Emerald Isle, North Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Emerald Isle's Crystal Coast STR market posted $313 ADR, 50.4% occupancy and $4,203 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Emerald Isle, North Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Morehead City/Emerald Isle market area is 50%. average monthly revenue in the Morehead City/Emerald Isle market area is $4,203. average daily rate in the Morehead City/Emerald Isle market area is $313. the top operator in the Morehead City/Emerald Isle market area is Bluewater Vacation Rentals with 557 listings. market score is 56/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Morehead City/Emerald Isle regional market, which includes Emerald Isle. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Emerald Isle.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
This profile covers Emerald Isle, North Carolina, using the Crystal Coast STR market as the performance region. Emerald Isle’s metric series matches the regional Crystal Coast series, so every performance figure below describes the Crystal Coast STR market rather than Emerald Isle alone. The data month is September 2026. In that month the Crystal Coast STR market averaged an ADR of $313 across all listings, with occupancy of 50.4% and average monthly revenue of $4,203 per listing. Entire place rentals averaged $318 in ADR and $4,275 in monthly revenue.
Year over year, occupancy rose 11.5%, ADR rose 11.7%, and monthly revenue rose 23.1%. The longer trend supports that read. Annual average occupancy slid from 60.4% in 2021 to 51.0% in both 2024 and 2025, while annual ADR climbed from $212 in 2021 to $239 in 2025. For the first nine months of 2026, average occupancy is 54.5%, ADR is $272, and monthly revenue is $4,099, compared with $3,449 for full year 2025.
Emerald Isle sits on the western end of Bogue Banks, a barrier island along North Carolina’s Crystal Coast, with about 12 miles of Atlantic shoreline. The permanent population is 3,797, and the town reports a peak-season population near 50,000 in summer. Demand is a drive-to leisure pattern concentrated in late spring through summer. The broader Carteret County tourism economy generated roughly $743.4 million in visitor spending in 2024, up 1.5% from the prior year.
Bedroom, channel, and listing-type counts are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Emerald Isle, so this profile omits them.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 36% |
| Feb | 46% |
| Mar | 54% |
| Apr | 54% |
| May | 60% |
| Jun | 75% |
| Jul | 78% |
| Aug | 65% |
| Sep | 51% |
| Oct | 48% |
| Nov | 41% |
| Dec | 38% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Emerald Isle are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Morehead City/Emerald Isle market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Morehead City/Emerald Isle market as a whole, which includes Emerald Isle, so these counts are not Emerald Isle-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bluewater Vacation Rentals | 557 | 504 | ★ 4.48 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 275 | 6,368 | ★ 4.37 |
| 3 | Evolve | 153 | 6,868 | ★ 4.69 |
| 4 | Casago | 149 | 2,066 | ★ 4.36 |
| 5 | Spectrum Rental Properties | 126 | 2,202 | ★ 4.77 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Emerald Isle?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Emerald Isle 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 | 25.6% |
| vrbo | 19.2% |
| both | 55.2% |
Home Value Trends (Emerald Isle)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Emerald Isle 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 Emerald Isle — 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 permitted in Emerald Isle. The town is a long-established vacation rental market, and enforcement severity is rated minimal. No town STR permit or license is required. North Carolina G.S. 160D-1207(c), reinforced by the 2022 Court of Appeals decision in Schroeder v. City of Wilmington, bars municipalities from requiring STR owners to register or obtain permission to rent. There is no owner-occupancy requirement, no primary residence requirement, and no cap on rental nights per year.
Operators must still follow the North Carolina Vacation Rental Act, which governs rental agreements, along with residential zoning, parking, occupancy, and operational rules. Short-term rentals are broadly allowed in residential zones, which is where most vacation rentals are located.
On taxes, operators collect and remit North Carolina state sales tax of 6.75% plus the Carteret County occupancy tax of 6%, a combined total of about 12.75%, on stays of 90 days or less. Rentals to the same guest for 90 or more consecutive days are exempt from occupancy tax.
Recent changes: as of January 2026, the town was reviewing a proposed local vacation rental permit and registration process (Ordinance 209). It could require verified septic capacity, proof of parking, and Vacation Rental Act compliance, but it depends on pending state legislation. A public hearing was expected, and no ordinance had been adopted at the time of research. Investors should confirm current rules with the town before buying.
Market Comparison
September 2026 occupancy in the Crystal Coast STR market was 50.4% with a $313 ADR. Entire place ADR of $318 and professionally managed ADR of $374 sit above that, and luxury ADR reaches $501.
The trend is also favorable. Occupancy is up 11.5% year over year and ADR is up 11.7%. Average monthly revenue of $4,203 reflects this combination of a high price point and moderate occupancy.
The trade-off is seasonality. July occupancy of 78.2% contrasts with January occupancy of 35.9%. Annual performance depends on capturing the summer months at high rates. Top operator data is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Emerald Isle, so this profile omits it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Emerald Isle, North Carolina
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