Wildwood, New Jersey Short-Term Rental Market
Wildwood, NJ STRs averaged $288/night at 36.7% occupancy in April 2026, serving 9 million annual visitors along the Jersey Shore.
Quick Answer: Wildwood, New Jersey is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 37%. average monthly revenue is $2,625. average daily rate is $288. the top operator is Long & Foster Vacations with 651 listings. market score is 49/100 (grade D).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Wildwoods (Wildwood, North Wildwood, Wildwood Crest) rank among the top family resort destinations on the East Coast, drawing approximately 9 million visitors per year with $1.9 billion in visitor spending in 2024. The market is anchored by five miles of free wide beaches, a 2.5-mile boardwalk, three amusement piers, and over 160 annual festivals. As of April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $288 and occupancy of 36.7%, generating a RevPAR of $106.
The market holds approximately 10,360 active listings, with entire-place rentals at 10,134 (97.8%), private rooms at 215, and shared rooms at 11. Bedroom distribution reflects the group-vacation character of the market: 3-bedroom units lead with 2,876 listings, followed by 2-bedroom (2,229), 4-bedroom (1,733), 1-bedroom (2,004), and 5-bedroom-plus (1,499). Channel distribution is more balanced between platforms than most markets: 4,557 listings on both Airbnb and Vrbo, 3,020 exclusively on Airbnb, and 2,783 exclusively on Vrbo.
Year-over-year in April 2026, occupancy fell 7.4% while ADR rose 3.2% and revenue was essentially flat at -0.2%. The investability score of 76.9 and revenue growth score of 83.2 reflect solid fundamentals, though the seasonality score of 44.5 captures the pronounced summer concentration in this market.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26% | $236 | $1,872 |
| Feb | 36% | $244 | $1,942 |
| Mar | 36% | $248 | $2,173 |
| Apr | 39% | $268 | $2,477 |
| May | 47% | $318 | $2,867 |
| Jun | 66% | $388 | $5,312 |
| Jul | 76% | $399 | $7,130 |
| Aug | 77% | $404 | $7,383 |
| Sep | 40% | $339 | $3,719 |
| Oct | 25% | $287 | $2,454 |
| Nov | 30% | $274 | $2,171 |
| Dec | 33% | $282 | $2,295 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Wildwood
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Long & Foster Vacations | 651 | 1,596 | ★ 4.42 |
| 2 | Experience Vacation Rentals | 240 | 1,201 | ★ 4.46 |
| 3 | Evolve | 201 | 5,688 | ★ 4.68 |
| 4 | Compass NJ – Laricks Team | 178 | 115 | ★ 4.88 |
| 5 | Tim Kerr Sotheby's International Realty | 154 | 267 | ★ 4.60 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Wildwood?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,004 |
| 2 bed | 2,229 |
| 3 bed | 2,876 |
| 4 bed | 1,733 |
| 5 bed | 1,499 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $292 |
| Luxury | $576 |
| Professionally Managed | $282 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,972 |
| Entire Place | $2,668 |
| House | $3,197 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 29.2% |
| vrbo | 26.9% |
| both | 44% |
Investment Analysis
Wildwood presents a mid-high entry cost, summer-concentrated investment profile. The typical home value is $629,513 with a median sale price of $612,130. The sale-to-list ratio of 1.088 indicates properties are selling above list price on average, and median days to pending of 37 shows a competitive buyer market. For-sale inventory is more accessible than many coastal markets at 159 active listings. At the average monthly revenue of $2,625, annualized gross revenue projects to approximately $31,500, implying a gross yield of roughly 5.0% against the typical home value.
Tier differentiation is substantial: luxury-tier properties average $576/night versus the all-listings ADR of $288, exactly double. Professionally managed listings average $282/night, slightly below the market average of $288. This is an unusual pattern where PM operators are not commanding a rate premium, suggesting that professional management in Wildwood is broadly available across all property quality tiers rather than concentrated in the premium segment.
