Wildwood, New Jersey Short-Term Rental Market
Wildwood and the Southern Jersey Shore STR market hit $443 ADR, 40.1% occupancy, $4,933 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Wildwood, New Jersey is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Atlantic City/Ocean City market area is 40%. average monthly revenue in the Atlantic City/Ocean City market area is $4,933. average daily rate in the Atlantic City/Ocean City market area is $443. the top operator in the Atlantic City/Ocean City market area is Long & Foster Vacations with 651 listings. market score is 49/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Atlantic City/Ocean City regional market, which includes Wildwood. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Wildwood.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Wildwood sits on a barrier island in Cape May County, and the performance figures in this profile describe the Southern Jersey Shore STR market, a regional dataset that also covers Cape May, Ventnor City, Atlantic City and Brigantine. In September 2026 that market averaged an ADR of $443 across all listings, with occupancy at 40.1% and average monthly revenue of $4,933 per listing. Entire-place rentals averaged $449 ADR and $4,979 in monthly revenue, about $46 more per month than the all-listings average.
Year over year, September occupancy rose 10.4%, ADR rose 11.6% and revenue rose 12.3%. The longer annual record points the same direction. Average occupancy was 44.1% in both 2024 and 2025, while annual ADR moved from $339 to $344. For the first nine months of 2026, occupancy averages 48.0%, ADR averages $378 and monthly revenue averages $4,863, all ahead of the full 2025 figures of 44.1%, $344 and $4,101.
Wildwood itself has 5,157 residents, but the Wildwoods (Wildwood, North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest) draw roughly 9 million visitors per year. Visitor spending reached a record $1.9 billion in 2024. Demand is anchored by a 2.5-mile boardwalk, five miles of free beaches and three amusement piers, and it is concentrated between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The core audience is East Coast drive-market vacationers from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland, joined by day-trippers and event attendees.
Bedroom, channel, listing-type and top-operator data is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Wildwood, so this profile omits it.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 26% |
| Feb | 36% |
| Mar | 36% |
| Apr | 39% |
| May | 47% |
| Jun | 66% |
| Jul | 76% |
| Aug | 77% |
| Sep | 40% |
| Oct | 25% |
| Nov | 30% |
| Dec | 33% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Wildwood are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Atlantic City/Ocean City market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Atlantic City/Ocean City market as a whole, which includes Wildwood, so these counts are not Wildwood-only figures.
| # | 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 nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Wildwood 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 | 29.2% |
| vrbo | 26.9% |
| both | 44% |
Home Value Trends (Wildwood)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Wildwood are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Wildwood — 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
Wildwood is one of the most short-term-rental-friendly markets on the Jersey Shore. Short-term rentals are permitted citywide and have been part of the local economy for decades. Operators must hold an annual Rental Housing Mercantile License from the City Clerk under Chapter 22 Rental Housing and Chapter 374. The fee is set by the Mercantile Ordinance and Board of Commissioners resolution rather than fixed in code, so confirm the current amount with the City Clerk.
Each unit must pass inspection by Code Enforcement, the Fire Chief and the Chief of Police before a permit issues, and rental properties are inspected and licensed every year. Renewal after May 1 triggers a 25 percent surcharge plus a court summons. New Jersey also requires lead-based paint inspections for rentals built before 1978, triggered on tenant turnover or at least every two years.
There is no city cap on rental nights per year, no owner-occupancy requirement and no primary-residence rule. Total tax on transient rentals is 13.625 percent: 6.625 percent NJ Sales Tax, 3.15 percent State Occupancy Fee, 2 percent Cape May County Tourism Tax and 1.85 percent Cape May County Tourism Assessment. Airbnb collects and remits these taxes on host-managed bookings.
Enforcement is rated moderate and is complaint-driven through Code Enforcement, with standard New Jersey municipal penalties for unlicensed operation. Chapter 22 was repealed and replaced on January 13, 2021 by Ordinance 1185-20, and the state lead-paint mandate became enforceable for pre-1978 rentals on July 22, 2022. Confirm current rules with the City of Wildwood before buying.
Market Comparison
The Southern Jersey Shore STR market earns its income from rate and a short peak, not year-round volume. September 2026 ADR was $443 with occupancy of 40.1%.
The picture changes by season. August occupancy is 76.7% and July is 76.3%, while October falls to 25.5%. The market only reaches high occupancy in the summer peak, so investors should not assume a single month’s figures apply year-round.
Growth is a positive comparison point. Occupancy is up 10.4% year over year, ADR is up 11.6% and revenue is up 12.3%. The 2026 year-to-date ADR of $378 is well above the 2019 annual ADR of $281, and year-to-date occupancy of 48.0% is above the 39.7% recorded in 2019. Buyers should weigh the high nightly rates and strong summer against a short season and a typical home value of $647,443.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wildwood, New Jersey
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