Chincoteague Island, Virginia Short-Term Rental Market
The Chincoteague and Cambridge area averaged $346 ADR, 65.9% occupancy, $6,359 monthly revenue in August 2026.
Quick Answer: Chincoteague Island, Virginia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Cambridge/Salisbury market area is 46%. average monthly revenue in the Cambridge/Salisbury market area is $3,868. average daily rate in the Cambridge/Salisbury market area is $312. 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 Chincoteague Island. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Chincoteague Island.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Chincoteague Island is a barrier island town of 3,279 residents on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. It is the gateway to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague Island, and the refuge draws about 1.5 million visitors a year. Apivex does not track the island alone. It reports one STR series for Chincoteague Island, Virginia and Cambridge, Maryland, two towns on the Delmarva Peninsula. Every performance figure below describes that Delmarva area STR market and not the island by itself.
In August 2026 the Delmarva area market had an average daily rate (ADR) of $346 and occupancy of 65.9%. Average monthly revenue was $6,359. Compared with August 2025, ADR was up 4.4%, revenue was up 1.0% and occupancy was down 4.4%. Price growth is carrying revenue while occupancy softens.
Annual averages show the same pattern. ADR rose from $220 in 2021 to $267 in 2025, and the first eight months of 2026 average $280. Annual occupancy fell from 58.3% in 2021 to 46.6% in 2025, and the first eight months of 2026 average 49.9%. Average monthly revenue was $3,460 in 2025 and is $3,819 across the first eight months of 2026.
The Delmarva area STR market has 2,258 tracked listings. Entire places make up 2,130 of them (94.3%), private rooms 127 and shared rooms 1. By channel, 748 listings are on Airbnb only, 260 are on Vrbo only and 1,250 are on both. Three-bedroom listings are the largest size group at 810, followed by 495 two-bedroom, 399 one-bedroom, 352 four-bedroom and 198 five-bedroom listings. StaySTRA scores the Delmarva area market 64.7 out of 100 overall, with investability at 93.4, revenue growth at 81.9 and seasonality at 46.8.
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 Chincoteague Island 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 Chincoteague Island, so these counts are not Chincoteague Island-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seaside vacation rentals | 210 | 6,224 | ★ 4.73 |
| 2 | Coastal Shore Vacations | 201 | 2,204 | ★ 4.60 |
| 3 | Island Getaways | 123 | 3,129 | ★ 4.80 |
| 4 | Harbour Rentals | 84 | 1,764 | ★ 4.52 |
| 5 | Evolve | 72 | 2,082 | ★ 4.76 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Chincoteague Island?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Chincoteague Island 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 | 11.5% |
| both | 55.4% |
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Chincoteague Island — 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
Chincoteague permits short-term rentals and treats them as part of its tourism economy. Operators need a Town of Chincoteague business license, and each rental property is registered separately. The new business license fee is $50. The annual license tax is $0.13 per $100 of prior-year gross receipts, with a $50 minimum and a $500 maximum. The town mails renewal notices in January, gross receipts reports are due March 1, and the license must be bought by April 30.
Lodging taxes total about 12% of gross receipts. This is a 5% town transient occupancy tax, a 5% Virginia state tax and a 2% Accomack County tax. The profile records no owner-occupancy rule, no primary residence rule and no cap on rental nights. Smoke detectors in bedrooms and common areas and carbon monoxide detectors near fuel-burning appliances are required. Enforcement severity is rated moderate.
The main change is a proposed ordinance. The Planning Commission recommended it in March 2026 after a year of study, and a public hearing was set for June 1, 2026. It would end new STRs by right in the R-1 low-density residential district, which includes areas such as Sunnywood Manor, Piney Island and Smuggler’s Cove. Licensed R-1 properties would be grandfathered and transferable. About 800 of roughly 3,500 island residences operate as STRs. The profile does not record the outcome of the hearing, so confirm the current status with the Town of Chincoteague. This section covers Chincoteague only. it does not cover Cambridge, Maryland.
Market Comparison
The Delmarva area STR market is above the rough US norms of 55% occupancy and a $220 ADR on price, and above on occupancy only in summer. August 2026 occupancy of 65.9% is 10.9 points above 55%, and the $346 ADR is $126 above $220. Annual occupancy averaged only 46.6% in 2025, which is below the national figure. Both national figures are broad estimates.
Operators in the Delmarva area market are local. Seaside vacation rentals leads with 210 listings, a 9.3% share of the 2,258 tracked listings. It has 6,224 reviews and a 4.73 average rating. Coastal Shore Vacations has 201 listings (8.9%) and a 4.60 rating across 2,204 reviews. Island Getaways has 123 listings (5.4%) and a 4.80 rating across 3,129 reviews. Harbour Rentals has 84 listings and Evolve has 72. The top three operators together hold about 23.6% of listings. Operator concentration is moderate. The largest operator holds under 10% of listings, so operators outside the top three hold about 76% of listings in the Delmarva area market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chincoteague Island, Virginia
What is the average Airbnb nightly rate on Chincoteague Island?
Are short-term rentals legal in Chincoteague?
Is Chincoteague changing its STR rules?
What taxes apply to Chincoteague short-term rentals?
What are the best months for STR income in the Delmarva area?
How many STR listings does the Delmarva area market have?
How far ahead do guests book?
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