House listings outperform at $3,197/month versus $2,668 for entire-place rentals broadly and $1,972 for apartments. The investability score of 76.9 is solid for a New Jersey shore market, and the 2025 full-year average revenue of $4,107/month was the highest in the historical data. The high combined tax rate of 13.6% is among the highest in this batch and affects pricing competitiveness.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
Run a Free Address Analysis
Skip the market averages. Get revenue projections, comp analysis, and ROI for your specific property address. Free, instant, no signup required.
Analyze My Property →Home Value Trends (Wildwood)
Booking Insights
Wildwood guests book an average of 41.2 days in advance, approximately six weeks out. This shorter lead time compared to destination beach markets reflects the drive-market character: most Wildwood visitors come from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Maryland, and many make shorter-horizon decisions than travelers who require flights. However, July and August weeks book much earlier for the most sought-after properties.
Average length of stay is 2.9 nights, the shortest in this batch, reflecting the day-tripper and long-weekend orientation of the market. A significant share of Wildwood visitors come for a single weekend. This creates high turnover rates, approximately 10 to 11 bookings per occupied month, increasing cleaning costs but maximizing per-night rate realization. Operators who set a strict 3-night minimum for July and August and allow 2-night minimums in shoulder months can balance revenue optimization with occupancy.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Wildwood explicitly permits short-term rentals and has built STR operations into its regulatory framework for decades. Operators must obtain an annual Rental Housing Mercantile License from the City Clerk under Chapter 22 (rebuilt by Ordinance 1185-20, effective January 2021) and Chapter 374. Each unit must pass annual inspection by Code Enforcement, the Fire Chief, and the Chief of Police before a license is issued or renewed.
Lead-based paint inspections are required for rentals in pre-1978 buildings, triggered on tenant turnover or at minimum every two years, pursuant to New Jersey state law effective July 2022. The mercantile license fee is set by resolution rather than fixed in code; late renewal after May 1 triggers a 25% surcharge plus potential court summons.
The total transient rental tax is 13.625%: 6.625% NJ Sales Tax, 3.15% State Occupancy Fee, 2.0% Cape May County Tourism Tax, and 1.85% Cape May County Tourism Assessment. Airbnb collects and remits these on host-managed bookings; Vrbo and direct-booking operators must verify remittance. There is no cap on annual rental nights, no owner-occupancy requirement, and no primary-residence rule. Enforcement is complaint-driven through Code Enforcement.
Market Comparison
Wildwood’s $288 ADR slightly exceeds the national STR median of approximately $220, reflecting Jersey Shore coastal pricing. The 36.7% April occupancy is below the annual median of approximately 55%, consistent with a deeply seasonal beach market in early spring. The 2025 full-year average was 44.1% occupancy at $344 ADR.
Year-over-year in April 2026, Wildwood saw occupancy fall 7.4% while revenue held nearly flat at -0.2%. The rate resilience (ADR up 3.2%) despite occupancy pressure is encouraging for long-term pricing strategy. The 9 million annual visitors and $1.9 billion in visitor spending in 2024 demonstrate the scale of underlying demand.
Among property managers, Long and Foster Vacations leads with 651 listings, the highest count in this batch’s top-5 at 4.42 rating. Experience Vacation Rentals follows with 240 listings (4.46 rating). Evolve holds 201 listings with a 4.68 rating and the most reviews (5,688). Compass NJ Laricks Team (178 listings, 4.88 rating) and Tim Kerr Sotheby’s International Realty (154 listings, 4.60 rating) round out the top five. The combined top-5 count of 1,424 listings represents approximately 13.7% of the roughly 10,360 total market listings.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wildwood, New Jersey
Do I need a license to operate a short-term rental in Wildwood, NJ?
What is the average Airbnb income in Wildwood, NJ?
What is the peak rental season in Wildwood, NJ?
What taxes apply to Wildwood short-term rentals?
What is the typical home value in Wildwood, NJ?
How far in advance do Wildwood guests book?
Which property managers operate in the Wildwood market?
Analyze Wildwood Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Wildwood.
Free Wildwood STR Calculator →
