Bryson City, North Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Bryson City STRs averaged $210/night at 44.3% occupancy in April 2026, with 12,370 active listings across the Great Smoky Mountains gateway market.
Quick Answer: Bryson City, North Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 44%. average monthly revenue is $2,508. average daily rate is $210. the top operator is Evolve with 723 listings. market score is 70/100 (grade B).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Bryson City, NC is the primary western gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the commercial center of Swain County’s STR market. As of April 2026, the market supported approximately 12,370 active listings, of which 12,067 (97.5%) are entire-place rentals and 303 are private rooms. The average daily rate was $210, RevPAR was $93, and average monthly revenue per listing was $2,508. April 2026 occupancy was 44.3%, a shoulder reading ahead of the summer peak. Year-over-year, occupancy is up 3.2 percentage points, ADR edged up 0.4%, and revenue improved 5.7%. The bedroom distribution leans toward smaller properties: 1-bedroom (2,991 listings), 2-bedroom (3,814), 3-bedroom (3,371), 4-bedroom (1,418), and 5-bedroom and larger (761). Airbnb-only listings number 3,366, VRBO-only 1,461, and 7,543 are listed on both platforms. The overall market score is 70.1, with an investability score of 81.0 and a regulation score of 74.2, reflecting a permissive regulatory environment under North Carolina state law.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32% | $182 | $1,841 |
| Feb | 41% | $181 | $1,882 |
| Mar | 47% | $187 | $2,364 |
| Apr | 47% | $194 | $2,452 |
| May | 49% | $203 | $2,508 |
| Jun | 61% | $227 | $3,529 |
| Jul | 68% | $226 | $4,163 |
| Aug | 56% | $217 | $3,422 |
| Sep | 49% | $207 | $2,750 |
| Oct | 61% | $212 | $3,426 |
| Nov | 49% | $213 | $2,818 |
| Dec | 46% | $208 | $2,731 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Bryson City
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 723 | 35,109 | ★ 4.76 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 454 | 17,037 | ★ 4.47 |
| 3 | Yonder | 119 | 3,777 | ★ 4.71 |
| 4 | Rumbling Bald Resort | 112 | 415 | ★ 4.35 |
| 5 | Bryson City Cabin Rentals | 112 | 1,400 | ★ 4.65 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Bryson City?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,991 |
| 2 bed | 3,814 |
| 3 bed | 3,371 |
| 4 bed | 1,418 |
| 5 bed | 761 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $212 |
| Luxury | $358 |
| Professionally Managed | $243 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,762 |
| Entire Place | $2,541 |
| House | $2,651 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 27.2% |
| vrbo | 11.8% |
| both | 61% |
Investment Analysis
At $2,508 average monthly revenue for April 2026, a Bryson City STR produces an annualized gross revenue of approximately $30,100. The Zillow typical home value in the area is $317,939, implying an annualized gross yield of approximately 9.5% on a typical residential property. Purpose-built STR properties more often transact near the median active list price of $424,833, which yields approximately 7.1% on the same annualized revenue basis. House-type listings average $2,651/month and entire-place listings average $2,541/month, modestly above the all-listing average. The apartment segment averages $1,762/month. Professionally managed properties average $243/night versus the $210 market ADR, a 15.7% premium. The luxury tier averages $358/night, 70% above the market average. Revenue is up 5.7% year-over-year, a positive sign after the post-COVID normalization period: the 2021 annual average was $3,442/month, which contracted to $2,999 in 2024 and held at $3,032 in full-year 2025 before the 2026 year-to-date pace of $2,216/month (through April). The 109-unit for-sale inventory and no published median days-to-pending data indicate a relatively illiquid resale environment.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Bryson City’s average booking lead time is 49 days, and the average length of stay is 3.70 nights. The 49-day lead window is longer than many comparable markets, suggesting guests plan Great Smoky Mountains trips several weeks in advance. This gives operators a reliable early booking base. The 3.70-night average stay is above the national STR norm of roughly 3 nights, consistent with the multi-day appeal of national park access, railroad rides, and Nantahala whitewater adventures. Longer stays reduce turnover frequency and cleaning costs per revenue dollar. A minimum-stay strategy of 3 nights on weekdays and 2 nights on weekends aligns well with this guest behavior. The 49-day lead time suggests that last-minute discounting need not be aggressive in most months, though January and February may benefit from more flexible short-notice pricing.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Bryson City operates under a permissive STR framework shaped in part by North Carolina Session Law 2023-58 (effective July 1, 2023), which limits local governments from imposing STR-specific permits or registrations. Within Bryson City town limits, operators register their business with Bryson City Town Hall. Properties outside town limits fall under Swain County jurisdiction and register with Swain County. All operators renting more than 15 days per year must register for Swain County occupancy tax collection at 6% of gross rental receipts, filed monthly by the 20th of the following month. State sales tax of 6.75-7.5% also applies, though Airbnb and VRBO typically remit these automatically. No cap on rental nights per year. No owner-occupancy requirement and no primary-residence requirement. Enforcement is complaint-based and educational, with periodic audits of online listings. Short-term rental activity is broadly permitted across Bryson City’s zoning districts under the town’s Unified Development Ordinance.
Market Comparison
Bryson City’s April 2026 ADR of $210 is close to the US STR median of approximately $220, positioning this market as competitively priced relative to national norms. Occupancy at 44.3% in April is below the US median of approximately 55%, though the market reaches 67.9% in July. The overall market score of 70.1 and investability score of 81.0 indicate a solid but not exceptional national standing. The market is dominated by national platforms. Evolve leads with 723 listings and 35,109 reviews at a 4.76 rating. Vacasa holds 454 listings with 17,037 reviews at a 4.47 rating. Yonder manages 119 listings at a 4.71 rating. Rumbling Bald Resort has 112 listings at a 4.35 rating. Bryson City Cabin Rentals holds 112 listings at a 4.65 rating. The top 5 operators control 1,520 listings, approximately 12.3% of the 12,370-listing market, indicating a fragmented landscape with significant room for independent operators.
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