Marlinton, West Virginia Short-Term Rental Market
Marlinton, WV's Pocahontas County STR market averaged $173 per night at 46.5% occupancy in April 2026, with 8,376 listings and a 99.8 investability score near Snowshoe Mountain.
Quick Answer: Marlinton, 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 179 listings. market score is 92/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the West Virginia Area regional market, which includes Marlinton. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Marlinton.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The short-term rental market tracked for Marlinton, West Virginia (Pocahontas County, Allegheny Highlands) covers 8,376 active listings across the broader Snowshoe Mountain and Greenbrier River recreation area. April 2026 is the spring off-season for this dual-season market: average daily rate was $173, occupancy was 46.5%, generating average monthly revenue of $2,287 per listing, and RevPAR was $80.
The listing mix is overwhelmingly entire-place rentals: 7,853 listings (94%) are whole-home or whole-unit properties, and 523 are private rooms. By bedroom count, 1-bedroom units lead at 2,779 listings, followed by 2-bedroom (2,360), 3-bedroom (1,917), 4-bedroom (834), and 5-bedroom and above (474).
Channels are split: 3,844 listings appear only on Airbnb, 639 only on VRBO, and 3,893 are active on both platforms.
Year-over-year as of April 2026, occupancy was essentially flat (+0.4%), ADR rose 1.6%, and revenue grew 2.2%. The 2025 annual average tells a stronger picture: 48.7% occupancy, $210 ADR, and $2,878 average monthly revenue, up 6.3% from $2,708 in 2024.
Marlinton is the county seat of Pocahontas County (population under 8,000 countywide), marketed as the Birthplace of Rivers. The market serves visitors to Snowshoe Mountain Resort (skiing and IMBA Gold-rated mountain biking), the 78-mile Greenbrier River Trail, Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, Green Bank Observatory, and multiple West Virginia state parks. The market’s composite score of 91.9 out of 100 reflects near-perfect investability (99.8), strong seasonality (85.0), and solid rental demand (74.4). Revenue growth (57.8) is moderate, and the regulation score (73.0) is above average for this region.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46% | $251 | $3,369 |
| Feb | 50% | $254 | $3,286 |
| Mar | 41% | $179 | $2,111 |
| Apr | 45% | $158 | $2,011 |
| 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 | $2,137 |
| Dec | 47% | $217 | $2,722 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Marlinton
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 179 | 7,885 | ★ 4.69 |
| 2 | Snowshoe Brigham Collection | 173 | 26 | ★ 4.54 |
| 3 | Casago | 152 | 3,736 | ★ 4.65 |
| 4 | Blue Maple | 132 | 12,560 | ★ 4.71 |
| 5 | Mountaintop Condos | 113 | 6,288 | ★ 4.70 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Marlinton?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,779 |
| 2 bed | 2,360 |
| 3 bed | 1,917 |
| 4 bed | 834 |
| 5 bed | 474 |
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 | 7.6% |
| both | 46.5% |
Investment Analysis
Marlinton carries an investability score of 99.8 out of 100, the highest in this batch, reflecting the combination of strong demand fundamentals, low regulatory friction, and consistent revenue growth. No housing value data is currently available in the snapshot, so a gross yield calculation cannot be performed; investors should obtain current property values directly from Pocahontas County listings.
Revenue data provides the return context. The 2025 annual average monthly revenue was $2,878, projecting to approximately $34,536 annualized. The market has grown consistently from $2,708 in 2024.
ADR tiers reveal substantial premium potential. Luxury-tier listings averaged $337 per night in April 2026 (off-season), a 95% premium over the $173 market-wide average. Professionally managed listings averaged $212, a 22% premium. Entire-home listings averaged $179, a 3% premium.
Revenue by property type in April 2026: houses averaged $2,547 per month, entire-place listings $2,366, and apartments $1,531. The house-to-apartment gap is $1,016 per month. In peak winter months (January, February), all-listing average revenue climbs to $3,371 and $3,287 respectively, driven by Snowshoe ski-season rates of $251 to $254 per night.
