Cape Charles, Virginia Short-Term Rental Market
Cape Charles STRs averaged $248/night at 42.3% occupancy in April 2026 across roughly 2,260 active listings.
Quick Answer: Cape Charles, Virginia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Cambridge/Salisbury market area is 64%. average monthly revenue in the Cambridge/Salisbury market area is $5,574. average daily rate in the Cambridge/Salisbury market area is $345. the top operator in the Cambridge/Salisbury market area is Seaside vacation rentals with 210 listings. market score is 65/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Cambridge/Salisbury regional market, which includes Cape Charles. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Cape Charles.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Cape Charles, Virginia is a small coastal market on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay with approximately 2,260 active short-term rental listings. In April 2026, the average daily rate was $248 and average occupancy sat at 42.3%, producing a RevPAR of $105. The market is more VRBO-oriented than most: of 2,258 tracked listings, 1,250 (55%) appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 747 (33%) are Airbnb-only, and 261 (12%) are VRBO-only. By listing type, entire-place rentals dominate at 2,130 units (94%), with private rooms at 127 and shared rooms essentially absent. The bedroom mix skews toward larger properties: three-bedroom units lead at 812 listings, followed by two-bedrooms at 495, one-bedrooms at 397, four-bedrooms at 352, and five-plus-bedrooms at 198. Year-over-year, occupancy declined 6.3 percentage points while ADR rose 5.0%, resulting in a net revenue decline of 1.8%. The market’s investability score is 93 out of 100 and its revenue growth score is 82 out of 100, making it one of the stronger small coastal markets by investment metrics despite the soft April occupancy.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 30% |
| Feb | 38% |
| Mar | 44% |
| Apr | 47% |
| May | 51% |
| Jun | 65% |
| Jul | 73% |
| Aug | 69% |
| Sep | 48% |
| Oct | 37% |
| Nov | 33% |
| Dec | 33% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Cape Charles are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Cambridge/Salisbury market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Cambridge/Salisbury market as a whole, which includes Cape Charles, so these counts are not Cape Charles-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seaside vacation rentals | 210 | 6,216 | ★ 4.73 |
| 2 | Coastal Shore Vacations | 201 | 2,198 | ★ 4.60 |
| 3 | Island Getaways | 123 | 3,120 | ★ 4.80 |
| 4 | Harbour Rentals | 84 | 1,761 | ★ 4.52 |
| 5 | Evolve | 71 | 2,067 | ★ 4.77 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Cape Charles?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Cape Charles 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 | 33.1% |
| vrbo | 11.6% |
| both | 55.4% |
Home Value Trends (Cape Charles)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Cape Charles 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 Cape Charles — 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
Cape Charles adopted a Short-Term Rental Zoning Ordinance on November 21, 2024, converting non-owner-occupied STRs from a by-right use to a Conditional Use Permit process. Non-owner-occupied operators must obtain a CUP from the Town Council through a public hearing with neighbor notification. Properties hosting 10 or more guests require a separate additional CUP. Operators already holding valid licenses with demonstrated tax compliance were grandfathered. Under Virginia Code 15.2-983 (amended, effective January 1, 2024), owner-occupied primary residences cannot be required to obtain a CUP, and because Cape Charles adopted its ordinance after that date, the state law preempts the CUP requirement for owner-occupant operators. All STR operators must register with the Commissioner of the Revenue under Virginia Code 58.1-3819. Northampton County levies a transient occupancy tax of 2% for properties within Cape Charles town limits (the countywide rate is 5% outside town). An additional town-level transient occupancy tax may apply; the current town rate was not confirmed in publicly accessible official sources and is omitted here. Taxes are remitted quarterly. Electronic TOT filing launched April 1, 2026. CUP denials trigger a one-year suspension before reapplication. Enforcement severity is rated moderate. Northampton County is also advancing a separate STR ordinance with a proposed effective date of July 1, 2026.
Market Comparison
Against national STR benchmarks, Cape Charles shows below-average occupancy but well-above-average ADR. The US STR median occupancy is approximately 55%; Cape Charles averaged 42.3% in April 2026, which is the off-peak shoulder month for this market. In peak July, occupancy reaches 72.8%, well above the national median. The market ADR of $248 in April exceeds the US median of approximately $220, reflecting the premium coastal positioning and the dominance of entire-place vacation rentals. Among operators, Seaside Vacation Rentals leads with 210 listings, followed by Coastal Shore Vacations with 201 and Island Getaways with 123. The top 5 operators collectively manage 689 listings, approximately 31% of total market inventory, indicating a relatively consolidated management landscape for a market of this size. The market’s total score of 65 and investability score of 93 place it above average nationally for investment fundamentals.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cape Charles, Virginia
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