Washington, District of Columbia Short-Term Rental Market
DC limits STRs to primary residences; STRs averaged $165/night at 62.4% occupancy, $2,934 monthly in August 2026.
Quick Answer: Washington, District of Columbia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Washington DC market area is 66%. average monthly revenue in the Washington DC market area is $3,036. average daily rate in the Washington DC market area is $170. the top operator in the Washington DC market area is Blueground with 664 listings. market score is 50/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Washington DC regional market, which includes Washington. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Washington.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Washington, D.C. has one of the most restrictive short-term rental regimes in the United States. Only an operator’s primary residence can be listed, investment properties and second homes are prohibited, and unhosted rentals are capped at 90 nights a year. Anyone reading the market numbers below should keep those limits in mind.
In August 2026, the average short-term rental in Washington earned an average daily rate (ADR) of $165 at 62.4% occupancy. Average monthly revenue per listing was $2,934. Entire-place rentals averaged $203 per night, which is 23% above the all-listing ADR because the all-listing figure also includes private rooms. The most recent count of active listings in the city is 6,560, from November 2025.
Year over year, the August numbers were nearly flat. Occupancy rose 0.9%, ADR rose 1.2%, and monthly revenue fell 0.3% compared with August 2025. Annual average occupancy peaked at 68.5% in 2022 and was 64.3% in 2025. Annual average ADR climbed from $110 in 2020 to $167 in 2025, and the 2026 year-to-date average is $171. Average monthly revenue was $3,039 in 2025 and $3,135 across January through August 2026.
Demand comes from a large and varied visitor base. The city recorded 27.2 million visitors in 2024, including 25 million domestic and 2.2 million international travelers. Thirty percent of domestic visitors traveled for business. Draws include the National Mall, the Smithsonian museums, and the US Capitol.
Listing-type, bedroom, channel, and property manager figures are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Washington, so this profile omits them.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 52% |
| Feb | 59% |
| Mar | 70% |
| Apr | 67% |
| May | 71% |
| Jun | 74% |
| Jul | 71% |
| Aug | 66% |
| Sep | 66% |
| Oct | 69% |
| Nov | 60% |
| Dec | 58% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Washington 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 Washington, so these counts are not Washington-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blueground | 664 | 514 | ★ 4.36 |
| 2 | WeHost | 373 | 6,479 | ★ 4.28 |
| 3 | Sojourn | 323 | 13,478 | ★ 4.75 |
| 4 | Global Luxury Suites | 231 | 2,897 | ★ 4.20 |
| 5 | Evolve | 223 | 5,141 | ★ 4.39 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Washington?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Washington 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 | 4.9% |
| both | 28.1% |
Home Value Trends (Washington)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Washington 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 Washington — 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 permitted only at the operator’s primary residence. The property must qualify for the DC Homestead Tax Deduction. Investment properties, second homes, and properties owned by LLCs or other business entities are prohibited. Enforcement is rated strict. The Short-Term Rental Regulation Act of 2018 took effect in December 2021, and enforcement began in April 2022.
Operators need a DC Basic Business License with a Short-Term Rental or Vacation Rental endorsement, issued by the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. The license costs $99 for a two-year term. Applicants need a Certificate of Clean Hands, liability insurance of at least $250,000, and self-certification of housing code compliance. Condo, co-op, and HOA properties need written proof that the governing body permits STRs.
The hosted Short-Term Rental endorsement has no annual night limit, but the owner must be present and each stay is capped at 30 consecutive nights. The unhosted Vacation Rental endorsement allows the owner to be absent but caps rentals at 90 nights per calendar year. Work or medical exemptions to the cap need a separate application. Maximum occupancy is eight guests or two per bedroom, whichever is greater.
The transient accommodations tax is 15.95%, raised from 14.95% in April 2023 and extended through September 30, 2027. No change to the primary-residence rule or the 90-night cap was enacted through May 2026.
Market Comparison
The benchmark for US short-term rentals is roughly 55% occupancy and a median ADR near $220. Washington beat the benchmark on occupancy and fell short on price in August 2026. Occupancy of 62.4% is 7.4 percentage points above it, while the ADR of $165 is 25% below it.
The 2025 annual figures follow the same pattern. Occupancy averaged 64.3%, about 9 points above the benchmark, and ADR averaged $167, 24% below it. The market fills reliably but at lower nightly rates, which is typical of a large city with many hotel rooms and room-only listings. Entire-home listings at $203 come closer to the national figure.
Compared with its own history, ADR has risen steadily from $110 in 2020 to $167 in 2025. Occupancy has eased from the 68.5% peak in 2022 to 64.3% in 2025, so revenue growth has come from rate.
Operator concentration is not shown here. Property manager rankings are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Washington, so this profile omits them. Because the city bars business entities from holding STR licenses, most operators are individual residents.
