Wilmington, North Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Southeastern North Carolina coast STRs, including Wilmington, averaged $443 ADR at 61.7% occupancy and $7,594 monthly revenue in August 2026.
Quick Answer: Wilmington, North Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Wilmington market area is 51%. average monthly revenue in the Wilmington market area is $5,179. average daily rate in the Wilmington market area is $382. 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
The southeastern North Carolina coast STR market averaged $443.10 per night at 61.7% occupancy in August 2026. Average monthly revenue was $7,594 per listing. Apivex reports Wilmington, Ocean Isle Beach and Sneads Ferry as one shared series, so these figures describe the coast and not Wilmington alone.
Year over year, ADR rose 7.9% and monthly revenue rose 3.1%, while occupancy fell 6.0%. Annual averages show a steady move toward higher rates. ADR averaged $314 in 2025 against $190 in 2017, while occupancy averaged 51.4% in 2025 against 48.9% in 2017. The first eight months of 2026 average $348 ADR and 56.7% occupancy, though that year covers only eight months and is not directly comparable to full years.
Wilmington has a population of 125,267 and sits in New Hanover County, a major North Carolina coastal destination anchored by Wrightsville, Carolina and Kure beaches and a historic riverfront downtown. In 2024 visitors spent nearly $1.14 billion county-wide, a 1.5% increase over 2023, which ranked New Hanover 8th of 100 North Carolina counties. Tourism directly employed 7,003 people, and room occupancy tax collections exceeded $25 million. Visitors are largely domestic leisure travelers drawn to the beaches, the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA, the Riverwalk and film-industry sites. No annual visitor head-count is published.
Listing counts, bedroom mix, channel mix and top operator rankings are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Wilmington, so this profile omits them.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 32% |
| Feb | 45% |
| Mar | 56% |
| Apr | 56% |
| May | 60% |
| Jun | 76% |
| Jul | 81% |
| Aug | 68% |
| 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 rules are unusually light for a North Carolina coastal market. In Schroeder v. City of Wilmington in 2022, the North Carolina Court of Appeals held that state law G.S. 160D-1207(c) preempts the city’s STR registration requirement. The court struck down the 2% city-wide cap, the lottery, the 400-foot separation rule, the shared-parking proof, the posting of registration numbers and the termination provisions. The city stopped requiring registration and refunded about $443,428 in prior fees. It removed the remaining 750-foot spacing language on February 18, 2025. A November 2024 ordinance amended Chapter 34 to restate residential STR standards.
Some general zoning and development standards survived. Operators must carry general liability insurance and designate a local natural-person agent who can respond to complaints during guest stays, reportedly within about three hours. Parking, noise and occupancy rules apply, with occupancy at roughly two persons per bedroom. Zoning district and land-use rules still apply.
All short-term rentals in New Hanover County must collect and remit the 6% Room Occupancy Tax, in addition to North Carolina state and local sales tax. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement. Enforcement is rated minimal.
Market Comparison
Against the US reference figures of about 55% median occupancy and about $220 median ADR, the coast series ran above both in August 2026. Occupancy of 61.7% is about 6.7 points above the 55% reference. The $443.10 rate is about 2.0 times $220. The annual picture is closer on occupancy. In 2025 occupancy averaged 51.4%, below the 55% reference, at a $314 ADR.
Within North Carolina the same series covers Ocean Isle Beach and Sneads Ferry, so Wilmington cannot be separated from them in this data. The area profile describes Wilmington as having no permit cost, no cap or spacing limits and minimal enforcement.
Top property manager rankings are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Wilmington, so this profile omits operator shares.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wilmington, North Carolina
Are short-term rentals legal in Wilmington, NC?
Does Wilmington cap short-term rentals?
What is the average daily rate on the southeastern North Carolina coast?
What is the average occupancy rate?
What taxes apply to Wilmington short-term rentals?
How much does a home cost in Wilmington?
How far ahead do guests book and how long do they stay?
Analyze Wilmington Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Wilmington.
Free Wilmington STR Calculator →
