Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
The Ocean Isle Beach area STR market earned $460 ADR at 75% occupancy in June 2026.
Quick Answer: Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Wilmington market area is 75%. average monthly revenue in the Wilmington market area is $8,822. average daily rate in the Wilmington market area is $460. the top operator in the Wilmington market area is Vacasa with 770 listings. market score is 64/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Wilmington regional market, which includes Ocean Isle Beach. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Ocean Isle Beach.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Ocean Isle Beach is a small barrier-island vacation town on North Carolina’s southern Brunswick County coast, with a year-round population under 1,000 but a summer peak that town and tourism sources put at roughly 25,000 people at any given time during high season, a peak-occupancy estimate rather than an annual visitor total. The island has about 3,200 homes and condos, most of which serve as vacation rentals, and markets itself as a quieter alternative to larger beach destinations, named Southern Living’s ‘Best Tiny Town’ in 2018. Core draws are more than five miles of beach, fishing, boating on the Intracoastal Waterway, and golf.
Short-term rental performance data in this data set is tracked at a submarket level shared across a 3-city coastal North Carolina cluster, so the figures below describe the wider Ocean Isle Beach area STR market rather than city-limits-only precision. In June 2026, the most recent month with complete data, the area’s average daily rate across all listings was $460.25 at 74.90% occupancy, generating average monthly revenue of $8,821.70 per listing, one of the highest revenue figures processed in this project. Occupancy is down 2.12% year over year, ADR is down 1.81%, and monthly revenue is still up 2.39% year over year.
Bedroom mix, listing-type mix, channel mix, and market-score data in this data set are tracked at a shared regional level rather than measured uniquely for Ocean Isle Beach, so this profile omits those figures rather than present regional numbers as if they were city-specific. Booking data for the area shows an average lead time of 85.62 days and an average length of stay of 4.63 nights, consistent with well-planned week-long beach vacations.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 32% |
| Feb | 45% |
| Mar | 55% |
| Apr | 56% |
| May | 60% |
| Jun | 76% |
| Jul | 81% |
| Aug | 69% |
| Sep | 52% |
| Oct | 47% |
| Nov | 39% |
| Dec | 34% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Ocean Isle Beach are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Wilmington market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Wilmington market as a whole, which includes Ocean Isle Beach, so these counts are not Ocean Isle Beach-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 770 | 18,253 | ★ 4.46 |
| 2 | Oak Island Accommodations | 469 | 2,466 | ★ 4.42 |
| 3 | Better Beach Rentals | 439 | 3,661 | ★ 4.37 |
| 4 | Evolve | 331 | 12,224 | ★ 4.75 |
| 5 | Carolina Retreats by Vtrips | 314 | 3,759 | ★ 4.54 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Ocean Isle Beach?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Ocean Isle Beach 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 | 21.3% |
| vrbo | 17% |
| both | 61.7% |
Home Value Trends (Ocean Isle Beach)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Ocean Isle Beach 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 Ocean Isle Beach — 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
Ocean Isle Beach is a vacation-rental economy, so short-term rentals are welcomed rather than restricted. Vacation rentals are the dominant housing use on the island, and residential districts broadly allow them. Before renting a property, owners must set up an Accommodations Account with the Town of Ocean Isle Beach at Town Hall to collect and remit the town’s occupancy tax.
The town levies a 5.00% municipal accommodations tax on gross rental receipts, of which 2% is earmarked for beach renourishment. Brunswick County separately administers a room occupancy tax, and guests also pay North Carolina state and local sales tax on accommodations. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement and no cap on the number of nights a property may be rented.
Practical compliance centers on parking, noise, occupancy limits, and trash rules rather than on restricting rental activity itself. Paid parking is enforced from April 1 through October 31 (expanded in 2025 with hourly, daily, weekly, and seasonal permit options), and rental homes must meet off-street parking minimums. Condominium and homeowners association covenants can add their own private rental restrictions on top of town rules, so investors should verify any HOA or condo rules for a specific building.
North Carolina’s 2021 statewide vacation-rental provisions limit a town’s power to ban or cap short-term rentals. Enforcement in Ocean Isle Beach is rated minimal and light-touch, focused on nuisance issues like parking, noise, and trash rather than on suppressing rental activity. Investors should confirm the exact current tax rate and account setup steps directly with Town Hall.
Market Comparison
The Ocean Isle Beach area’s 74.90% occupancy in June 2026 runs well above the roughly 55% median occupancy typically seen across the broader U.S. short-term rental market, and its $460.25 average daily rate is more than double the roughly $220 national median ADR. This combination reflects a well-established, densely developed Carolina beach destination where vacation rentals are the dominant housing use rather than a secondary market.
Top property manager data in this data set is tracked at a shared regional level across a 3-city coastal North Carolina cluster rather than uniquely for Ocean Isle Beach, so this profile does not present specific operator names, listing counts, or ratings as Ocean Isle Beach-specific. Ocean Isle Beach’s own regulatory environment is a more distinctive local factor: an investor-friendly framework with no owner-occupancy requirement and no night cap, though condo and HOA covenants can impose their own private restrictions beyond town rules.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina
What is the average Airbnb occupancy rate in the Ocean Isle Beach area?
What is the average nightly rate for a short-term rental in the Ocean Isle Beach area?
Do I need a permit to operate a short-term rental in Ocean Isle Beach, NC?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Ocean Isle Beach?
Is there a cap on short-term rental nights in Ocean Isle Beach?
What is the best time of year to own a short-term rental in the Ocean Isle Beach area?
What does it cost to buy into the Ocean Isle Beach short-term rental market?
Analyze Ocean Isle Beach Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Ocean Isle Beach.
Free Ocean Isle Beach STR Calculator →
