Charleston, West Virginia Short-Term Rental Market
West Virginia STRs averaged $173/night at 46.5% occupancy in April 2026, with winter ski-season demand pushing January ADR to $251.
Quick Answer: Charleston, West Virginia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 54%. average monthly revenue is $2,874. average daily rate is $203. the top operator is Evolve with 178 listings. market score is 92/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the West Virginia Area regional market, which includes Charleston. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Charleston.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
West Virginia’s short-term rental market spans the state’s major recreational zones: the New River Gorge National Park corridor, the Snowshoe Mountain ski and mountain-bike resort area, the Eastern Panhandle (Harpers Ferry, Berkeley Springs), Canaan Valley, and the Greenbrier Valley. The state drew 77.2 million visitors in 2024, generating $6.6 billion in visitor spending, with outdoor recreation as the primary driver. New River Gorge alone attracted 1.81 million visitors in 2024, a record for the park.
Approximately 8,353 active STR listings operate across the state. Entire-place rentals dominate at 7,829 listings (93.7% of the total), with private rooms at 523. The channel mix is roughly balanced between Airbnb-only (3,837), VRBO-only (623), and dual-listed (3,893) properties, reflecting the vacation-rental profile of mountain and resort destinations where VRBO has stronger penetration than in urban markets. The bedroom mix spans 1-bedrooms (2,769), 2-bedrooms (2,354), 3-bedrooms (1,912), 4-bedrooms (834), and 5-bedroom-plus (472).
In April 2026, the market averaged $173 per night at 46.5% occupancy, producing a RevPAR of $80. Year-over-year, occupancy was essentially flat (+0.4 pp), ADR rose 1.6%, and revenue grew 2.2%. The total market score is 91.9 out of 100, with investability at 99.8 and seasonality at 85.0.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46% | $251 | $3,369 |
| Feb | 50% | $254 | $3,286 |
| Mar | 41% | $179 | $2,111 |
| Apr | 45% | $158 | $2,012 |
| May | 50% | $168 | $2,112 |
| Jun | 54% | $186 | $2,579 |
| Jul | 57% | $185 | $2,951 |
| Aug | 52% | $182 | $2,733 |
| Sep | 46% | $176 | $2,223 |
| Oct | 51% | $178 | $2,593 |
| Nov | 45% | $172 | $2,136 |
| Dec | 47% | $217 | $2,722 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Charleston
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 178 | 7,849 | ★ 4.69 |
| 2 | Snowshoe Brigham Collection | 173 | 26 | ★ 4.54 |
| 3 | Casago | 152 | 3,773 | ★ 4.65 |
| 4 | Blue Maple | 131 | 12,710 | ★ 4.71 |
| 5 | Mountaintop Condos | 111 | 6,158 | ★ 4.71 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Charleston?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,769 |
| 2 bed | 2,354 |
| 3 bed | 1,912 |
| 4 bed | 834 |
| 5 bed | 472 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $210 |
| Luxury | $385 |
| Professionally Managed | $263 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,702 |
| Entire Place | $2,956 |
| House | $3,420 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 45.9% |
| vrbo | 7.5% |
| both | 46.6% |
Investment Analysis
West Virginia is among the most affordable STR entry points in the eastern United States. The typical home value is $164,532, and using the 2025 annual average monthly revenue of $2,876, the annualized gross revenue is approximately $34,500, implying a gross yield of roughly 21% before expenses. This figure is high by national standards and reflects WV’s combination of low property prices and meaningful STR income from outdoor-recreation demand. Investors should verify local property values for specific submarkets, as Snowshoe Mountain and New River Gorge area listings may carry different price points than the statewide Zillow average.
The ADR tier spread is wide. The market-wide April 2026 average was $173. Entire-home listings averaged $178, professionally managed properties averaged $212 (a 23% premium), and luxury-tier listings averaged $337 per night — 95% above the market average. Houses produced the highest monthly revenue at $2,547, with entire-place listings broadly at $2,365 and apartments at $1,526.
