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 in the West Virginia Area market area is 54%. average monthly revenue in the West Virginia Area market area is $2,874. average daily rate in the West Virginia Area market area is $203. the top operator in the West Virginia Area market area 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 StaySTRA 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 |
|---|---|
| Jan | 46% |
| Feb | 50% |
| Mar | 41% |
| Apr | 45% |
| May | 50% |
| Jun | 54% |
| Jul | 57% |
| Aug | 52% |
| Sep | 46% |
| Oct | 51% |
| Nov | 45% |
| Dec | 47% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Charleston are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in West Virginia Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the West Virginia Area market as a whole, which includes Charleston, so these counts are not Charleston-only figures.
| # | 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 nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Charleston 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 | 45.9% |
| vrbo | 7.5% |
| both | 46.6% |
Home Value Trends (Charleston)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Charleston 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 Charleston — 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
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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