Nehalem, Oregon Short-Term Rental Market
The Nehalem area STR market averaged $384 a night at 70.3% occupancy in June 2026, with STR licenses capped citywide.
Quick Answer: Nehalem, Oregon is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Seaside/Rockaway Beach market area is 70%. average monthly revenue in the Seaside/Rockaway Beach market area is $7,161. average daily rate in the Seaside/Rockaway Beach market area is $384. the top operator in the Seaside/Rockaway Beach market area is Vacasa with 706 listings. market score is 57/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Seaside/Rockaway Beach regional market, which includes Nehalem. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Nehalem.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Nehalem area short-term rental market, anchored by the small Oregon coast city of Nehalem near Nehalem Bay State Park, sits within a wider north Oregon Coast market that tracks 4,450 listings as of June 2026; the listing-mix figures below reflect that shared regional data set rather than Nehalem alone. The Nehalem area’s own STR performance averaged $383.90 a night (ADR) at 70.3% occupancy, generating an average of $7,161 in monthly revenue per listing. Occupancy is up 4.0% year over year and revenue is up 4.1%, while ADR is down 2.5%, meaning bookings grew even as nightly rates softened slightly.
The listing mix across this regional market is dominated by entire places: 4,385 of the 4,450 listings (98.5%) are whole units, with 63 (1.4%) private rooms and 2 shared rooms. Of the 4,449 listings with bedroom data on file, 3-bedroom units are the largest group at 1,351 (30.4%), followed by 2-bedroom units at 1,269 (28.5%) and 1-bedroom units at 833 (18.7%). Larger 4-bedroom and 5-bedroom properties account for 693 (15.6%) and 303 (6.8%) of the market.
Channel distribution across the region leans toward dual listing: 3,032 properties (68.1%) are marketed on both Airbnb and Vrbo, 999 (22.4%) are Airbnb only, and 419 (9.4%) are Vrbo only.
Revenue varies by property type in the Nehalem area itself: apartment-style units average $5,213 a month, entire-place units average $7,220, and standalone houses average $7,778, the highest of the three.
Nehalem itself has a tiny population of about 271, but adjacent Nehalem Bay State Park alone reports over 700,000 visitors a year, drawn to camping, beachcombing, kayaking, and fishing on Nehalem Bay.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 31% |
| Feb | 41% |
| Mar | 53% |
| Apr | 54% |
| May | 57% |
| Jun | 68% |
| Jul | 79% |
| Aug | 81% |
| Sep | 62% |
| Oct | 51% |
| Nov | 43% |
| Dec | 36% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Nehalem are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Seaside/Rockaway Beach market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Seaside/Rockaway Beach market as a whole, which includes Nehalem, so these counts are not Nehalem-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 706 | 75,811 | ★ 4.48 |
| 2 | Casago | 310 | 12,161 | ★ 4.42 |
| 3 | Meredith Lodging | 273 | 15,789 | ★ 4.53 |
| 4 | Seaside vacation rentals | 154 | 4,410 | ★ 4.75 |
| 5 | ITrip Vacations | 127 | 6,881 | ★ 4.60 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Nehalem?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Nehalem 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 | 22.4% |
| vrbo | 9.4% |
| both | 68.1% |
Home Value Trends (Nehalem)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Nehalem 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 Nehalem — 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 require an annual Short-Term Rental Operating License in the city of Nehalem, adopted under Municipal Code Chapter 116 via Ordinance 2023-02, effective February 13, 2023. Operating without a license is a Class A civil infraction.
The ordinance was explicitly designed to limit STR growth: a 150-foot spacing buffer prevents any STR from sitting within 150 feet of another, and the total number of licenses is capped, with new applicants placed on a waitlist once slots are full. STRs are allowed in residential and mixed-use buildings but cannot convert existing commercial space to residential use.
Tillamook County levies a 1% transient lodging tax inside incorporated cities including Nehalem, compared with 10% in unincorporated areas, plus Oregon’s 1.5% state lodging tax; Nehalem likely also imposes its own city lodging tax on top of that, so the effective combined rate is higher than 2.5% and should be confirmed directly with City Hall before underwriting a deal.
Enforcement is rated strict. Some sources describe the 2023 ordinance as effectively ending new STR approvals in residential zones, while the codified text frames it as a capped, spacing-limited licensing regime. Either way, investors should treat new entry in Nehalem as difficult and plan on a waitlist rather than immediate approval.
Market Comparison
The Nehalem area’s 70.3% occupancy runs well above the national short-term rental median of roughly 55%, about 15.3 percentage points higher, while its $383.90 ADR is roughly 74.5% above a national median ADR of about $220. This combination of high occupancy and a strong rate premium reflects a concentrated, tourism-driven Oregon coast destination with genuinely constrained new supply given the city’s licensing cap.
Across the wider north Oregon Coast market that includes Nehalem, established coastal property managers lead. Vacasa holds the top spot with 706 listings (15.9% of the region’s 4,450 tracked listings) and 75,811 reviews at a 4.48 average rating. Casago is second with 310 listings (7.0% share) and 12,161 reviews at 4.42. Meredith Lodging ranks third with 273 listings (6.1% share) and 15,789 reviews at 4.53. Together, the top three managers control about 29.0% of tracked listings across this regional market, indicating meaningful professional-management concentration along this stretch of the Oregon coast.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nehalem, Oregon
What is the average Airbnb occupancy rate in the Nehalem, OR area?
What is the average nightly rate for a vacation rental near Nehalem, OR?
Can I get a new short-term rental license in Nehalem?
How much revenue does the average Nehalem area short-term rental generate per month?
When is peak season for vacation rentals near Nehalem?
Who are the top property managers operating along the north Oregon Coast near Nehalem?
What lodging tax applies to short-term rentals in Nehalem?
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