Wilmington, North Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Wilmington, NC courts struck down STR registration in 2022; the city refunded $443K in fees. June 2026 ADR was $460.
Quick Answer: Wilmington, 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 wider Wilmington market, which covers 10 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Wilmington.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Wilmington’s short-term rental regulatory environment is unusually light for a major North Carolina coastal city because the courts gutted the city’s registration scheme. In Schroeder v. City of Wilmington (NC Court of Appeals, 2022), the court held that state law (G.S. 160D-1207(c)) preempts Wilmington’s STR registration requirement, striking down the city’s 2% citywide cap, the permit lottery, the 400-foot separation requirement, proof-of-shared-parking-before-registration, mandatory posting of registration numbers, and amortization and termination provisions. The city stopped requiring registration and refunded prior registration fees, roughly $443,428. The remaining 750-foot spacing language was formally removed effective February 18, 2025.
What survived: general, severable zoning and development standards the court deemed lawful, general liability insurance, a designated local operator or agent who can respond to complaints (reportedly within about three hours) during guest occupancy, and compliance with parking, occupancy (roughly two persons per bedroom), and noise rules.
Wilmington and New Hanover County are a major North Carolina coastal tourism destination anchored by Wrightsville, Carolina, and Kure beaches, plus a historic riverfront downtown, population 125,267. In 2024, visitors spent nearly $1.14 billion county-wide, the third straight year above $1 billion, ranking New Hanover 8th of NC’s 100 counties for visitor spending.
StaySTRA tracks Wilmington’s ADR, occupancy, and revenue at a shared regional level with Sneads Ferry and Ocean Isle Beach, a wide span from Onslow County in the north to Brunswick County in the south, so the figures below describe a broad southeastern North Carolina coast STR market rather than a tight local cluster; Sneads Ferry, population 2,548, is a small fishing village with a very different character from Wilmington’s own scale. In June 2026, that area STR market posted a blended ADR of $460.25 and 74.9% occupancy, with average monthly revenue of $8,822/listing.
One note on the annual data below: the 2026 row is a January-through-June average, which excludes July, this market’s single highest-revenue month, so it understates the eventual full-year 2026 average. Bedroom mix, listing-type breakdown, and the top-property-manager list are tracked at the same shared regional level rather than uniquely for Wilmington, so this profile omits those breakdowns.
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 Wilmington 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 Wilmington, so these counts are not Wilmington-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 Wilmington?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Wilmington 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 (Wilmington)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Wilmington 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 Wilmington — 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 legal in Wilmington, and the regulatory environment is unusually light for a major North Carolina coastal city because the courts gutted the city’s registration scheme. In Schroeder v. City of Wilmington (NC Court of Appeals, 2022), the court held that state law (G.S. 160D-1207(c)) preempts and prohibits Wilmington’s STR registration requirement, striking down the interlinked provisions: the 2% citywide cap, the lottery, the 400-foot separation requirement, proof of shared parking prior to registration, posting of registration numbers, and amortization and termination provisions.
As a result, the city no longer requires STR operators to register or obtain a permit, and does not enforce the cap or spacing rules; the remaining 750-foot spacing language was formally removed effective February 18, 2025. The city also refunded prior registration fees, roughly $443,428.
What survived are general, severable zoning and development standards the court deemed lawful: operators must carry general liability insurance, designate a local natural-person operator or agent who can respond to complaints (reportedly within about three hours) during guest occupancy, and comply with parking, occupancy (roughly two persons per bedroom), and noise rules.
On taxes, all short-term rentals in New Hanover County must collect and remit the 6% Room Occupancy Tax (effective September 1, 2006), in addition to applicable NC state and local sales tax. Enforcement is rated minimal. Net effect for investors: no permit cost, no cap or spacing limits, no owner-occupancy or primary-residence mandate, but standard insurance, local-contact, safety, and tax-collection obligations remain. A November 2024 ordinance amended Chapter 34 to restate residential STR standards.
Market Comparison
This southeastern North Carolina coast market’s June 2026 occupancy of 74.9% runs well above the commonly cited US STR median of roughly 55%, while its $460.25 blended ADR is well above the roughly $220 US median; its luxury tier ($711.20) is more than three times the national ADR benchmark.
Top-property-manager data is not currently published uniquely for Wilmington in this snapshot (tracked at a shared regional level with Sneads Ferry and Ocean Isle Beach instead), so this profile omits a named-operator comparison. Wilmington’s own scale, population 125,267, is far larger than cluster-mate Sneads Ferry’s 2,548, a real character difference worth keeping in mind alongside the shared performance numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wilmington, North Carolina
Are short-term rentals legal in Wilmington, NC?
Does Wilmington require an STR permit or registration?
What is the average daily rate for short-term rentals in Wilmington, NC?
What short-term rental rules still apply in Wilmington?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Wilmington?
What is the gross yield on a Wilmington short-term rental?
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