Bristol, Virginia Short-Term Rental Market
Bristol, VA STRs averaged $209/night at 48.1% occupancy in April 2026, on the Tennessee state line with no formal STR permit ordinance adopted.
Quick Answer: Bristol, Virginia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Virginia Area market area is 54%. average monthly revenue in the Virginia Area market area is $4,228. average daily rate in the Virginia Area market area is $285. the top operator in the Virginia Area market area is Vacasa with 307 listings. market score is 68/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Virginia Area regional market, which includes Bristol. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Bristol.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Bristol is an independent city on the Virginia-Tennessee state line, sharing a main street with Bristol, Tennessee. The area draws visitors to Bristol Motor Speedway, the Appalachian Trail gateway, and the Blue Ridge Music Center. In April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $209 and occupancy of 48.1%, generating $101 in RevPAR. Year-over-year, occupancy dipped 1.5 percentage points while ADR grew 3.7% and average monthly revenue held essentially flat (+0.1%).
The listing mix is primarily entire-place rentals: 8,447 entire-place listings versus 930 private rooms and 3 shared rooms. One-bedroom units lead at 2,844 listings, followed by three-bedroom (2,252), two-bedroom (2,050), four-bedroom (1,252), and five-bedroom-plus (962). Channel distribution shows 4,468 listings on Airbnb only, 3,942 on both platforms, and 970 on VRBO only. The investability score of 88.6 and revenue growth score of 68.2 out of 100 are above average. The total market score of 68.0 reflects solid fundamentals for a Virginia/Tennessee border market.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 35% |
| Feb | 45% |
| Mar | 49% |
| Apr | 50% |
| May | 52% |
| Jun | 58% |
| Jul | 63% |
| Aug | 59% |
| Sep | 49% |
| Oct | 50% |
| Nov | 45% |
| Dec | 40% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Bristol are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Virginia Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Virginia Area market as a whole, which includes Bristol, so these counts are not Bristol-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 307 | 10,477 | ★ 4.56 |
| 2 | Evolve | 300 | 11,480 | ★ 4.79 |
| 3 | Lakefront Luxury | 72 | 3,402 | ★ 4.94 |
| 4 | Casago | 68 | 1,099 | ★ 4.60 |
| 5 | Blue Ridge Escapes | 59 | 1,931 | ★ 4.79 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Bristol?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Bristol 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 | 47.6% |
| vrbo | 10.3% |
| both | 42% |
Home Value Trends (Bristol)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Bristol 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 Bristol — 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
Bristol, Virginia has no publicly adopted standalone short-term rental ordinance as of May 2026. The Planning Commission discussed draft STR regulations in May 2023 but no finalized permit requirement, registration fee, or owner-occupancy mandate has been confirmed in city code or public announcements. STRs currently appear to be permitted under general land use provisions.
The primary compliance obligation is the transient room rental tax, which increased from 13% to 15% effective July 1, 2024, per unanimous Bristol City Council vote as part of the FY 2024-25 budget. Virginia state law (effective January 1, 2024) bars new local ordinances from requiring special use permits for owner-occupied STRs. No owner-occupancy requirement is confirmed as in effect. Enforcement is rated minimal. Note: Bristol, Tennessee (across the state line) may have separate requirements; operators should confirm which jurisdiction their property falls under.
Market Comparison
Against national benchmarks of roughly 55% median occupancy and $220 median ADR, Bristol’s April 2026 occupancy of 48.1% is 7 percentage points below the national median, while the $209 ADR is 5% below the national baseline. The exceptionally affordable home price ($204,956 typical value) is the defining investment characteristic, producing a gross yield approximately double the national average for comparable ADR markets.
Vacasa leads with 307 listings, 10,477 reviews, and a 4.56 average rating. Evolve ranks second with 300 listings and 11,480 reviews (4.79 rating). Lakefront Luxury holds third with 72 listings and 3,402 reviews (4.94 rating). The top three operators manage 679 listings combined in a market of approximately 9,380 total listings. Lakefront Luxury’s 4.94 rating is the highest among top-three PMs in this entire 25-area batch.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bristol, Virginia
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