Anacortes, Washington Short-Term Rental Market
Anacortes, WA STRs averaged $233/night at 53.6% occupancy in April 2026, but new short-term rentals are prohibited citywide under Ordinance 4075 (April 2024).
Quick Answer: Anacortes, Washington is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 54%. average monthly revenue is $3,256. average daily rate is $233. the top operator is Vacasa with 325 listings. market score is 70/100 (grade B).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Anacortes is a small Washington city of approximately 17,966 residents on Fidalgo Island, serving as the primary ferry gateway to the San Juan Islands and positioned 9 miles north of Deception Pass State Park (Washington’s most-visited state park with approximately 3.4 million annual visitors in 2023). It sits midway between Seattle and Vancouver, BC.
IMPORTANT: New short-term rentals are prohibited in all Anacortes zoning districts. Residential zones banned STRs as early as 2019. Commercial and mixed-use zones banned new STRs effective April 2, 2024, via City Council Ordinance 4075. Only grandfathered STRs that held a valid city business license before March 27, 2023, in commercial zones may continue operating.
The active market data reflects grandfathered operations and the broader San Juan Islands gateway area. Channel data shows approximately 5,380 listings: 2,536 on Airbnb only, 409 on VRBO only, and 2,435 cross-listed on both platforms. The April 2026 average daily rate was $233, with 53.6% occupancy and RevPAR of $125. Average monthly revenue was $3,256.
Entire-place listings represent 94% of active inventory at 5,060, with private rooms at 318. Bedroom distribution spans from one-bedrooms (2,157) through five-bedrooms (193), reflecting the Pacific Northwest vacation-home and waterfront-property profile.
Year-over-year for April 2026: occupancy declined 2.03 percentage points, ADR rose 4.22%, and revenue fell 2.34% versus April 2025.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36% | $177 | $1,851 |
| Feb | 47% | $182 | $2,000 |
| Mar | 50% | $188 | $2,477 |
| Apr | 56% | $204 | $2,991 |
| May | 58% | $215 | $3,092 |
| Jun | 68% | $247 | $4,265 |
| Jul | 79% | $256 | $5,320 |
| Aug | 79% | $255 | $5,362 |
| Sep | 63% | $228 | $3,781 |
| Oct | 50% | $194 | $2,717 |
| Nov | 45% | $192 | $2,271 |
| Dec | 45% | $193 | $2,323 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Anacortes
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 325 | 24,007 | ★ 4.52 |
| 2 | Evolve | 145 | 9,099 | ★ 4.83 |
| 3 | San Juan Property Management | 91 | 8,648 | ★ 4.73 |
| 4 | AvantStay | 83 | 6,283 | ★ 4.75 |
| 5 | Brigadoon Vacation Rentals | 57 | 3,480 | ★ 4.81 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Anacortes?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,157 |
| 2 bed | 1,394 |
| 3 bed | 1,143 |
| 4 bed | 481 |
| 5 bed | 193 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $240 |
| Luxury | $412 |
| Professionally Managed | $264 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,476 |
| Entire Place | $3,358 |
| House | $3,528 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 47.1% |
| vrbo | 7.6% |
| both | 45.3% |
Investment Analysis
For prospective investors, Anacortes is not an actionable new STR market. New STR permits are unavailable in any zone as of April 2, 2024. The only legal path to an operational STR in Anacortes is acquiring a grandfathered property in a commercial zone that has maintained a continuous city business license since before March 27, 2023. Such properties are rare and would command a premium.
The typical home value is $732,214 with a median sale price of $656,500 and 105 properties currently for sale. The sale-to-list ratio of 0.792 (homes selling at approximately 79.2% of list price) and 30-day median time to pending indicate a slower market where buyers have negotiating leverage. However, the depressed sale-to-list ratio may reflect the STR ban’s impact on investment demand.
For informational context on grandfathered properties: the market-area average monthly revenue is $3,256/month, which would annualize to approximately $39,072 per year. Against a $732,214 typical home value, that represents a gross yield of roughly 5.3%. Houses in this area average $3,528/month and entire-place listings average $3,358/month.
