Port Townsend, Washington Short-Term Rental Market
Port Townsend, WA sits on the North Puget Sound coast, which averaged $317/night at 70.3% occupancy in June 2026.
Quick Answer: Port Townsend, 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 Port Townsend. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Port Townsend.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Port Townsend is a Victorian seaport and National Historic Landmark District at the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula, drawing well over 200,000 visitors a year. Its STR performance data is tracked at the level of the North Puget Sound region rather than uniquely for Port Townsend, so the figures below describe that broader region, which includes Port Townsend, Anacortes, Mount Vernon, Port Ludlow, and Sequim.
The North Puget Sound market posted a $317 average daily rate and 70.3% occupancy in June 2026. Occupancy is up 1.5% year over year and revenue is up 6.4% year over year to $5,762 per month, even as ADR is down 3.1% year over year. Multiplying June’s ADR by occupancy gives an implied RevPAR near $222 per night.
Bedroom mix, channel mix, market-score data, and top-operator data are also tracked at this same regional level rather than uniquely for Port Townsend, so this profile omits them.
Multi-year data for the North Puget Sound region shows occupancy peaked at 69.38% in 2021 before easing to the mid-to-high 50s from 2022 through 2025. ADR climbed from $170 in 2017 to $250 by 2025, keeping monthly revenue around $3,540 to $3,910 in recent full years, below June 2026’s much stronger figure. Port Townsend itself is heavily festival- and heritage-driven, anchored by the September Wooden Boat Festival, the largest in the Western Hemisphere, and Fort Worden Historical State Park.
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 Port Townsend 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 Port Townsend, so these counts are not Port Townsend-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 Port Townsend?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Port Townsend 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 (Port Townsend)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Port Townsend 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 Port Townsend — 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
Inside the City of Port Townsend, short-term rentals are regulated under Port Townsend Municipal Code Chapter 17.57 (Bed and Breakfast Inns and Tourist Homes), established by Ordinance 3172, effective May 2017. Any STR requires a Short-Term Rental Conditional Use Permit, which includes a fire and life-safety inspection, Historic Preservation Committee review if the property sits within the National Landmark Historic District, and a city business license (roughly $25 per year).
Critically, the STR must be the owner’s primary residence: buildings that are not the owner’s primary residence may not be used as tourist homes, and owner presence is expected during stays. Tourist homes are allowed only in detached single-family homes, not multiplexes, guest rooms may not contain full kitchens, and the number of rentable rooms is limited. City CUP fees run roughly $898 for a minor permit within an existing building, up to $3,400 or more for a major one.
The city levies a 4% lodging tax (2% basic plus 2% special) on top of state and local sales tax, so guests effectively pay roughly 10% or more in total. The city itself does not impose a numeric annual-nights cap.
Properties in unincorporated Jefferson County, outside city limits, fall under a separate and stricter county code adopted in April 2025 after a year-long moratorium: a 4% cap on STR permits per ZIP code based on housing-stock estimates, with a waitlist once full, and a one-rental-per-operator limit. Investors should confirm whether a target property is inside city limits or in the county, since the rules differ substantially and both paths are restrictive in different ways. Enforcement is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
The North Puget Sound region’s 70.3% June 2026 occupancy runs well above the roughly 55% median occupancy across StaySTRA-tracked US STR markets, while its $317 average daily rate is well above the roughly $220 national median ADR too, among the stronger combined performers StaySTRA tracks.
Top-operator data is tracked at this same regional level rather than uniquely for Port Townsend, so this profile omits it. What most differentiates Port Townsend within this strong-performing region is its jurisdictional split: a strict owner-occupied, primary-residence requirement inside city limits, versus an even stricter county-level permit cap (4% of housing stock per ZIP, one rental per operator) just outside it. Buyers should weigh this region’s strong pricing power against genuinely limited legal paths to a new investment STR, whichever side of the city line a property sits on.
Frequently Asked Questions About Port Townsend, Washington
What is the average Airbnb occupancy rate near Port Townsend, WA?
What is the average daily rate for a short-term rental near Port Townsend, WA?
Can you run a non-owner-occupied Airbnb inside Port Townsend, WA city limits?
How much does an Airbnb permit cost in Port Townsend, WA?
What is the best month for STR revenue near Port Townsend, WA?
How much does a typical home cost in Port Townsend, WA?
Analyze Port Townsend Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Port Townsend.
Free Port Townsend STR Calculator →
