Bellingham, Washington Short-Term Rental Market
Bellingham, WA STRs averaged $167/night at 57.6% occupancy in April 2026, with 2025 full-year averages of $186 ADR and $3,022 monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Bellingham, Washington is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 58%. average monthly revenue is $2,651. average daily rate is $167. the top operator is Vacationville with 42 listings. market score is 49/100 (grade D).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Bellingham, Washington short-term rental market draws on a diverse demand base: Mount Baker ski and alpine recreation, San Juan Islands ferry access, cross-border traffic from British Columbia, and steady day-tripper and weekend-getaway traffic from the Seattle metro 90 miles south. Whatcom County attracted nearly 3.5 million visitors in 2024. As of April 2026, the market recorded an average daily rate of $167, occupancy of 57.6%, and RevPAR of $96.38, with average monthly revenue of $2,651.
The active listing base totals approximately 1,463 units, a relatively compact market by Pacific Northwest standards. Bedroom distribution: 600 1-bedroom units, 419 2-bedroom, 292 3-bedroom, 115 4-bedroom, and 37 5-bedroom-plus. Entire-place listings account for 1,312 units; 153 are private-room listings. By channel, 779 listings are Airbnb-exclusive, 586 appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, and 100 are VRBO-only.
Year-over-year in April 2026, occupancy fell 10.7 percentage points while ADR rose 4.1% and revenue declined 3.5% versus the prior April. For full-year 2025, the market averaged 58.6% occupancy and $186 ADR, producing $3,022 average monthly revenue. The market’s rental demand score of 74.4 out of 100 reflects steady visitor volume, while the total market score of 49.0 indicates the combination of elevated home prices and moderate revenue makes the investability calculation tighter than in lower-cost markets.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46% | $132 | $1,796 |
| Feb | 55% | $136 | $1,867 |
| Mar | 59% | $138 | $2,170 |
| Apr | 64% | $143 | $2,406 |
| May | 61% | $151 | $2,300 |
| Jun | 69% | $176 | $3,009 |
| Jul | 76% | $188 | $3,811 |
| Aug | 75% | $187 | $3,784 |
| Sep | 62% | $160 | $2,669 |
| Oct | 55% | $142 | $2,175 |
| Nov | 53% | $140 | $1,921 |
| Dec | 56% | $147 | $2,186 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Bellingham
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacationville | 42 | 969 | ★ 4.79 |
| 2 | Evolve | 30 | 1,208 | ★ 4.78 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 30 | 1,267 | ★ 4.50 |
| 4 | WorldMark | 28 | 194 | ★ 4.70 |
| 5 | Stay & Sea | 27 | 1,044 | ★ 4.93 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Bellingham?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 600 |
| 2 bed | 419 |
| 3 bed | 292 |
| 4 bed | 115 |
| 5 bed | 37 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $179 |
| Luxury | $320 |
| Professionally Managed | $242 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,325 |
| Entire Place | $2,763 |
| House | $2,844 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 53.2% |
| vrbo | 6.8% |
| both | 40% |
Investment Analysis
At a typical home value of $669,185 (Zillow, April 2026) and a 2025 annual average monthly revenue of $3,022, an investor grossing $36,264 annually would see an approximate gross yield of 5.4% before expenses. The recent median sale price of $644,500 and median list price of $648,000 confirm the entry cost is in the $640,000-$670,000 range, leaving limited room for yield expansion unless a property substantially outperforms the market average.
The market dynamics on days-to-pending (7 days) and a sale-to-list ratio of 0.995 indicate a competitive buyer market where properties move quickly and close near asking price, limiting the ability to negotiate entry cost significantly below listing.
Tier comparisons show meaningful ADR spread. Entire-home listings in April 2026 averaged $179 ADR versus the all-listings $167. Luxury-tier properties averaged $320 ADR, approximately 91% above the market average. Professionally managed properties averaged $242 ADR, a 45% premium over the all-listings figure.
