Fredericksburg, Virginia Short-Term Rental Market
Fredericksburg, VA STRs averaged $209/night at 48.1% occupancy in April 2026 across a market of roughly 9,380 active listings.
Quick Answer: Fredericksburg, Virginia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 54%. average monthly revenue is $4,228. average daily rate is $285. the top operator is Vacasa with 307 listings. market score is 68/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Virginia Area regional market, which includes Fredericksburg. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Fredericksburg.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Fredericksburg occupies a strategic position midway between Washington, D.C. and Richmond, drawing a steady flow of heritage tourists, weekend leisure travelers, and corridor day-trippers. The short-term rental market is substantial, with roughly 9,380 active listings as of the latest snapshot. Entire-place rentals dominate at 8,447 units (90% of supply), with 930 private rooms and just 3 shared-room listings rounding out the mix. On the platform side, Airbnb accounts for 4,468 listings and VRBO for 970, with another 3,942 appearing on both channels simultaneously.
In April 2026, the market posted a $209 average daily rate and 48.1% occupancy, producing $100.59 in RevPAR. Monthly revenue averaged $2,656 per active listing. Year-over-year, ADR gained 3.7% while occupancy dipped 1.5%, leaving revenue essentially flat at +0.1%. By bedroom count, 1-bedroom units lead supply at 2,844 listings, followed by 3-bedrooms (2,252), 2-bedrooms (2,050), 4-bedrooms (1,252), and 5-bedrooms (962). The market’s overall investability score of 88.6 (out of 100) is notably strong, with a total market score of 68.0.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35% | $152 | $1,673 |
| Feb | 45% | $150 | $1,662 |
| Mar | 49% | $165 | $2,072 |
| Apr | 50% | $186 | $2,423 |
| May | 52% | $224 | $2,891 |
| Jun | 58% | $245 | $3,719 |
| Jul | 63% | $238 | $4,053 |
| Aug | 59% | $237 | $3,817 |
| Sep | 49% | $214 | $2,810 |
| Oct | 50% | $203 | $2,833 |
| Nov | 45% | $195 | $2,400 |
| Dec | 40% | $173 | $2,104 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Fredericksburg
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | 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 Fredericksburg?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,844 |
| 2 bed | 2,050 |
| 3 bed | 2,252 |
| 4 bed | 1,252 |
| 5 bed | 962 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $302 |
| Luxury | $568 |
| Professionally Managed | $425 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,427 |
| Entire Place | $4,497 |
| House | $4,820 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 47.6% |
| vrbo | 10.3% |
| both | 42% |
Investment Analysis
Fredericksburg’s STR economics reflect a mid-tier yield profile with meaningful upside for well-positioned properties. At the all-listings average of $2,656/month, an investor targeting an annualized gross revenue of approximately $31,875 against a typical home value of $485,014 would see a gross yield near 6.6%. That figure improves meaningfully for entire-place properties, which averaged $2,803/month, and houses specifically averaged $2,932/month, pushing annualized gross toward $35,184.
ADR segmentation reveals a significant premium at the top: the luxury tier commands $424/night versus the all-listings average of $209, and professionally managed properties average $279/night compared to the broad market. This 33% PM premium over the market average suggests that professional management or luxury-tier positioning can materially shift economics. Entire-home ADR ($221) runs modestly above the all-listings figure, consistent with the market’s composition skewing toward entire-place rentals.
Revenue growth has stalled at the aggregate level (+0.1% YoY) after peaking in 2021 at $3,241/month (annual average). The 2025 full-year average of $3,087/month was the strongest since 2021, suggesting a stabilization trend. For investors, the 88.6 investability score and 68.2% revenue-growth score indicate the market’s fundamentals are sound, though near-term occupancy compression warrants attention.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Fredericksburg guests book an average of 45.1 days in advance, with an average length of stay of 3.79 nights. The 45-day lead time suggests a planning-ahead traveler base, common for heritage tourism destinations where itinerary-building is part of the experience. For operators, this window supports dynamic pricing adjustments roughly 6 weeks out without materially impacting booking velocity.
The 3.8-night average stay is longer than a typical weekend trip (2 nights), indicating guests frequently extend stays to accommodate multiple Civil War sites, the historic downtown, and surrounding attractions. Longer stays reduce per-night cleaning costs and increase effective revenue per booking. Operators managing turnover costs should price minimum stays of 3-4 nights during peak season to capture the full average stay value while controlling labor costs.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Fredericksburg regulates short-term rentals through zoning rather than a standalone STR ordinance. An STR is permitted only if it fits one of the defined use categories in the Unified Development Ordinance: bed-and-breakfast inn, historic dependency lodging, homestay, hotel/motel, or extended-stay hotel. A Certificate of Zoning Use (zoning permit) is required to operate; where a hotel or B&B use is not permitted in the zoning district, a Homestay Permit is required instead.
The homestay path is the most accessible for owner-residents but is significantly restricted: the unit must be the operator’s principal dwelling, is capped at 2 guest bedrooms and 4 guests at a time, allows only one kitchen, and is limited to 90 rental nights per calendar year. Both owner-occupied and primary-residence requirements apply to this path. Investor-style whole-home STRs must qualify as a B&B or hotel use, which is zoning-district-dependent. Lodging is subject to an 8% transient occupancy tax (effective July 1, 2023), plus a separate 1% short-term rental business tax on gross proceeds for qualifying STR businesses. Enforcement is handled by the city’s Zoning Administrator. Investors should verify permitted-use eligibility for their specific parcel and zoning district before acquiring property, as non-owner-occupied operations are not guaranteed to be permissible.
Market Comparison
Against U.S. STR benchmarks (median occupancy approximately 55%, median ADR approximately $220), Fredericksburg’s April 2026 reading of 48.1% occupancy sits about 7 percentage points below the national median, while its $209 ADR is close to the national median. RevPAR of $100.59 reflects the occupancy gap. The 2025 annual average occupancy of 48.8% confirms this is a structurally softer-occupancy market that partially compensates with competitive ADR.
On the operator side, the market is fragmented but professionally managed at the top. Vacasa leads with 307 listings and 10,477 reviews at a 4.56 average rating. Evolve is a close second with 300 listings and 11,480 reviews at a stronger 4.79 rating. Together, Vacasa and Evolve account for roughly 607 listings, or about 6.5% of total supply. Lakefront Luxury (72 listings, 4.94 rating) and Blue Ridge Escapes (59 listings, 4.79 rating) represent specialized operators serving the premium and regional segments. The market’s investability score of 88.6 is well above average, suggesting favorable underlying conditions despite near-term occupancy softness.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fredericksburg, Virginia
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