Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Kill Devil Hills STRs averaged $313/night at 51.7% occupancy in April 2026, a shoulder month before the summer peak that drives most annual revenue.
Quick Answer: Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 79%. average monthly revenue is $9,060. average daily rate is $475. the top operator is Vacasa with 629 listings. market score is 78/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Outer Banks regional market, which includes Kill Devil Hills. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Kill Devil Hills.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Kill Devil Hills sits on the northern Outer Banks of North Carolina in Dare County, drawing approximately 5 million visitors per year to its Atlantic beaches, the Wright Brothers National Memorial, and surrounding barrier-island recreation. The STR market is one of the most summer-concentrated in the country, with peak occupancy exceeding 83% in July and winter occupancy dropping below 30% in January.
In April 2026, a shoulder month, the market recorded an ADR of $313, occupancy of 51.7%, RevPAR of $162, and average monthly revenue of $3,861. Year-over-year for April, occupancy fell 13.79 percentage points, ADR rose 22.42%, and revenue declined 35.58%. April is subject to Easter timing shifts that can cause significant month-to-month swings; these figures should not be read as a trend for the full year without the seasonal context.
The listing mix is dominated by large entire-place rentals, consistent with an Outer Banks beach-house market. Entire-place listings total 8,594 (roughly 98% of inventory), with private rooms at 149 and one shared room. By bedroom count, the market skews large: three-bedroom (2,207), five-bedroom (2,134), four-bedroom (2,100), two-bedroom (1,253), and one-bedroom (1,050). VRBO and dual-listed properties lead: dual-listed at 4,904, VRBO at 2,097, and Airbnb-only at 1,743.
The market’s total investment score is 77.7 out of 100, with revenue growth at 99.9, investability at 83.0, and rental demand at 79.0 all ranking well above national averages. Seasonality scores 41.0, reflecting the sharp concentration of income in summer months.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29% | $246 | $1,998 |
| Feb | 41% | $232 | $2,129 |
| Mar | 55% | $233 | $2,484 |
| Apr | 57% | $281 | $3,746 |
| May | 63% | $337 | $4,735 |
| Jun | 79% | $425 | $7,917 |
| Jul | 83% | $401 | $8,194 |
| Aug | 80% | $378 | $7,464 |
| Sep | 62% | $279 | $4,316 |
| Oct | 48% | $239 | $3,030 |
| Nov | 39% | $237 | $2,308 |
| Dec | 32% | $231 | $2,122 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Kill Devil Hills
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 629 | 22,352 | ★ 4.33 |
| 2 | Village Realty | 575 | 5,553 | ★ 4.49 |
| 3 | Surf Or Sound | 451 | 2,567 | ★ 4.30 |
| 4 | Resort Realty | 435 | 1,965 | ★ 4.39 |
| 5 | Seaside vacation rentals | 354 | 3,576 | ★ 4.44 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Kill Devil Hills?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,050 |
| 2 bed | 1,253 |
| 3 bed | 2,207 |
| 4 bed | 2,100 |
| 5 bed | 2,134 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $480 |
| Luxury | $744 |
| Professionally Managed | $546 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $6,812 |
| Entire Place | $9,166 |
| House | $9,691 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 19.9% |
| vrbo | 24% |
| both | 56.1% |
Investment Analysis
Kill Devil Hills has a pronounced summer income concentration. Using the 12 monthly average revenue figures from historical data, average monthly revenue is approximately $4,191 per month, or approximately $50,300 per year. Peak months are July ($8,200) and June ($7,774); January is the trough at $2,000.
Against a typical home value of $525,287, the $50,300 annual revenue estimate implies a gross yield of approximately 9.6% before operating costs, management fees, property taxes, and lodging taxes. At the median sale price of $550,500, the gross yield is approximately 9.1%.
Tier differentials in April 2026: all-listings ADR is $313, entire-home tier is $315, professionally managed tier is $358, and luxury tier is $494. The professionally managed premium is approximately 14% over the all-listings average.
Revenue by property type in April 2026: houses averaged $4,203 per month, entire-place listings $3,903, and apartment-type listings $2,697. The house premium reflects the large-format beach homes that dominate the Outer Banks inventory.
Housing market conditions are reasonably liquid: the sale-to-list ratio is 0.896 (buyers pay approximately 89.6% of list), homes go pending in a median of 31 days, and 159 active listings are available. The total investment score of 77.7 and investability score of 83.0 both rank this market well relative to national benchmarks.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Kill Devil Hills guests book approximately 58 days in advance on average, or about two months. For a summer-peak market, this means peak July and August weeks fill starting in late April to early May, with June typically booking in March and April.
Average length of stay is 4.25 nights across the full dataset, though Outer Banks vacationers frequently book in 7-night increments (Saturday-to-Saturday), which is the traditional beach-house rental format on this stretch of coast. Many property managers and individual owners price in weekly blocks during peak season.
For operators, the 58-day lead time provides a clear pricing window. Dynamic rate increases should be implemented in April for summer inventory, and early-booking incentives in October to November can help capture shoulder-season occupancy for May and September dates. January through March inventory is difficult to fill regardless of pricing; operators in this market typically accept low single-month revenue during that period and build their annual model around summer concentration.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Kill Devil Hills does not operate a dedicated short-term rental license or registration program. The town regulates STRs through its existing zoning and land-use code rather than a permit-specific regime. According to the town’s Planning and Inspections office, no vacation-rental permit is listed on official forms pages, and effectively zero percent of tracked Airbnb listings hold a town-specific license.
Instead, operation is governed by three frameworks: the town zoning code (occupancy limits tied to bedroom count, off-street parking requirements, noise, trash, and building and fire safety standards), the North Carolina Vacation Rental Act (which requires a written rental agreement for transient stays under 90 days), and tax registration.
On taxes, operators must collect and remit North Carolina combined sales tax of approximately 6.75% (state plus county) and a separate Dare County 6% occupancy tax on accommodations. Both are remitted monthly. The combined lodging-related tax burden is approximately 12.75%.
There is no owner-occupancy requirement, no primary-residence requirement, and no annual night cap. Enforcement is complaint-driven, focusing on noise, parking, over-occupancy, and unremitted tax, with penalties ranging from fines to zoning action. Investors should verify current occupancy limits and parking math directly with the Town Planning and Inspections office (252-449-5318) and the Dare County Tax Department before acquisition.
Market Comparison
Kill Devil Hills’ April 2026 ADR of $313 is above the national STR median of approximately $220, and occupancy at 51.7% is near the national median of approximately 55%, though April is a shoulder month for this market. During peak summer, occupancy exceeds 83%, placing this market well above national averages for that period.
The market’s total investment score of 77.7 ranks well above the national median. Revenue growth scores 99.9 out of 100, investability scores 83.0, and rental demand scores 79.0. These metrics reflect the Outer Banks’ sustained demand as a premier East Coast beach destination drawing approximately 5 million annual visitors.
The professional management sector is highly developed. Vacasa leads with 629 listings and a 4.33 average guest rating across 22,352 reviews. Village Realty manages 575 listings with a 4.49 rating (5,553 reviews). Surf or Sound holds 451 listings with a 4.30 rating (2,567 reviews). Resort Realty manages 435 listings (4.39 rating, 1,965 reviews) and Seaside Vacation Rentals holds 354 listings (4.44 rating, 3,576 reviews). Together the top five managers account for 2,444 listings, representing approximately 28% of the roughly 8,744 entire-place and private-room listings tracked in the market area.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina
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