Clemson, South Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Clemson, SC STRs averaged $225 per night at 47.1% occupancy in April 2026, driven by Clemson University event demand.
Quick Answer: Clemson, South Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 56%. average monthly revenue is $4,048. average daily rate is $311. the top operator is Evolve with 146 listings. market score is 47/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Lake Hartwell regional market, which includes Clemson. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Clemson.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Clemson is a college town of roughly 18,000 residents in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, anchored by Clemson University’s approximately 29,000 students. Memorial Stadium, seating over 80,000, generates intense episodic demand for short-term rentals on football Saturdays, graduation weekends, and major campus events.
As of April 2026, the market posted a 47.1% occupancy rate and an average daily rate (ADR) of $225, producing a RevPAR of $106 and average monthly revenue of $2,677 per listing. Year-over-year as of April 2026, occupancy increased 0.5 percentage points, ADR rose 1.7%, and revenue per listing declined 2.0%.
The listing mix is almost entirely entire-place accommodations: 2,799 entire-place listings alongside 162 private rooms. By bedroom count, the market skews toward larger properties, with three-bedroom units most common (780 listings), followed by two-bedroom (715), four-bedroom (504), and one-bedroom (631) properties. Five-bedroom units account for 327 listings.
On distribution channels, 1,371 listings operate on both Airbnb and VRBO. Airbnb-only counts 1,253 listings and VRBO-only 337. The composite Apivex market score is 47.3 out of 100. Investability scores 88.6, reflecting high event-driven demand potential, while revenue growth (44.7) and seasonality stability (53.5) scores are lower, reflecting the market’s episodic nature.
Important note for investors: Clemson’s city ordinance caps STR rentals at 25 nights per calendar year per property. This fundamentally shapes the market’s economics and must be understood before analyzing income figures.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29% | $172 | $1,606 |
| Feb | 43% | $158 | $1,651 |
| Mar | 47% | $174 | $2,098 |
| Apr | 48% | $202 | $2,502 |
| May | 50% | $249 | $3,120 |
| Jun | 60% | $274 | $4,191 |
| Jul | 66% | $274 | $4,790 |
| Aug | 54% | $259 | $3,760 |
| Sep | 45% | $266 | $3,109 |
| Oct | 44% | $238 | $2,946 |
| Nov | 44% | $244 | $2,885 |
| Dec | 35% | $205 | $2,306 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Clemson
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 146 | 6,530 | ★ 4.75 |
| 2 | Linton Realty | 86 | 5,662 | ★ 4.96 |
| 3 | Cope Property Management | 47 | 913 | ★ 4.76 |
| 4 | Clemson Vacation Rentals | 36 | 667 | ★ 4.88 |
| 5 | Oconee Hospitality | 31 | 1,572 | ★ 4.91 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Clemson?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 631 |
| 2 bed | 715 |
| 3 bed | 780 |
| 4 bed | 504 |
| 5 bed | 327 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $318 |
| Luxury | $564 |
| Professionally Managed | $404 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,110 |
| Entire Place | $4,179 |
| House | $4,688 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 42.3% |
| vrbo | 11.4% |
| both | 46.3% |
Investment Analysis
Clemson’s STR investment case is unlike most markets because of a hard 25-night-per-year rental cap under the city’s 2015 ordinance (Code Chapter 13, Article IV). Monthly STR revenue figures in this market reflect a spread across all operators in aggregate data and do not represent what any single property can earn under that 25-night ceiling.
No Zillow housing snapshot data was available for Clemson at the time of this analysis, so a gross yield calculation cannot be provided.
Within the regulatory cap, the ADR data suggests strong per-night pricing power: the all-listings ADR is $225, entire-home listings average $232, and professionally managed listings average $284. Luxury-tier listings reach $425 per night. On football Saturdays alone, nightly rates can far exceed these averages based on the evident event-driven premium in the monthly ADR figures.
At 25 nights per year and an ADR of $225, the maximum allowable gross revenue per property would approach $5,625 annually. Operators targeting the most lucrative evenings (seven home football Saturdays, graduation, major university events) can concentrate revenue into those nights.
