Best Airbnb Markets in North Carolina (2026)
Based on Airbtics data from September 2025 to August 2026, this page shows the top Airbnb locations to invest in North Carolina with
key
statistics and information, like short-term rental regulations, number of listings, occupancy rate,
average daily rate, and annual revenue. This allows you to discover the most profitable cities to
invest in, buy, and own Airbnb rental properties in North Carolina.
The Airbtics Market Score indicates how attractive a location is for investing in an Airbnb rental property. We determine this score based on the following criteria:
- Short-term rental yield: The ratio between annual revenue and property price, as a percentage. Locations with higher Airbnb rental yield score better.
- Short-term rental regulations: How STR-friendly the local Airbnb rules and laws are. Markets with more lenient regulations get a higher score.
- Market size: The number of Airbnb listings. Larger vacation rental markets get a higher score as it is easier for investors to buy and sell properties.
- Growth: How fast the market is becoming saturated. Priority is given to markets that are already developed but are not approaching saturation yet.
- Seasonality: To what degree Airbnb performance is affected by seasonality. Less seasonal impact is preferred as investors can enjoy a more stable short-term rental performance throughout the year.
Last updated: 16th October, 2026
North Carolina Short-Term Rental Market Overview (September 2025 to August 2026)
Top 14 North Carolina Cities for Airbnb in 2026
Tick the markets you like to track their revenue, occupancy, and ADR in your Airbtics watchlist. Free to start, up to 10 markets.
| Position | Market Grade | Market Name | Regulation | No of Listings | Avg. Occupancy Rate | Avg. Daily Rate | Revenue | Short-term Rental Yield | Rent Gap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D+ | Charlotte | Lenient | 3,316 | 58% | $180 | $39,906 | 12.3% | 34.5% | |
| 2 | B+ | Morehead city | Lenient | 1,944 | 57% | $295 | $63,625 | 12.3% | 34.5% | |
| 3 | C | Oak island | Lenient | 1,558 | 60% | $376 | $84,944 | 12.3% | 34.5% | |
| 4 | C | Raleigh | Lenient | 1,552 | 61% | $176 | $41,391 | 12.3% | 34.5% | |
| 5 | C+ | Carolina beach | Lenient | 1,382 | 62% 🚀 | $300 | $70,680 | 12.3% | 34.5% | |
| 6 | B | Wilmington | Lenient | 1,153 | 59% | $198 | $45,169 | 12.3% | 34.5% | |
| 7 | B | Winston-salem | Lenient | 1,152 | 55% | $164 | $34,633 | 12.3% | 34.5% | |
| 8 | C+ | Durham | Lenient | 1,119 | 64% 🚀 | $161 | $39,310 | 12.3% | 34.5% | |
| 9 | C | Kill devil hills | Lenient | 1,081 | 61% | $294 | $67,709 | 12.3% | 34.5% | |
| 10 | B | Asheville | Lenient | 1,058 | 61% | $159 | $37,426 | 12.3% | 34.5% | |
| 11 | C+ | Jacksonville | Lenient | 1,035 | 59% | $294 | $65,563 | 12.3% | 34.5% | |
| 12 | C+ | North topsail beach | Lenient | 856 | 61% | $357 | $82,076 | 12.3% | 34.5% | |
| 13 | B | Brevard | Lenient | 788 | 56% | $228 | $49,263 | 12.3% | 34.5% | |
| 14 | A | Forest city | Lenient | 727 | 47% | $266 | $48,437 | 12.3% | 34.5% |
Market Explorer
Filter markets by occupancy, price, and yield
Filter North Carolina by occupancy, ADR, yield, rent gap, and property price, then compare markets side by side.
Find the Best Airbnb Markets with Our Interactive Tool
Use our interactive Market Explorer to find the best places to start an Airbnb in North Carolina. Compare multiple markets side by side, apply filters like regulations, budget (property or rent prices), and market size, and even export the results to Excel.
Explore Interactive Tool2025 short-term rental report for North Carolina
Trends, supply, and year-over-year changes for North Carolina.
View 2025 Market ReportWhy Invest in Airbnb North Carolina in 2026?
The short-term rental markets we track in North Carolina include Oak island, North topsail beach and Carolina beach.
The tables on this page list occupancy, average daily rate, and annual revenue for each city.
Property prices and rental rules differ by city. The budget sections below group markets by purchase price.
Market Rankboard: North Carolina
Each dot is a vacation rental market in North Carolina, plotted by occupancy rate (x-axis) and average daily rate (ADR) (y-axis). Dashed lines mark the national median.
Compare property prices, short-term rental yield, rent gap, annual revenue, and supply growth in the Airbtics Market Explorer watchlist.
Best Cities for Airbnb in North Carolina by Budget
Top 3 Affordable & Mid-Range Airbnb Markets: $500,000 & Below
Property prices in these markets are $500,000 or less.
-
Forest city
- Property price: $150,000
- STR revenue: $48,437/year
- Yield: 27.6%
-
Jacksonville
- Property price: $180,000
- STR revenue: $65,563/year
- Yield: 23.0%
-
Winston-salem
- Property price: $210,000
- STR revenue: $34,633/year
- Yield: 16.8%
Top 3 Best Places for Airbnb Arbitrage in North Carolina
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North topsail beach
- STR revenue: $82,076/year
- Rent gap: $4,394
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Forest city
- STR revenue: $48,437/year
- Rent gap: $4,251
-
Morehead city
- STR revenue: $63,625/year
- Rent gap: $4,186
North Carolina Airbnb market FAQs
What are the best Airbnb markets in North Carolina?
Airbtics ranks short-term rental markets in North Carolina using revenue, occupancy, regulation, yield, and growth. The top market in our latest dataset is Charlotte. The main table on this page lists the highest-scoring markets; use the Market Explorer to filter by budget, regulations, and more.
How many Airbnb markets does Airbtics track in North Carolina?
We currently analyze 14 active short-term rental markets in North Carolina with listing supply, median occupancy, ADR, and revenue estimates.
What is the average Airbnb occupancy rate in North Carolina?
The national average occupancy rate across tracked markets is 58.64% (LTM). Rates differ by city. Use the rankboard on this page, or open a market page for that city's numbers.
How do I compare Airbnb markets in North Carolina?
Use the occupancy vs ADR rankboard on this page for a quick view, or open the Market Explorer to compare markets side by side, change chart axes, export to Excel, and save markets to a watchlist.
How can I estimate Airbnb income in North Carolina?
Use our Airbnb income calculator to estimate revenue for a specific address, or open any market link below for median revenue and occupancy benchmarks.
See all Airbnb markets in North Carolina
Browse all 14 markets we track in North Carolina. Each link opens the market's Airbnb revenue and performance data page.
- For short-term rental market analysis, visit our Airbnb Analytics app.
Estimate Your Airbnb Income in North Carolina
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