Raleigh, North Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Raleigh-Durham Triangle STR market averaged $153 ADR, 61.2% occupancy and $2,596 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Raleigh, North Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Raleigh/Durham market area is 61%. average monthly revenue in the Raleigh/Durham market area is $2,596. average daily rate in the Raleigh/Durham market area is $153. 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 Raleigh. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Raleigh.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Raleigh, North Carolina is the state capital and sits at the center of the Research Triangle. The performance figures on this page describe the Raleigh-Durham Triangle region STR market, a shared series that also covers Cary, Apex, Clayton, Wake Forest, Fuquay Varina and Durham, rather than a Raleigh-only measurement. In September 2026, the average daily rate across all listings was $153 and occupancy was 61.2%, producing average monthly revenue of $2,596 per listing. Year over year, occupancy rose 1.7%, ADR rose 2.9% and revenue rose 6.1%, so most of the gain came from rate rather than from more booked nights. The 2026 year to date reading (nine months) is 62.3% occupancy, a $153 ADR and $2,676 in monthly revenue, compared with 61.3%, $149 and $2,591 for full-year 2025. Over the longer run, ADR has climbed from $80 in 2017 to $153 today, while occupancy peaked at 69.1% in 2021 and has held in the low 60s since 2023. Demand has a broad base. Raleigh has about 499,637 residents and anchors Wake County, which drew a record 19 million visitors in 2024, up 2.7% from 2023, who spent $3.4 billion locally. Those are county-wide totals, not Raleigh-only figures. Business and convention travelers, leisure tourists, sports fans and university visitors (NC State, area museums) all feed demand. Wake County hotel occupancy averaged 69.7% in 2024, above the state average of 62.7% and the national average of 63%. Bedroom, channel and listing-type counts and top-operator names are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Raleigh, so this profile omits them.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 55% |
| Feb | 63% |
| Mar | 65% |
| Apr | 63% |
| May | 63% |
| Jun | 68% |
| Jul | 69% |
| Aug | 68% |
| Sep | 65% |
| Oct | 68% |
| Nov | 64% |
| Dec | 59% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Raleigh 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 Raleigh, so these counts are not Raleigh-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 Raleigh?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Raleigh 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 (Raleigh)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Raleigh 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 Raleigh — 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, defined as stays of 30 days or less for compensation, are legal in Raleigh but require a zoning permit from the City before operating. The initial permit costs about $194 as of April 2025, with annual renewal around $86. The permit number must be displayed on every advertisement and at the property. Raleigh recognizes two types. Homestays must be owner-occupied and are limited to two rented rooms and two adults. Whole-house STRs do not require owner occupancy, and the city does not require a primary residence. No annual night cap is published. STRs are allowed as a Limited Use in the R-1, R-2, R-4, R-6, R-10, RX, OX, NX, CX and DX zoning districts. In any single building, no more than 25% of units, or two units (whichever is greater), may be used as STRs. Exterior advertising is not allowed, special events and gatherings are prohibited in residential zones, and cooking facilities are not allowed in bedrooms except in studios. Operators must keep lodger records for three years. On taxes, Raleigh levies no city occupancy tax, but STRs must remit the 6% Wake County room occupancy tax, the 4.75% state sales tax and the 2.5% Wake County sales tax, a combined burden of roughly 13.25%. Airbnb collects and remits occupancy tax in North Carolina for hosts. Operating without a permit can draw fines, commonly cited at $100 to $500 per day. Enforcement is rated moderate. The framework comes from text change TC-8-20, and the city’s guidance page was last updated October 15, 2025.
Market Comparison
The Raleigh-Durham Triangle region STR market pairs moderate rates with solid occupancy. September 2026 occupancy was 61.2% and the all-listings ADR was $153, with entire homes at $169, professionally managed listings at $167 and the luxury tier at $241. The result is average monthly revenue of $2,596. Growth is steady: revenue is up 6.1% year over year, ahead of the 2.9% ADR gain and 1.7% occupancy gain individually. Compared with hotels, Wake County hotel occupancy was 69.7% in 2024, so hotels fill more of their rooms than STRs in the region. Top operator names are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Raleigh, so this profile omits them. For investors, the profile is a mid-rate, solid-occupancy market with a large visitor base, a clear permit process and a housing market where homes go pending in a median of 19 days.
Frequently Asked Questions About Raleigh, North Carolina
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