Larger houses perform better: houses average $2,939 per month in aggregate data versus $2,677 at the market level, and entire-place listings average $2,740. Apartments average $1,885. The investability score of 88.6 reflects the premium pricing environment, but the regulatory constraint is the binding factor for investors modeling annual income.
Historically, 2025 annual average revenue was $3,123 per listing, down from $3,146 in 2024.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
Run a Free Address Analysis
Skip the market averages. Get revenue projections, comp analysis, and ROI for your specific property address. Free, instant, no signup required.
Analyze My Property →Home Value Trends (Clemson)
Booking Insights
In April 2026, Clemson STR guests booked an average of 48.7 days in advance and stayed an average of 3.8 nights per visit.
A nearly 49-day lead time is among the longer booking windows in the region and makes intuitive sense for a university event market. Football tickets, hotel rooms, and rental accommodations around game weekends are planned well in advance by repeat visitors, alumni, and sports fans. For operators with the 25-night annual cap, this long lead time is an advantage: peak-demand nights can be priced aggressively and held firm, knowing that demand will materialize.
The 3.8-night average length of stay reflects a blend of game-weekend trips (typically two to three nights) and longer stays around graduation, move-in, and summer vacation weeks. This is moderate turnover for a college-town market.
For operators maximizing the 25-night allowance, the booking lead time data supports listing peak event nights four to eight weeks out with premium pricing, then opening remaining nights at lower rates to fill any remaining allowed rental days.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Clemson permits short-term rentals under a registration-based ordinance (City Code Chapter 13, Article IV) adopted in 2015. The most significant constraint for investors is a hard cap of 25 rental nights per calendar year per registered property.
Registration costs $100 per dwelling annually. The registration year runs April 15 through April 14 and expires every April 14. There is no proration or refund for partial years.
There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement. Non-owner-occupied properties must designate a responsible agent within a 75-mile radius for care, maintenance, and emergencies. Occupancy is capped at 2 persons per bedroom plus 2 additional persons, with a maximum of 10 total occupants.
Operators must display a city-issued sign or decal visible from the street during all rental days and maintain a guest log.
Guests pay a 2% City of Clemson local accommodations tax, plus South Carolina’s 5% sales tax and 2% state accommodations tax, for a combined accommodations tax of approximately 9%. The city’s local accommodations tax is remitted monthly.
Enforcement is at moderate severity, with violation and registration revocation provisions (Sections 13-80 and 13-81). South Carolina’s legislature considered statewide STR preemption legislation (2025-2026 Bill 442) that could affect local authority if enacted. As of mid-2026, Clemson’s 2015 ordinance remains in force. Investors should confirm current regulatory status with the City of Clemson Planning and Development office.
Market Comparison
Against national STR benchmarks, Clemson’s April 2026 occupancy of 47.1% is below the US median of approximately 55%, while its $225 ADR exceeds the national median of roughly $220. The market earns above-average nightly rates but with below-average occupancy, reflecting the event-driven, episodic nature of demand rather than sustained year-round travel.
The overall composite score of 47.3 out of 100 places Clemson below the national midpoint on aggregate metrics, primarily due to revenue growth (44.7) and seasonality (53.5). The exceptional investability score of 88.6 reflects the premium pricing environment and strong event demand.
Professional operators maintain a visible presence. Evolve leads with 146 listings and 6,530 reviews (4.75 rating). Linton Realty holds 86 listings with 5,662 reviews and a notable 4.96 rating. Clemson Vacation Rentals operates 36 local listings with a 4.88 rating. Oconee Hospitality manages 31 listings with 1,572 reviews at 4.91. Together, the top five operators manage approximately 346 listings against an estimated 2,961 total active listings.
The 25-night annual cap does not prevent professional management from operating; it does mean professional operators in this market specialize in optimizing a smaller number of high-value rental nights rather than maximizing occupancy days.
Frequently Asked Questions About Clemson, South Carolina
How many nights per year can a short-term rental operate in Clemson, SC?
What is the average nightly rate for STRs in Clemson, SC?
What occupancy rate do Clemson STRs achieve?
How much can a Clemson STR gross under the 25-night cap?
What does it cost to register an STR in Clemson?
What taxes apply to Clemson short-term rentals?
Who are the top property managers operating in Clemson?
Analyze Clemson Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Clemson.
Free Clemson STR Calculator →
