Alexandria, Virginia Short-Term Rental Market
Alexandria STRs averaged $185/night at 69.2% occupancy in April 2026 across roughly 20,100 active listings.
Quick Answer: Alexandria, Virginia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Washington DC market area is 74%. average monthly revenue in the Washington DC market area is $3,714. average daily rate in the Washington DC market area is $186. the top operator in the Washington DC market area is Blueground with 664 listings. market score is 50/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Washington DC regional market, which includes Alexandria. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Alexandria.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Washington DC/Alexandria short-term rental market is one of the largest in the Mid-Atlantic, with roughly 20,100 active listings across the metro area. In April 2026, average daily rates reached $185 and average occupancy sat at 69.2%, producing a RevPAR of $128. The market skews heavily toward Airbnb: 13,486 listings are Airbnb-only, 5,656 appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, and only 980 list exclusively on VRBO. By listing type, entire-place rentals dominate at 14,881 units (74%), with private rooms accounting for 5,173 listings (26%) and shared rooms a negligible 68. By bedroom count, studios and one-bedrooms lead at 11,396 listings, followed by two-bedrooms at 4,304, three-bedrooms at 2,184, four-bedrooms at 1,234, and five-plus-bedrooms at 915. Year-over-year, occupancy improved 21.0 percentage points while ADR declined 2.6%, resulting in essentially flat revenue growth (-0.08%). The market’s rental demand score is 78 out of 100 and its seasonality score is 84 out of 100, reflecting consistent year-round demand driven by government, policy, and tourism traffic.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 52% |
| Feb | 59% |
| Mar | 70% |
| Apr | 67% |
| May | 71% |
| Jun | 74% |
| Jul | 71% |
| Aug | 66% |
| Sep | 66% |
| Oct | 69% |
| Nov | 60% |
| Dec | 58% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Alexandria are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Washington DC market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Washington DC market as a whole, which includes Alexandria, so these counts are not Alexandria-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blueground | 664 | 514 | ★ 4.36 |
| 2 | WeHost | 373 | 6,479 | ★ 4.28 |
| 3 | Sojourn | 323 | 13,478 | ★ 4.75 |
| 4 | Global Luxury Suites | 231 | 2,897 | ★ 4.20 |
| 5 | Evolve | 223 | 5,141 | ★ 4.39 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Alexandria?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Alexandria 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 | 67% |
| vrbo | 4.9% |
| both | 28.1% |
Home Value Trends (Alexandria)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Alexandria 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 Alexandria — 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
Alexandria adopted Ordinance No. 5575 on March 15, 2025, effective September 1, 2025, replacing a voluntary registry with a mandatory annual permitting system. Any residential property rented short-term for more than 10 days per calendar year must hold a city-issued permit obtained through the APEX online portal. The annual permit fee is $350 for investor-owned (non-owner-occupied) properties and $100 for owner-occupied units. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, meaning investor-owned STRs are explicitly permitted. No annual maximum nights cap applies. Maximum occupancy is 2 guests per bedroom plus 2 additional guests, capped at 10. A property and its ADU cannot both be simultaneously listed as separate STRs. Parking minimums apply: 0.75 spaces per bedroom outside transit areas and 0.25 spaces per bedroom within Enhanced Transit Areas. The combined tax burden includes a 9.5% transient lodging tax plus an additional $1.25 per room per night for units accommodating 4 or more persons, plus applicable sales taxes, bringing the effective total to approximately 15.5% plus the flat per-night charge. Hosts must install and photograph smoke detectors, CO alarms, and fire extinguishers, and must notify adjacent property owners by certified mail. Enforcement severity is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
Against national STR benchmarks, the Alexandria/Washington DC market outperforms on occupancy. The US STR median occupancy is approximately 55%; Alexandria averaged 69.2% in April 2026, roughly 14 percentage points above the national median. The market ADR of $185 is below the US median of approximately $220, reflecting the significant share of smaller urban apartments and private rooms that pull the average down. Among operators, Blueground leads with 664 listings, followed by WeHost with 373, Sojourn with 323, Global Luxury Suites with 231, and Evolve with 223. These top 5 operators collectively manage approximately 1,814 listings, about 9% of the total market, indicating a fragmented market where individual hosts retain the majority of inventory. The market’s total score of 50 out of 100 and investability score of 50 suggest average national investment attractiveness despite the above-average occupancy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Alexandria, Virginia
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