The dual-season structure (ski winter plus summer trail and mountain biking season) provides two annual revenue peaks, reducing the risk of a single-season cash flow profile that many vacation markets face.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Marlinton-area guests book an average of 40 days in advance, roughly a 6-week planning window. This lead time reflects the mix of advance ski-season reservations (particularly for peak weeks in January and February) and summer trail and mountain biking stays planned weeks ahead. Operators should set peak winter and summer rates by early fall to capture the best-value reservations.
Average length of stay is 3.7 nights. At 46.5% occupancy in April and 3.7 nights per stay, a property fills approximately 4 bookings per month. In January at 45.9% occupancy, the same calculation yields about 4 bookings per month, but at much higher rates ($251 ADR).
The 3.7-night average stay reflects a mix of long-weekend ski trips and short-week summer getaways. Operators who set 2-to-3-night minimums during shoulder months and 3-to-5-night minimums during peak ski weeks can maximize occupancy without sacrificing peak-rate reservations. The 40-day lead time means pricing decisions for peak weeks need to be finalized well in advance; last-minute adjustments affect only the tail of demand.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Marlinton and surrounding Pocahontas County have a light regulatory environment for short-term rentals. No STR-specific permit, license, night cap, or owner-occupancy requirement was identified at either the Town of Marlinton or Pocahontas County level. West Virginia does not impose a statewide STR license.
Operators must obtain a West Virginia state business registration certificate from the State Tax Division, which carries a fee of approximately $30. This registration covers state business compliance and enables sales tax collection.
On taxes: Pocahontas County levies a 6% hotel and motel occupancy tax on short-term cabin, condo, house, and lodging rentals. West Virginia also imposes a 6% state sales and use tax on rental revenue. Combined, guests pay approximately 12% in lodging taxes. An important nuance: stays longer than 30 consecutive days in a cabin, condo, or house are exempt from the county occupancy tax; the exemption does not apply to hotel, motel, or inn rooms. Operators must register with the Pocahontas County Sheriff’s Tax Office for monthly occupancy tax filing.
There is no owner-occupancy requirement, no primary-residence requirement, and no annual night cap. Enforcement is minimal given the tourism-dependent nature of the county. Investors should confirm any property-level HOA or deed restrictions and verify current business-licensing requirements directly with the Town of Marlinton.
Market Comparison
Marlinton’s 2025 annual average occupancy of 48.7% is below the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, reflecting the meaningful spring and late-fall shoulder seasons. However, its 2025 annual average ADR of $210 is close to the national median of roughly $220, and winter-peak ADR of $251 to $254 substantially exceeds it.
The composite market score of 91.9 out of 100 places Marlinton among the strongest markets in this batch. The investability sub-score of 99.8 is near-perfect, reflecting a low-regulation, high-demand outdoor recreation market with consistent revenue growth. Seasonality (85.0) and rental demand (74.4) are also strong.
Among the top five operators, Evolve leads with 179 listings and 7,885 reviews at a 4.69 rating. The Snowshoe Brigham Collection operates 173 listings (26 reviews, 4.54 rating), confirming the Snowshoe Mountain Resort presence in the market. Casago holds 152 listings with 3,736 reviews at a 4.65 rating. Blue Maple manages 132 listings with the largest review base at 12,560 reviews and a 4.71 rating. Mountaintop Condos rounds out the top five with 113 listings, 6,288 reviews, and a 4.70 rating. The five operators combined manage 749 listings, approximately 9% of the 8,376-listing market. Resort-affiliated and regional specialty operators (Snowshoe Brigham, Blue Maple, Mountaintop Condos) compete alongside national platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions About Marlinton, West Virginia
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Why does Marlinton have an investability score of 99.8 out of 100?
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