The investability score of 57.1 out of 100 is below mid-range, consistent with the high home value relative to rental revenue. Washington State also requires primary-residence owner-occupancy for residential-zone STRs, which limits the pool of eligible investment properties to commercial-zone or urban-village-zone listings. The max_nights_per_year cap of 95 in residential zones further constrains potential revenue for those units.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
In April 2026, guests booked Bellingham STRs an average of 37 days in advance, with an average length of stay of 4.4 nights. The 37-day lead time is shorter than many resort destinations, suggesting that a significant portion of demand is spontaneous or short-range travel from the Seattle and Vancouver, BC corridors.
The 4.4-night average stay is notably longer than many urban STR markets, consistent with guests combining multiple activities: ski trips to Mount Baker, San Juan Islands ferry excursions, coastal hiking at Larrabee State Park, and longer Pacific Northwest itineraries. This stay length supports a 3-night minimum policy on weekdays without significantly compressing demand.
For peak summer weekends and holiday ski weeks, operators should load rates 5 to 6 weeks ahead to capture the share of planners who book early, while reserving some inventory for the spontaneous last-minute segment given the shorter average lead time. The 95-night annual cap in residential zones makes yield maximization per available night especially important.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Bellingham requires a Vacation Rental Permit under city municipal code before operating any STR. Three permit types apply based on zone and unit configuration. Type I ($370 initial fee) covers primary-residence STRs up to 2 bedrooms in residential or commercial zones. Type II ($550) covers primary-residence STRs up to 5 bedrooms in commercial or urban-village zones. Type III-A ($847) covers non-primary-residence STRs up to 5 bedrooms in commercial or urban-village zones only. Permit renewal costs $250 due before January 1 of every even-numbered year (biennial). Operators must also hold a city business license.
In residential zones, the dwelling must be the operator’s primary residence for at least 270 days per year. Whole-unit rentals in residential zones are capped at 95 nights per year. Each operator is limited to one residential-zone STR. Commercial and urban-village zones allow non-primary-residence STRs with no night cap under the Type III-A permit.
The occupancy tax rate is 11.1%. Owner-occupancy is required for residential-zone permits. STRs are prohibited in detached ADUs in single-family residential zones, industrial zones, institutional zones, Lake Whatcom Watershed Basin One areas, and shoreline areas under the city’s Shoreline Master Program.
All permits require a pre-approval city inspection, proof of $1 million liability insurance, one off-street parking space during guest stays (residential zones), and a 24/7 local contact person within one hour of Bellingham. Enforcement severity is rated moderate. As of May 2024, 135 licensed STRs were operating in the city. The city contracted Host Compliance for ongoing STR monitoring in 2024. A pending ordinance (Ord. 2025-12-035) was adopted with provisions taking effect six months after adoption.
Market Comparison
The Bellingham market’s 2025 annual average occupancy of 58.6% is slightly above the US STR median of approximately 55%. However, its 2025 ADR of $186 is below the US median of approximately $220, producing a modest RevPAR relative to the high cost of entry. This combination of above-median occupancy and below-median rate is characteristic of Pacific Northwest markets where guest demand is strong but pricing power is constrained by an abundance of regional competition.
The operator landscape is relatively fragmented given the market’s small size (1,463 listings). Vacationville leads with 42 listings and a 4.79 average rating across 969 reviews. Evolve and Vacasa each hold 30 listings (Evolve 4.78 rating; Vacasa 4.50). WorldMark operates 28 listings and Stay & Sea rounds out the top five with 27 listings and the highest local rating at 4.93.
The top five operators collectively manage 157 listings, approximately 11% of the 1,463-unit market. This is a very fragmented market where individual hosts make up the substantial majority of active supply. The combination of strict primary-residence requirements and the 95-night cap in residential zones creates a structural ceiling on how much inventory can professionalize under management companies, keeping the operator landscape fragmented.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bellingham, Washington
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