The tier ADR spread: $233 all-market, $240 entire-home tier, $264 professionally managed, $412 luxury. Professionally managed properties command 13% above the market average, a modest premium. Revenue growth score of 81.6 indicates strong underlying revenue trend for the market area, though the STR ban will constrain future inventory growth.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
The active Anacortes market shows guests booking an average of 44 days in advance and staying approximately 3.4 nights per booking. The long 44-day lead time is the second-longest in this batch (behind only Alden MI at 45 days) and reflects the advance planning required for San Juan Islands ferry reservations, which also need to be booked weeks ahead during peak summer.
The 3.4-night average stay is shorter than other Pacific Northwest island markets might suggest, potentially reflecting the regional gateway character of Anacortes. Some guests book Anacortes properties for short stays while primarily visiting the San Juan Islands as day-trips via ferry, while others book Anacortes as a base for multi-day Deception Pass and Skagit Valley activities.
For grandfathered operations: the combination of a 44-day lead time and peak summer demand from July-August ferry travelers suggests operators should fill the summer calendar as early as possible. Premium pricing for peak weeks should be set well in advance. The 3.4-night average creates opportunities for operators offering 3-night minimum stays to capture the bulk of bookings without leaving single-night gaps.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
New short-term rentals are prohibited in all Anacortes zoning districts.
Residential zones (R1, R2, R2A, R3, R3A, Old Town, R4, R4A) banned short-term rentals (defined as rentals of fewer than 30 consecutive nights, excluding hotels, motels, and B&Bs) as early as 2019. In March 2024, the City Council voted 4-to-1 to extend the ban to Commercial (C), Central Business District (CBD), Marine Mixed Use (MMU), and Commercial Marine (CM) zones via Ordinance 4075, effective April 2, 2024. This followed a moratorium established under Ordinance 4046 (March 27, 2023) and extended via Ordinance 4076. The city’s stated rationale was housing affordability: STRs were removing housing stock needed by local workers.
A grandfathering provision allows STRs in commercial zones that held a valid city business license before March 27, 2023, to continue operating indefinitely, provided they maintain a current business license (approximately $40/year) and comply with applicable regulations. No grandfathering applies in residential zones. New STR permits are unavailable in any zone.
Washington State requires all active STR operators to carry liability insurance of at least $1 million unless the booking platform provides equivalent coverage. The city collects a 4% total lodging tax. Enforcement severity is rated strict. Bed and breakfasts remain allowed as a conditional use in certain zones and are not classified as STRs under the ordinance.
Market Comparison
Anacortes’ April 2026 occupancy of 53.6% is slightly below the US STR median of approximately 55%. Its ADR of $233 is above the US STR median of approximately $220, reflecting the premium Pacific Northwest island-gateway positioning. Summer months (July-August) at 79% occupancy and $255-$256/night significantly exceed national norms.
Within Washington State, Anacortes competes with Port Townsend, the San Juan Islands themselves, and Bellingham as waterfront and island-access destinations. Its position as the sole ferry gateway to the San Juan Islands provides unique demand captivity during summer.
The top operator by listings is Vacasa with 325 properties and 24,007 reviews (4.52 average rating), the largest national vacation rental management company. Evolve ranks second with 145 listings and 9,099 reviews (4.83 rating). San Juan Property Management holds third with 91 listings and 8,648 reviews (4.73 rating), a strong regional specialist. AvantStay (83 listings, 4.75 rating) and Brigadoon Vacation Rentals (57 listings, 4.81 rating) round out the top five. The top five collectively manage 701 listings in a market of approximately 5,380 total, a 13% concentration representing significant professional management presence for the market size. The dominance of Vacasa (325 listings, 6% of the market) reflects the vacation-rental character of this San Juan Islands gateway.
Frequently Asked Questions About Anacortes, Washington
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Why did Anacortes ban short-term rentals?
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