Harrisonburg, Virginia Short-Term Rental Market
Harrisonburg, VA STRs averaged $244/night at 49.5% occupancy in April 2026, with a market total score of 97.9 out of 100.
Quick Answer: Harrisonburg, Virginia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Shenandoah Valley market area is 53%. average monthly revenue in the Shenandoah Valley market area is $3,923. average daily rate in the Shenandoah Valley market area is $262. the top operator in the Shenandoah Valley market area is Evolve with 130 listings. market score is 98/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the Shenandoah Valley regional market, which includes Harrisonburg. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Harrisonburg.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Harrisonburg is the largest city in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley and a regional hub anchored by James Madison University, which drives year-round visitor demand from parents, students, alumni, and event attendees. The city markets itself as the ‘Adventure Capital of the Shenandoah Valley,’ drawing outdoor recreation visitors for mountain biking (a National Geographic Top 10 Mountain Bike Town designation), hiking near the Swift Run Gap entrance to Shenandoah National Park, and the Shenandoah River. Downtown Harrisonburg is Virginia’s first designated Culinary District and an Arts and Cultural District, with a cluster of breweries and restaurants driving leisure visits. Visitor spending reached a record $243 million in 2024, supporting approximately 2,677 jobs and over $13 million in local tax revenue. As of April 2026, the STR market recorded an average daily rate of $244 and occupancy of 49.5%, producing a RevPAR of $121. Year-over-year, occupancy declined 3.2 percentage points while ADR rose 3.4% and average monthly revenue grew 2.8%. The active listing base totals approximately 4,395 units. Entire-place listings dominate at 4,108 (93.5% of supply), with 285 private-room listings and 2 shared-room listings. The bedroom mix is relatively balanced: 1-bedroom units lead at 1,204, followed by 3-bedrooms at 1,123, 2-bedrooms at 1,052, 4-bedrooms at 575, and 5-bedroom-plus properties at 430. By channel, 2,216 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 1,900 are Airbnb-only, and 279 are VRBO-only. The market’s total score of 97.9 out of 100 and seasonality score of 93.2 signal strong, broadly distributed annual demand.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 39% |
| Feb | 43% |
| Mar | 45% |
| Apr | 52% |
| May | 51% |
| Jun | 54% |
| Jul | 60% |
| Aug | 58% |
| Sep | 49% |
| Oct | 57% |
| Nov | 50% |
| Dec | 45% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Harrisonburg are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Shenandoah Valley market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Shenandoah Valley market as a whole, which includes Harrisonburg, so these counts are not Harrisonburg-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 130 | 8,129 | ★ 4.69 |
| 2 | TripForth | 123 | 3,960 | ★ 4.62 |
| 3 | Bryce Mountain Escapes | 102 | 1,303 | ★ 4.71 |
| 4 | Be Still Getaways | 51 | 4,986 | ★ 4.92 |
| 5 | Vacay Away Vacation Rentals | 40 | 2,965 | ★ 4.53 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Harrisonburg?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Harrisonburg 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 | 43.2% |
| vrbo | 6.3% |
| both | 50.4% |
Home Value Trends (Harrisonburg)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Harrisonburg 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 Harrisonburg — 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
Harrisonburg adopted its short-term rental zoning framework on March 26, 2019, creating a two-tier system. A Homestay operates by-right (no council approval required) only when the operator resides at the property as a primary resident, rents to 4 or fewer guests, for stays under 30 consecutive nights, fewer than 90 nights per calendar year, in a single-family detached, duplex, or townhouse principal dwelling. Any rental arrangement beyond those limits is classified as a Short-Term Rental and requires a Special Use Permit (SUP) reviewed by the Planning Commission and approved by City Council. The SUP application fee is $425 plus $30 per acre. STRs permitted through the SUP process have no fixed owner-occupancy requirement and no night cap unless City Council attaches conditions. All operators, both homestay and STR, must register annually with the Department of Community Development ($25 per year, renewed January 1 through March 1), obtain a city business license from the Commissioner of Revenue, register for state sales tax, and collect and remit the 7.0% transient occupancy tax monthly by the 20th of the following month. An STR business license cannot be issued until the SUP is approved. Both STRs and homestays are allowed in all zoning districts where residential uses are permitted, including multifamily zones. The discretionary SUP process means new whole-home or non-owner-occupied STRs face council-level review. No major regulatory overhaul was identified in the prior 24 months. Enforcement is classified as moderate.
Market Comparison
Against US STR benchmarks of approximately 55% occupancy and a median ADR near $220, Harrisonburg’s April 2026 ADR of $244 is above the national median while its 49.5% occupancy is below. The above-average ADR, combined with a RevPAR of $121 (the highest of the five markets in this analysis), indicates that Harrisonburg generates strong per-available-night revenue despite moderate occupancy. The five largest operators collectively hold 446 listings, representing about 10% of the 4,395-unit market. Evolve leads with 130 listings and 8,129 reviews at a 4.69 rating. TripForth manages 123 listings with 3,960 reviews at a 4.62 rating. Bryce Mountain Escapes holds 102 listings with 1,303 reviews at a 4.71 rating. Be Still Getaways operates 51 listings with 4,986 reviews at a 4.92 rating, the highest average rating in the top five. Vacay Away Vacation Rentals rounds out the top five with 40 listings and 2,965 reviews at a 4.53 rating. The market’s strong seasonality score of 93.2 signals year-round demand stability, while the total score of 97.9 places Harrisonburg among the top-performing markets in the data set.
Frequently Asked Questions About Harrisonburg, Virginia
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