The 30 Biggest Resort Economies for Short-Term Rentals in 2026
The counties where the most housing is already vacation homes and the most jobs depend on visitors.
This ranking measures vacation-home density: the share of a county's housing units the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey counts as held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. It sits next to the tourism job share, the share of local jobs in arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services. 176 of the 176 tracked markets have these figures; the top 30 are shown. A high share signals proven visitor demand, and also an established base of competing rentals.
Top 30: resort economies
| Rank | Market | State | Vacation-home share | Tourism job share | Amenity score | Annual revenue | Regulation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ocean CityWorcester County | MD | 53.6% | 19.0% | 69 | $60K | 2/5 Light-touch |
| 2 | Lake of the OzarksCamden County | MO | 53.6% | 11.3% | 53 | 2/5 Light-touch | |
| 3 | BreckenridgeSummit County | CO | 52.9% | 22.3% | 76 | $101K | 3/5 Moderate |
| 4 | Mammoth LakesMono County | CA | 52.7% | 25.8% | 60 | $76K | 4/5 Strict |
| 5 | Cape MayCape May County | NJ | 50.0% | 14.7% | 75 | 3/5 Moderate | |
| 6 | Ocean CityCape May County | NJ | 50.0% | 14.7% | 72 | 4/5 Strict | |
| 7 | SnowshoePocahontas County | WV | 44.5% | 16.5% | 46 | 2/5 Light-touch | |
| 8 | North ConwayCarroll County | NH | 42.0% | 11.4% | 72 | 2/5 Light-touch | |
| 9 | Park CitySummit County | UT | 38.2% | 14.9% | 80 | $105K | 4/5 Strict |
| 10 | Sun ValleyBlaine County | ID | 36.6% | 17.4% | 42 | 1/5 Relaxed | |
| 11 | Door CountyDoor County | WI | 36.3% | 13.8% | 47 | 3/5 Moderate | |
| 12 | RuidosoLincoln County | NM | 36.1% | 16.2% | 47 | 3/5 Moderate | |
| 13 | Cape CodBarnstable County | MA | 35.6% | 10.4% | 80 | $73K | 4/5 Strict |
| 14 | OkobojiDickinson County | IA | 35.1% | 7.1% | 58 | 2/5 Light-touch | |
| 15 | TellurideSan Miguel County | CO | 34.8% | 20.4% | 63 | 4/5 Strict | |
| 16 | Bar HarborHancock County | ME | 31.9% | 8.1% | 71 | 4/5 Strict | |
| 17 | VailEagle County | CO | 31.7% | 22.4% | 67 | $126K | 4/5 Strict |
| 18 | Outer BanksDare County | NC | 31.6% | 15.5% | 42 | $74K | 2/5 Light-touch |
| 19 | CatskillGreene County | NY | 31.2% | 11.8% | 63 | 3/5 Moderate | |
| 20 | Santa Rosa BeachWalton County | FL | 31.1% | 12.8% | 49 | 2/5 Light-touch | |
| 21 | DavisTucker County | WV | 30.7% | 10.9% | 56 | 1/5 Relaxed | |
| 22 | BrainerdCrow Wing County | MN | 29.6% | 11.1% | 45 | 3/5 Moderate | |
| 23 | Steamboat SpringsRoutt County | CO | 29.0% | 16.7% | 57 | 3/5 Moderate | |
| 24 | Lake PlacidEssex County | NY | 29.0% | 13.6% | 72 | 4/5 Strict | |
| 25 | MeredithBelknap County | NH | 28.5% | 10.4% | 67 | 4/5 Strict | |
| 26 | BooneWatauga County | NC | 27.4% | 17.6% | 68 | 4/5 Strict | |
| 27 | Rehoboth BeachSussex County | DE | 26.2% | 9.4% | 66 | 2/5 Light-touch | |
| 28 | Blue RidgeFannin County | GA | 26.0% | 9.3% | 43 | $66K | 3/5 Moderate |
| 29 | Lake Blue RidgeFannin County | GA | 26.0% | 9.3% | 41 | $60K | 3/5 Moderate |
| 30 | NaplesCollier County | FL | 25.9% | 13.4% | 79 | $86K | 4/5 Strict |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Ranked by vacation-home share of county housing units. 30 of 176 tracked markets shown.
How to read this
- Vacation-home share, tourism job share and 4+ bedroom share are county-level figures from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. They describe the whole county, not one town or neighbourhood.
- The amenity score (0-100) counts dining, attractions and outdoor features that OpenStreetMap records within 15 km of the market pin. A fixed radius favours dense metros, and map coverage varies by area.
- Annual revenue is the average annual gross STR revenue from STR HUB's market analytics, the same figure shown on each market page. It is gross, and an individual property can earn more or less.
- Regulation ratings run from 1/5 (Relaxed) to 5/5 (Very strict) and summarise the rules we hold on file. Rules change, and a city rating does not cover HOA or deed restrictions. Confirm current requirements with the local jurisdiction before you buy or list.
- An empty cell means we do not hold that figure for the market. We never estimate or interpolate a missing number.
Frequently asked questions
Which STR market has the highest share of vacation homes?
Ocean City, MD: 53.6% of housing units in Worcester County are held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. Lake of the Ozarks, MO (53.6%) and Breckenridge, CO (52.9%) follow.
How unusual is that level of vacation-home density?
Across all 176 markets we track, the median vacation-home share is 8.0%. The 30 markets on this page run from 25.9% to 53.6%.
Which resort economy depends most on tourism jobs?
Among the 30 listed, Mammoth Lakes, CA has the highest tourism job share: 25.8% of jobs in Mono County are in arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services.
Which resort economy earns the most STR revenue?
Of the 10 markets on this list with revenue data, Vail, CO has the highest average annual gross revenue at $126K, with a vacation-home share of 31.7%.
See these on the interactive map
Use the Density and Tourism overlays to see vacation-home share and tourism employment for every county behind a tracked market.
More rankings
State pages for the top markets here
- Missouri STR markets
- Colorado STR markets
- California STR markets
- New Jersey STR markets
- West Virginia STR markets
- Utah STR markets
- All rankings →
Data sources
- Housing and employment shares: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates.
- Amenity data: © OpenStreetMap contributors.
- Revenue, nightly rate, occupancy and regulation ratings: STR HUB market analytics and regulation research.
Figures come from the STR HUB national dataset dated September 21, 2026 and are refreshed whenever that dataset is rebuilt. Screening data only: not investment, legal or tax advice.
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