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 in the Puget Sound/Bremerton market area is 70%. average monthly revenue in the Puget Sound/Bremerton market area is $5,762. average daily rate in the Puget Sound/Bremerton market area is $317. the top operator in the Puget Sound/Bremerton market area is Vacasa with 325 listings. market score is 70/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Puget Sound/Bremerton regional market, which includes Anacortes. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Anacortes.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA 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 |
|---|---|
| Jan | 36% |
| Feb | 47% |
| Mar | 50% |
| Apr | 56% |
| May | 58% |
| Jun | 69% |
| Jul | 79% |
| Aug | 79% |
| Sep | 63% |
| Oct | 50% |
| Nov | 45% |
| Dec | 45% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Anacortes are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Puget Sound/Bremerton market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Puget Sound/Bremerton market as a whole, which includes Anacortes, so these counts are not Anacortes-only figures.
| # | 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 nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Anacortes 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 | 47.1% |
| vrbo | 7.6% |
| both | 45.3% |
Home Value Trends (Anacortes)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Anacortes 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 Anacortes — 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
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
Can I start a new short-term rental in Anacortes, WA?
What is a grandfathered STR in Anacortes?
What are the average nightly rates for existing Anacortes short-term rentals?
What is the lodging tax rate in Anacortes, WA?
What occupancy rates do Anacortes short-term rentals achieve?
Why did Anacortes ban short-term rentals?
What are the best months for existing Anacortes short-term rental operators?
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