Cary, North Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Cary NC STRs averaged $160/night at 63.5% occupancy in April 2026, with year-over-year revenue up 9.0% on surging demand in the Raleigh-Durham Triangle.
Quick Answer: Cary, North Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Raleigh/Durham market area is 67%. average monthly revenue in the Raleigh/Durham market area is $2,964. average daily rate in the Raleigh/Durham market area is $159. the top operator in the Raleigh/Durham market area is Evolve with 106 listings. market score is 88/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the Raleigh/Durham regional market, which includes Cary. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Cary.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Cary is a high-performing suburban STR market positioned within the Raleigh-Durham Triangle tech corridor. It draws sports-tournament visitors (WakeMed Soccer Park, USA Baseball National Training Complex), concert and festival attendees at Koka Booth Amphitheatre, corporate relocations, and business travelers tied to the broader Triangle economy. The Raleigh-Wake County area attracted approximately 19 million visitors in 2024 with more than $3.4 billion in visitor spending. In April 2026, Cary’s STR market posted a $160 average daily rate and 63.5% occupancy, generating $101.27 RevPAR and $2,783 average monthly revenue.
Year-over-year performance through April 2026 is the standout story: occupancy grew 9.14 percentage points and revenue grew 9.01% on a near-flat ADR (down just 0.24%). This level of occupancy-driven growth is unusual among suburban markets and indicates meaningful expansion of demand rather than pricing pressure.
The market totals approximately 7,947 tracked listings: 6,456 entire-place units, 1,470 private rooms, and 21 shared rooms. Bedroom distribution is led by 1-bedroom units (3,077 listings), followed by 3-bedroom (1,991), 2-bedroom (1,874), 4-bedroom (729), and 5-bedroom (251) properties. Airbnb-only listings number 4,858, with 2,714 listed on both platforms and 375 VRBO-only. The total market score is 87.6 out of 100, with rental demand scoring 92.1, the highest single score in this batch of five markets.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 55% |
| Feb | 63% |
| Mar | 65% |
| Apr | 63% |
| May | 63% |
| Jun | 68% |
| Jul | 70% |
| Aug | 68% |
| Sep | 65% |
| Oct | 68% |
| Nov | 64% |
| Dec | 59% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Cary are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Raleigh/Durham market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Raleigh/Durham market as a whole, which includes Cary, so these counts are not Cary-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 106 | 3,065 | ★ 4.52 |
| 2 | Coveted Hospitality | 99 | 1,152 | ★ 4.18 |
| 3 | Landing | 91 | 10 | ★ 3.72 |
| 4 | Landing, Inc. | 74 | 174 | ★ 4.55 |
| 5 | Triangle short term rentals | 69 | 1,400 | ★ 4.78 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Cary?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Cary 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 | 61.1% |
| vrbo | 4.7% |
| both | 34.2% |
Home Value Trends (Cary)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Cary 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 Cary — 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
Cary has one of the most permissive STR regulatory environments in North Carolina. The Town of Cary does not require a local STR permit, registration, or business license. Under the 2022 North Carolina Court of Appeals ruling in Schroeder v. City of Wilmington, municipalities are prohibited from requiring permits or licenses for vacation rentals, and Cary operates within this framework.
There are no owner-occupancy requirements, no primary-residence rules, and no cap on annual rental nights. Operators must meet the town’s general minimum housing and safety standards (functional smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, etc.) and comply with applicable zoning on permitted uses. Enforcement is rated minimal, as no town-specific STR rules exist to enforce.
The primary tax obligations are Wake County’s 6% room occupancy tax on stays under 30 days, plus combined North Carolina state and Wake County sales/use tax of approximately 7.25%, bringing the effective lodging tax burden to approximately 13%. Airbnb and VRBO typically collect and remit these taxes on behalf of operators, but hosts remain responsible for confirming compliance.
The most significant practical constraint is private HOA covenants. Cary has extensive planned and master-planned subdivisions, and many HOAs restrict or ban short-term rentals. Buyers should verify the specific community’s CC&Rs before acquiring a property with STR intent.
Market Comparison
Cary’s 63.5% occupancy in April 2026 is well above the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, a strong result for a suburban market. The $160 ADR is below the national median of roughly $220, but the strong occupancy floor means RevPAR of $101.27 is competitive with higher-ADR markets with weaker fill rates.
The rental demand score of 92.1 is the highest single dimension score in this batch of five markets, reflecting the Triangle’s combination of sports facilities, tech-sector employment, and university ecosystem as a multi-channel demand generator. The total score of 87.6 ranks second in this batch behind Carlsbad NM (93.1).
Professional management shows moderate penetration. Evolve leads with 106 listings and 3,065 reviews (4.52 rating). Coveted Hospitality manages 99 listings with 1,152 reviews (4.18 rating). Triangle Short Term Rentals, a locally-focused operator, holds 69 listings with 1,400 reviews and a 4.78 rating, the highest among the top 5. The top 5 collectively manage 439 listings, approximately 5.5% of the market. The local specialist operator (Triangle Short Term Rentals) outperforming the national brands on ratings suggests the market rewards local market knowledge.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cary, North Carolina
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