Revenue has grown from $1,797 per month in 2017 to $2,876 in 2025 — a 60% increase over eight years. Annual average occupancy peaked at 56.9% in 2020 and has since settled in the 47-51% range. The median sale-to-list ratio of 1.068 indicates buyers are paying above asking price, and median days to pending of 23 reflects an active real estate market despite low absolute prices.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
West Virginia guests book an average of 40.5 days in advance, consistent with a destination market where multi-day outdoor adventure trips are planned 5-6 weeks out. This lead time provides hosts with a clear near-term demand window for dynamic pricing, particularly useful for capturing ski-season premium rates in November and December before the January-February peak fills.
The average length of stay is 3.7 nights, reflecting extended weekend getaways that are typical for mountain and adventure recreation markets. At 3.7 nights, a 30-day month supports roughly 8 distinct stays at full occupancy, which keeps turnover manageable while maintaining per-night rate flexibility.
For pricing strategy, the dual-peak season (winter ski and summer outdoor) means hosts should set two distinct rate tiers: December through February at peak ski rates (the data shows $217-$254 ADR historically) and June through August at peak summer rates ($182-$185 ADR). Spring shoulder months (March-May) warrant more aggressive discounting given the $158-$179 ADR range. The 40-day lead time also means that last-minute pricing adjustments in the 7-14 day window can still fill gaps without sacrificing significant revenue.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
West Virginia has no statewide short-term rental permit, but every operator must register a West Virginia Business Registration Certificate with the WV State Tax Department ($30 per physical location, form WV Bus-App) before collecting any rent. This registration covers the state obligation on all reservations of 30 nights or fewer.
On taxes, West Virginia imposes a 6% state sales tax on short-term lodging. Nearly every county in the active STR markets also levies a local hotel occupancy tax of up to 6%, making the effective combined rate typically 12% in the major markets: Pocahontas County (Snowshoe area), Jefferson County (Harpers Ferry/Eastern Panhandle), Tucker County (Canaan Valley/Davis/Thomas), and Greenbrier County (Lewisburg area) each levy the maximum 6% local rate. Airbnb collects and remits both state and local taxes as a marketplace facilitator for qualifying operators; VRBO and direct-booking operators must register and remit independently.
Local rules vary significantly by jurisdiction. Fayette County (New River Gorge/Fayetteville area) requires an annual health permit from the Fayette County Health Department, with fees scaled by bedroom count. Fayetteville’s town ordinance caps occupancy at 2 guests per bedroom. Jefferson County formally adopted STRs as a Principal Permitted Use in all single-family zones in December 2021. Davis lifted a 2-year STR moratorium in June 2024. Enforcement is classified as moderate. Investors must verify rules specific to the county and municipality of their property, as requirements vary materially.
Market Comparison
West Virginia’s April 2026 occupancy of 46.5% is below the U.S. STR market median of approximately 55%, though the 2025 annual average of 48.7% also trails the national median. The ADR of $173 in April 2026 is below the national median of roughly $220, but winter peak-season ADR reaches $250-plus in ski months. The market stands out for its extremely high gross yield potential relative to property costs, driven by WV’s low home values.
The operator landscape reflects the state’s resort concentration. Evolve leads with 178 listings and a 4.69 rating across 7,849 reviews, while Snowshoe Brigham Collection — a resort-specific operator at Snowshoe Mountain — holds 173 listings (4.54 rating, 26 reviews, reflecting a newer operation). Casago manages 152 listings (4.65 rating, 3,773 reviews), Blue Maple operates 131 listings with the second-highest review count at 12,710 (4.71 rating), and Mountaintop Condos manages 111 listings (4.71 rating, 6,158 reviews). Together the top 5 operators hold 745 listings, or approximately 8.9% of total supply, a relatively concentrated professional management presence for a statewide market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Charleston, West Virginia
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