Fairfax, Virginia Short-Term Rental Market
Fairfax, VA STRs averaged $185/night at 69.2% occupancy in April 2026, but city zoning prohibits non-owner-occupied short-term rentals.
Quick Answer: Fairfax, 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 662 listings. market score is 50/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Washington DC regional market, which includes Fairfax. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Fairfax.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Fairfax City is an independent Virginia city of 25,026 residents approximately 20 miles from Washington, DC, accessible via the Orange Line Metro at Vienna/Fairfax-GMU. It is a history-oriented destination drawing regional visitors, Civil War history enthusiasts, George Mason University-related travelers, and government and business travelers spilling from the DC metro. Historic Old Town Fairfax, founded in 1799, anchors local tourism.
The STR data for this market area reflects platform listings across the broader Fairfax statistical area, which may include properties in adjacent Fairfax County (a distinct jurisdiction with more permissive STR rules) alongside the city itself. Within Fairfax City limits, non-owner-occupied STRs are prohibited (see Regulatory Summary).
In April 2026, the average daily rate across tracked listings was $185 at 69.2% occupancy, producing RevPAR of $128.26. Year-over-year changes are essentially flat: occupancy up 0.19 percentage points, ADR down 2.60%, and per-listing revenue down 0.01%.
The listing mix is large and private-room-heavy for a market this size: 14,836 entire-place listings, 5,170 private rooms, and 68 shared rooms across approximately 20,074 tracked units. Bedroom distribution skews sharply toward 1-bedroom (11,380), reflecting the DC-area corporate and government traveler base. Channel distribution is Airbnb-dominant: 13,456 Airbnb-only, 5,648 on both platforms, and 970 VRBO-only.
Market scores: total 49.9, rental demand 78.3, seasonality 83.9, investability 49.8, revenue growth 46.6, regulation 62.5.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 52% |
| Feb | 59% |
| Mar | 70% |
| Apr | 67% |
| May | 71% |
| Jun | 74% |
| Jul | 72% |
| Aug | 66% |
| Sep | 66% |
| Oct | 69% |
| Nov | 60% |
| Dec | 58% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Fairfax 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 Fairfax, so these counts are not Fairfax-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blueground | 662 | 296 | ★ 4.31 |
| 2 | WeHost | 360 | 6,355 | ★ 4.29 |
| 3 | Sojourn | 322 | 13,402 | ★ 4.75 |
| 4 | Global Luxury Suites | 231 | 2,918 | ★ 4.19 |
| 5 | Evolve | 222 | 5,049 | ★ 4.39 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Fairfax?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Fairfax 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 | 4.8% |
| both | 28.1% |
Home Value Trends (Fairfax)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Fairfax 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 Fairfax — 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
The City of Fairfax is an independent Virginia city distinct from surrounding Fairfax County, and the two have different STR regulations. Within Fairfax City limits, non-owner-occupied short-term rentals are not an allowed use under the zoning ordinance. Whole-home investor rentals on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO are effectively prohibited.
The only authorized pathway for sub-30-day stays is an owner-occupied Bed and Breakfast, which requires a Special Use Permit approved by the City Council. The B&B must be the owner’s primary single-family residence, must be located on an arterial or collector street, cannot be a townhouse or apartment, and individual guest stays must be under 14 consecutive nights. This pathway requires owner-occupancy, primary-residence status, and discretionary council approval, making it unsuitable for investor-owned properties.
Lodging subject to the transient occupancy tax pays a combined rate of 7% through June 30, 2026 (4% City of Fairfax tax plus 3% Northern Virginia Transportation District tax). The City’s adopted FY2027 budget raises the city portion from 4% to 10.5% effective July 1, 2026, lifting the combined transient occupancy tax rate to approximately 13.5%. The increase is projected to generate approximately $812,500 more per year.
Enforcement is rated strict. Investors targeting STR income should research Fairfax County (a distinct, larger jurisdiction) rather than the City of Fairfax, as the county has its own permitting framework.
Market Comparison
At 69.2% occupancy and $185 ADR in April 2026, Fairfax sits well above the US STR median occupancy of approximately 55% and is approaching the national median ADR of roughly $220. RevPAR of $128.26 reflects a high-occupancy, moderate-rate market. The occupancy strength comes from the DC metro demand base: government, military, and university demand creates more consistent year-round pressure than most leisure markets.
The total market score of 49.9 reflects the market’s constraints: high entry cost, regulatory headwinds, and below-median revenue growth (46.6) offset the strong rental demand score (78.3). The investability score of 49.8 is the lowest in this batch, driven primarily by the high home values relative to achievable STR revenue.
The operator mix reflects the DC-area corporate travel character. Blueground leads with 662 listings, a furnished apartment operator focused on monthly and extended-stay corporate tenants. WeHost follows with 360 listings, and Sojourn with 322. Global Luxury Suites (231 listings) confirms the premium corporate demand segment. The top five operators hold a combined 1,797 listings, representing a significant share of the market and signaling that corporate extended-stay is the dominant professional management thesis in this market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fairfax, Virginia
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