Schenectady, New York Short-Term Rental Market
Capital Region STRs averaged $372 ADR, 62.9% occupancy, $6,455 monthly revenue in August 2026; Schenectady County requires STR registration.
Quick Answer: Schenectady, New York is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Albany/Saratoga Springs market area is 46%. average monthly revenue in the Albany/Saratoga Springs market area is $3,043. average daily rate in the Albany/Saratoga Springs market area is $228. the top operator in the Albany/Saratoga Springs market area is Evolve with 73 listings. market score is 41/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Albany/Saratoga Springs regional market, which includes Schenectady. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Schenectady.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Short-term rentals are legal in Schenectady, but they carry layered city and county requirements. Most rental dwellings must be registered with the city Building Department and pass a rental inspection, and the county requires registration and collection of a 5% occupancy tax. The performance figures below come from Apivex data tracked for the Capital Region of New York as a whole, a group of seven upstate towns that includes Albany, Troy, Saratoga Springs, Queensbury, and Schenectady. They describe the regional STR market, not Schenectady alone.
In August 2026, the Capital Region area STR market averaged $372 per night at 62.9% occupancy. Average monthly revenue was $6,455. Compared with August 2025, occupancy rose 2.1%, ADR rose 1.6%, and revenue rose 4.9%.
By property type, houses average $8,412 in monthly revenue, entire places $7,175, and apartments $3,604. The average length of stay is 4.55 nights and bookings arrive about 79 days ahead. The summer months lift these averages a great deal, and the seasonal section below shows how far. Across the year, regional occupancy averaged 57.5% in 2021 and 51.5% in 2025, while ADR rose from $209 to $218.
Schenectady has about 69,495 residents and does not publish an annual visitor count. County tourism spending reached $387 million in 2022, up 25.5% from 2021. Rivers Casino & Resort, Proctors Theatre, and the Stockade Historic District are the main local draws. Bedroom, channel, and listing-type mix are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Schenectady, so this profile omits them.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 43% |
| Feb | 52% |
| Mar | 48% |
| Apr | 53% |
| May | 55% |
| Jun | 57% |
| Jul | 63% |
| Aug | 63% |
| Sep | 45% |
| Oct | 51% |
| Nov | 45% |
| Dec | 49% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Schenectady are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Albany/Saratoga Springs market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Albany/Saratoga Springs market as a whole, which includes Schenectady, so these counts are not Schenectady-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 73 | 1,822 | ★ 4.61 |
| 2 | Enlightened Habitat | 26 | 2,165 | ★ 4.80 |
| 3 | Luxe Rentals | 20 | 1,561 | ★ 4.56 |
| 4 | Saratoga Stays | 18 | 386 | ★ 4.84 |
| 5 | Archer Casten | 17 | 509 | ★ 4.29 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Schenectady?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Schenectady 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 | 60.9% |
| vrbo | 5.1% |
| both | 34% |
Home Value Trends (Schenectady)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Schenectady 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 Schenectady — 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 legal in Schenectady. At the city level, most rental dwellings must be registered with the Building Department and pass a rental inspection to obtain a rental certificate. The inspection fee is about $50. Detached single-unit homes and owner-occupied two-unit homes are generally exempt from rental registration. STRs must also comply with zoning under Chapter 264 and the rental property code under Chapter 210.
At the county level, hotels, motels, and short-term residential rentals rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days must register with the Schenectady County Finance Department. Operators need a Certificate of Authority to collect the 5% Hotel/Motel Room Occupancy Tax. Since 2018 the tax explicitly covers Airbnb and VRBO style rentals of 89 nights or shorter. The tax applies to the listing price including cleaning fees, and it is remitted monthly by the 20th of the following month. The county launched an online registry and payment portal in May 2026.
Operators must also collect New York State and local sales tax, about 4% at the state level plus any local rate, on short-term occupancy. No owner-occupancy rule, primary-residence rule, or annual night cap applies. Enforcement is rated strict, so contact the Bureau of Code Enforcement at 105 Jay Street to confirm eligibility for a specific property.
Market Comparison
The Capital Region area STR market ran at 62.9% occupancy and $372 ADR in August 2026. The US median occupancy is about 55% and the median ADR is about $220. Regional occupancy is 7.9 points above that benchmark, and ADR is about $152, or 69%, above it.
The regional lead is a summer lead. In the winter and early spring, monthly occupancy in the data falls to 43% to 53%, which is below the national median. This data cannot isolate Schenectady’s own seasonality, so a local owner should treat the lower months as a planning case and not rely on the August figures.
Local demand has support. County tourism spending reached $387 million in 2022, above 2019 levels, and the Rivers Casino & Resort and Proctors Theatre draw regional visitors. Top property manager data is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Schenectady, so this profile omits it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Schenectady, New York
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What occupancy tax applies to Schenectady rentals?
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How long do guests stay and how far ahead do they book?
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