State College, Pennsylvania Short-Term Rental Market
State College requires owner occupancy and caps rentals at 120 nights, with $518 ADR, 45.2% occupancy, $5,450 revenue.
Quick Answer: State College, Pennsylvania is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the State College market area is 45%. average monthly revenue in the State College market area is $5,450. average daily rate in the State College market area is $518. the top operator in the State College market area is Seven Mountains with 20 listings. market score is 67/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the wider State College market, which covers 3 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to State College.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
This page covers the State College area STR market with data through September 2026. The tracked market includes 1,733 listings: 1,535 entire places, 197 private rooms, and 1 shared room. By channel, 1,223 listings are on Airbnb only, 84 are on Vrbo only, and 426 are on both platforms. Bedroom counts are fairly evenly spread, with 484 one-bedroom, 323 two-bedroom, 495 three-bedroom, 295 four-bedroom, and 135 five-bedroom listings.
In September 2026 the average daily rate across all listings was $518 and occupancy was 45.2%. Average monthly revenue per listing was $5,450. Compared with September 2025, occupancy rose 4.0%, ADR fell 8.7%, and revenue rose 8.8%. Demand is tied closely to Penn State University. A 2024 Longwoods International study counted 5.1 million person-trips to the region, including 1.8 million overnight visitors. Beaver Stadium seats 106,570 people, and football Saturdays, graduation, and major campus events drive the strongest demand.
Investors should read these numbers alongside the regulatory picture. State College permits short-term rentals only in primary residences and limits them to 120 rental days per year, so the headline revenue figures describe a market where most operators cannot run a full-time rental. The town has a population of 40,065, and the typical home value is $420,353. Annual revenue calculated by summing the twelve monthly seasonal averages is $39,457 per listing.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 36% |
| Feb | 46% |
| Mar | 48% |
| Apr | 46% |
| May | 38% |
| Jun | 48% |
| Jul | 54% |
| Aug | 58% |
| Sep | 46% |
| Oct | 42% |
| Nov | 40% |
| Dec | 37% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for State College are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in State College market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the State College market as a whole, which includes State College, so these counts are not State College-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seven Mountains | 20 | 324 | ★ 4.75 |
| 2 | The Bellefonte Campground | 16 | 573 | ★ 4.92 |
| 3 | Evolve | 15 | 287 | ★ 4.74 |
| 4 | Gameday Housing | 14 | 111 | ★ 4.95 |
| 5 | BNB Breeze | 4 | 309 | ★ 4.88 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in State College?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for State College 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 | 70.6% |
| vrbo | 4.8% |
| both | 24.6% |
Home Value Trends (State College)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for State College 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 State College — 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
State College is a strict, owner-occupancy-focused market. Short-term rentals are permitted, but only in primary residences where the owner or a tenant lives at least eight months of the year. This effectively blocks non-owner-occupied investor rentals. Rentals are capped at guest stays of fewer than 29 consecutive days and no more than 120 rental days per year.
A permit is required. Hosts need a Short-Term Rental License from the Borough plus a Rental Housing Permit from Centre Region Code Administration (CRCA), which must be held before applying for the license. The license costs $450 and renews annually. Applications run through the new Rentalscape online system, and all owners must submit new applications regardless of prior licensing.
The Borough adopted Ordinance 2187 in August 2022. Later amendments, Ordinances 2210, 2211, and 2242, added the CRCA permit requirement and confirmed the day-count limits. The rules are designed to preserve the Borough’s residential character and limit nuisance behavior, and enforcement is rated strict.
On taxes, hosts collect and remit the 6% Pennsylvania state hotel occupancy tax plus a 5% Centre County hotel tax, for 11% combined. Investors should treat State College as a place where short-term rentals work mainly as an owner-occupied side use, not as a scalable rental business. Confirm current requirements with the Borough before buying.
Market Comparison
The State College area STR market earns its revenue from rate rather than from filled nights. September 2026 occupancy was 45.2% on an ADR of $518, which is consistent with event-driven demand around Penn State and with a market where supply is limited by regulation.
The seasonal view supports this. Even in the best occupancy month, August at 58.3%, ADR was only $244, while ADR in the fall runs between $392 and $403.
On the supply side, the largest operators in the State College area STR market are Seven Mountains with 20 listings and a 4.7 rating, The Bellefonte Campground with 16 listings and a 4.9 rating across 573 reviews, Evolve with 15 listings, Gameday Housing with 14 listings and a 4.9 rating, and BNB Breeze with 4 listings. Operator scale is small, with the largest holding 20 listings, which fits a market where the owner-occupancy rule discourages large portfolios.
Frequently Asked Questions About State College, Pennsylvania
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What is the average Airbnb nightly rate in State College?
What is the occupancy rate for State College short-term rentals?
How much does a State College short-term rental license cost?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in State College?
What is the gross yield for State College short-term rentals?
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