Fleetwood, North Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Fleetwood, NC STRs averaged $246/night at 37.1% occupancy in April 2026 across 7,743 active listings.
Quick Answer: Fleetwood, North Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 50%. average monthly revenue is $3,568. average daily rate is $282. the top operator is Blue Ridge Mountain Rentals with 753 listings. market score is 89/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the Boone regional market, which includes Fleetwood. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Fleetwood.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Fleetwood is an unincorporated mountain community in Ashe County, NC, situated within the High Country region roughly 35 miles northeast of Boone. Despite a resident population of approximately 3,003, the area supports a large short-term rental market of approximately 7,743 active listings, reflecting its role as a vacation destination anchored by the New River, Mount Jefferson State Natural Area, and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The market posted a $245.62 average daily rate and 37.1% occupancy in April 2026, yielding a RevPAR of $91.10. Average monthly revenue per listing was $2,517. The occupancy rate is notably below national STR norms, consistent with Fleetwood’s rural mountain character where inventory is concentrated in larger vacation cabins that carry lower per-day occupancy but higher per-stay revenue.
Entire-place listings dominate at 7,612 units (98.3% of total), with private rooms accounting for 131 listings. By bedroom count: 2-bedroom units lead at 2,298, followed by 3-bedrooms (2,200), 1-bedrooms (1,427), 4-bedrooms (1,242), and 5-bedroom-plus properties (569). Channel distribution shows 4,950 listings on both Airbnb and VRBO, 1,966 on Airbnb only, and 827 on VRBO only.
Year-over-year through April 2026, occupancy declined 6.5% while ADR rose 4.7%, with revenue off just 1.5% as rate gains offset most of the volume decline. The market’s total score of 89.5 reflects strong investability (87.3) and solid revenue growth momentum (79.8).
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43% | $258 | $3,215 |
| Feb | 45% | $259 | $3,097 |
| Mar | 35% | $218 | $2,356 |
| Apr | 41% | $215 | $2,350 |
| May | 42% | $231 | $2,450 |
| Jun | 53% | $241 | $3,163 |
| Jul | 64% | $236 | $3,953 |
| Aug | 55% | $228 | $3,417 |
| Sep | 46% | $231 | $2,804 |
| Oct | 53% | $247 | $3,323 |
| Nov | 46% | $248 | $2,933 |
| Dec | 50% | $262 | $3,517 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Fleetwood
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Ridge Mountain Rentals | 753 | 16,672 | ★ 4.77 |
| 2 | Carolina Cabin Rentals | 478 | 16,022 | ★ 4.65 |
| 3 | Evolve | 315 | 16,846 | ★ 4.74 |
| 4 | Vacasa | 306 | 13,132 | ★ 4.30 |
| 5 | Foscoe Rentals | 142 | 3,407 | ★ 4.85 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Fleetwood?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,427 |
| 2 bed | 2,298 |
| 3 bed | 2,200 |
| 4 bed | 1,242 |
| 5 bed | 569 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $285 |
| Luxury | $488 |
| Professionally Managed | $364 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,331 |
| Entire Place | $3,600 |
| House | $3,979 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 25.4% |
| vrbo | 10.7% |
| both | 63.9% |
Investment Analysis
Fleetwood STR investment analysis is limited by the absence of Zillow housing snapshot data for this market at the time of this report. Typical home values are not available for the current period and investors should obtain current property valuations from local real estate sources before projecting yields.
At the April 2026 average monthly revenue of $2,517, a Fleetwood listing projects to approximately $30,204 in gross annual revenue. House-type listings averaged $2,795 per month, while entire-place listings averaged $2,543, and apartments averaged $1,589.
ADR tier differences are substantial. All-listings ADR of $245.62 compares to $248.55 for entire-home listings and $321.03 for professionally managed properties, a $75.41 premium per night (30.7% above the market average). Luxury-tier listings averaged $401.79 per night, reflecting the premium commanded by higher-end mountain cabins.
The annual ADR trend is consistently upward: from $209 in 2017 to $281 in 2026 (partial year), a gain of $72 per night over nine years. Average revenue has been relatively stable in the $3,200 to $3,500 range annually (full-year averages) since 2022, indicating a market where rate growth has offset moderate occupancy declines. The market’s investability score of 87.3 out of 100 is one of the stronger readings in the dataset, supported by a revenue growth score of 79.8.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Fleetwood STRs carried an average booking lead time of 46.95 days in April 2026, meaning guests typically book about 47 days, or roughly six to seven weeks, in advance. This lead time is slightly above the Flagstaff comparison market (43.9 days) and reflects the typical pattern for destination vacation rental markets where guests plan summer trips and holiday reservations several weeks ahead.
Average length of stay is 3.41 nights, above the national STR average and consistent with the longer cabin stay patterns common in mountain vacation rental markets. The sub-4-night average suggests a mix of long-weekend (3-night) and mid-week stays rather than full-week rentals dominating the booking mix.
For operators, the 47-day lead time suggests that revenue management adjustments should focus on the 60 to 30-day window before arrival. Listings with no bookings 30 days out are candidates for strategic discounting. The 3.41-night average stay also means that minimum-night policies of 3 nights are well-aligned with actual booking behavior, reducing single-night gap days without meaningfully restricting demand.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Fleetwood is an unincorporated community in Ashe County, NC, which means there is no municipal government and no town-level STR ordinance. Ashe County does not have a comprehensive countywide zoning ordinance. The county’s land-use rules cover only narrow topics (flood damage prevention, watershed protection, subdivisions, manufactured homes, high-impact industry, signs) and none of these regulate or restrict residential vacation rentals.
As a result, there is no STR permit, no license, no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, no cap on rental nights, and no density limits applicable countywide. Enforcement is rated minimal.
The primary compliance obligation for operators is tax collection. North Carolina state and local sales and use taxes apply to accommodations, along with the Ashe County occupancy (room) tax of approximately 3.0%. Platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO may collect and remit these taxes automatically on behalf of hosts, but operators should confirm their platform’s coverage.
Parcel-specific overlays such as watershed-protection or flood-damage-prevention rules may apply to properties near the New River and should be verified before building or expanding. Private deed restrictions, HOA covenants, and subdivision rules are the most likely constraints on specific properties. Investors should confirm current rules with the Ashe County Planning Department and Tax Administration office, as rural NC counties can adopt STR regulations at any time with relatively short notice.
Market Comparison
Fleetwood’s $245.62 ADR is above the U.S. STR median of approximately $220, reflecting the premium commanded by mountain vacation cabin inventory. Occupancy at 37.1% is substantially below the national median of approximately 55%, consistent with a rural vacation cabin market where properties spend more nights vacant between longer stays.
The market’s total score of 89.5 is strong by composite measure, led by investability (87.3), seasonality (86.1), and revenue growth (79.8). Rental demand scores lower at 57.3, consistent with the below-average occupancy rate.
Professional operators are notably concentrated in this market. Blue Ridge Mountain Rentals leads with 753 listings and 16,672 reviews at a 4.77 rating. Carolina Cabin Rentals holds second with 478 listings and 16,022 reviews (4.65 rating). Evolve manages 315 listings (16,846 reviews, 4.74 rating), and Vacasa operates 306 listings (13,132 reviews, 4.30 rating). Foscoe Rentals rounds out the top five with 142 listings (3,407 reviews, 4.85 rating). The top 5 operators collectively manage 1,994 listings, representing approximately 25.8% of the 7,743-listing market, indicating a more professionally managed market than typical for rural destinations of this size.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fleetwood, North Carolina
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