Roanoke, Virginia Short-Term Rental Market
Roanoke, VA bars whole-home Airbnb rentals from residential neighborhoods; only owner-occupied homestays or eligible-zone STRs qualify.
Quick Answer: Roanoke, Virginia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Virginia Area market area is 54%. average monthly revenue in the Virginia Area market area is $4,228. average daily rate in the Virginia Area market area is $285. the top operator in the Virginia Area market area is Vacasa with 307 listings. market score is 68/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Virginia Area regional market, which includes Roanoke. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Roanoke.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Roanoke is the hub of “Virginia’s Blue Ridge,” a leisure and outdoor-recreation destination in the Roanoke Valley that generated a record $1.417 billion in regional economic impact in 2024, up 4.4% over 2023, with $923.1 million in direct visitor spending supporting 7,418 jobs. Visitors skew toward outdoor recreation and drive-market travel tied to the Blue Ridge Parkway, greenways, and mountain biking.
Roanoke’s zoning rules significantly narrow who can legally operate a short-term rental. The city distinguishes an owner-occupied “homestay” (allowed in residential zones with a zoning special exception) from a whole-unit short-term rental, which is not permitted in residential districts at all. Whole-unit STRs are only allowed as a dedicated STR establishment on lots of at least 7,000 square feet, and are prohibited outright in the C-3 Commercial, L, and I-1/I-2 industrial districts. In practice, an investor targeting a typical single-family residential property in Roanoke can only operate legally as an owner-occupied homestay, not a standalone investment rental.
In the most recent data month (June 2026), the Roanoke area STR market posted an average daily rate of $285.39 and 54.0% occupancy, with average monthly revenue of roughly $4,228 per listing. Because Roanoke’s zoning bars most non-owner-occupied residential-neighborhood operation, these market-wide figures likely reflect a mix of legal homestays, eligible non-residential-zone properties, and non-compliant listings, rather than a clean read on what a typical residential-zone investor could legally earn.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 35% |
| Feb | 45% |
| Mar | 49% |
| Apr | 50% |
| May | 52% |
| Jun | 58% |
| Jul | 63% |
| Aug | 59% |
| Sep | 49% |
| Oct | 50% |
| Nov | 45% |
| Dec | 40% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Roanoke are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Virginia Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Virginia Area market as a whole, which includes Roanoke, so these counts are not Roanoke-only figures.
| # | 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 Roanoke?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Roanoke 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 | 47.6% |
| vrbo | 10.3% |
| both | 42% |
Home Value Trends (Roanoke)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Roanoke 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 Roanoke — 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
Short-term rentals are legal in the City of Roanoke but tightly zoned. The city distinguishes between a “homestay,” where the owner lives in the dwelling and rents a portion of it, and a whole-unit “short-term rental.” Whole-unit STRs are not permitted in residential districts; they are only allowed as a dedicated STR establishment on lots of at least 7,000 square feet, and are prohibited in the C-3 Commercial, L, and I-1/I-2 industrial districts. Owner-occupied homestays are allowed in residential zones but require a zoning special exception, roughly a $100 application fee plus a $250 legal-advertisement fee, on top of a basic $25 zoning permit. Zoning approval expires upon a change in property ownership.
Beyond zoning, operators must register with the Commissioner of the Revenue, file an annual short-term rental tax certification, and collect and remit the city’s 8% transient occupancy tax. Because whole-home STR in residential neighborhoods is effectively barred, investors targeting Roanoke City typically need either owner-occupancy (homestay) or a property in an eligible non-residential or mixed district.
The city and Roanoke County are separate jurisdictions with different rules; the county charges a 7% transient tax and can require a special use permit. Virginia state law effective for ordinances after December 31, 2023 also bars localities from requiring a special exception or conditional-use permit for an STR in a dwelling that is the owner’s primary residence, which constrains how strictly the city can regulate owner-occupied rentals going forward.
Market Comparison
Roanoke’s most recent occupancy of 54.0% sits close to the commonly cited US STR median of around 55%, while its $285.39 ADR runs above the national median ADR of roughly $220, by about 30%. That combination, roughly median occupancy paired with an above-median rate, reflects Roanoke’s positioning as a premium outdoor-recreation destination for the Blue Ridge Parkway market.
Because Roanoke’s zoning meaningfully restricts who can legally operate a whole-home STR, this comparison describes the city’s broader tracked market rather than the narrower set of legally compliant operators (homestays and eligible non-residential-zone properties). Property-manager-level data for this market is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Roanoke, so this profile omits it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Roanoke, Virginia
Can I buy a house in a Roanoke, VA neighborhood and rent it out nightly on Airbnb?
What is a homestay in Roanoke's short-term rental rules?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Roanoke?
Does Roanoke City's zoning special exception transfer to a new owner?
What is the busiest month for short-term rentals in Roanoke?
Is Roanoke City the same as Roanoke County for short-term rental rules?
How much does a home cost in Roanoke, VA?
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