| 4 | visionstream | 32 | 415 | ★ 4.75 |
| 5 | Leavetown | 16 | 16 | ★ 4.41 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Vernon?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,753 |
| 2 bed | 746 |
| 3 bed | 512 |
| 4 bed | 269 |
| 5 bed | 163 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $297 |
| Luxury | $574 |
| Professionally Managed | $239 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,918 |
| Entire Place | $4,488 |
| House | $4,099 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 68.8% |
| vrbo | 4.5% |
| both | 26.7% |
Investment Analysis
Vernon Township requires an annual STR permit ($350, including two required Fire Marshal inspections) and registration before advertising or renting. A property can be rented for up to 180 cumulative days a year. Owner-occupancy is not required for a standalone single-family STR, but is required when renting one unit of a two-family or multi-family dwelling. HOA or condo-association approval is mandatory before registration, with no refunds if an association rejects the application, an important check for any condo or resort-adjacent purchase near Mountain Creek or Crystal Springs.
Using StaySTRA’s housing data, Vernon’s typical home value is $300,400, but the $3,658 average monthly revenue figure below is a regional rollup shared with nearby Hopatcong, not Vernon-specific, so dividing the two would misstate a Vernon-only gross yield; this profile does not calculate one for that reason.
On performance, the northwest New Jersey area STR market posted an 8.6% revenue gain year over year in June 2026, driven by a 5.6% ADR increase even as occupancy slipped 1.4 points, a pricing-led gain. Longer term, the market peaked in 2021 at 63.4% occupancy during the pandemic-era outdoor-recreation boom, settled into the mid-50s to low-60s from 2022 onward, and 2026 year-to-date (through June) sits at 54.4% occupancy on a $189 ADR, the strongest ADR reading of the past decade.
Tier data (regional, not Vernon-specific) shows real upside for quality positioning: entire-home listings average $297 (about 28% above the $233 blend), and the luxury tier averages $574 (about 147% above).
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
In the northwest New Jersey area STR market that includes Vernon, the average booking lead time is 52.0 days and the average length of stay is 4.7 nights, both regional figures shared with nearby Hopatcong.
That lead time fits a market planned around ski-season and summer-resort weekends, with visitors from the New York City metro area booking ahead for Mountain Creek and Crystal Springs stays. The nearly 5-night average stay suggests multi-day ski trips, golf getaways, or group retreats rather than single-night visits. Operators should plan pricing and availability roughly seven to eight weeks ahead of peak dates, and set minimum stays around the market’s typical multi-night pattern.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Vernon Township explicitly permits short-term rentals (rentals of 30 or fewer consecutive days) under Chapter 476 of its code, enacted via Ordinance 20-09/20-04 in 2020 and amended in 2021 (Ordinance 21-23). Owners must obtain an STR permit and register the property with the township before advertising or renting. Registration costs $350 annually and includes two required annual Fire Marshal inspections; the property is also checked for outstanding taxes, sewer payments, and building permits, and older homes may require a lead-based-paint inspection.
A property can be rented for up to a cumulative 180 days per calendar year. A 3% Transient Accommodation Occupancy Tax applies to all rental income, retroactive to March 30, 2020; major platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, Evolve) collect and remit it automatically, otherwise owners pay the township directly.
Owner-occupancy is not required for a standalone single-family STR, but is required when renting one unit of a two-family or multi-family dwelling (the owner must occupy the other unit as a principal residence). HOA or condo-association approval is mandatory before registration, and no refunds are issued for HOA-rejected registrations.
Operational rules: a responsible party must be reachable 24/7, no exterior signage is allowed, the permit number must appear in all advertisements, a registration decal must be displayed, and guests must be at least 21 years old. Fines for non-compliance range from $250 to $500 per violation, per day, and can lead to permit suspension and platform notification. Enforcement is characterized as moderate.
Market Comparison
National benchmarks put the median U.S. short-term rental market at roughly 55% occupancy and a $220 ADR. The northwest New Jersey area STR market that includes Vernon runs above both, at 61.2% occupancy and a $233 ADR in June 2026, consistent with a four-season resort market with steady regional demand from the New York City metro area.
Vernon’s STR licensing program (Chapter 476) is more structured than many peer New Jersey resort towns: a $350 annual permit with two mandatory Fire Marshal inspections, a 180-day annual cap, and mandatory HOA approval for condo units, compared to some markets with lighter registration-only regimes.
StaySTRA does not have top property-manager listings, review counts, or ratings on file broken out uniquely for Vernon; that data is tracked at a shared regional level, so this profile omits named-operator comparisons rather than present cluster totals as Vernon-specific.
Frequently Asked Questions About Vernon, New Jersey
Do I need a permit for a short-term rental in Vernon, NJ?
Is there a cap on how many nights a Vernon STR can be rented?
Does Vernon require owner-occupancy for short-term rentals?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Vernon?
Does an HOA need to approve a Vernon short-term rental?
What is the average occupancy for the Vernon area STR market?
What is the typical home value in Vernon, NJ?
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