Airbnb market dataThrough 634 listingsHow we measure
Yes, Folly Beach, SC is a strong Airbnb market in 2026. Chalet data shows a whole-market median annual revenue of $80,988, with median occupancy at 57% and a robust $501.
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Written from an earlier data window, so some figures differ from the live numbers above.
Chalet AI
A typical active Folly Beach Airbnb earned $80,988 in the 12 months to Sep 2026. The top 25% of listings averaged $130,855, about 1.6× that. The bottom 25%, which includes rarely booked listings, averaged $9,580.
$9.6k
Bottom 25% average
$81k
Typical listing
$130.9k
Top 25% average
3-bedroom homes are the most common in Folly Beach (37% of listings).
| Bedrooms |
|---|
The best three months, Jul, Mar and Oct, brought in 32% of a typical Folly Beach listing's revenue over the 12 months to Sep 2026.
Lower than a year earlier in every month we can compare
Typical monthly revenue per listing, Oct 2025–Sep 2026, against the same month a year earlier
No year-earlier data for Oct–Mar yet.
The median Folly Beach home is worth $1,070,951 (Zillow, Aug 2026), up 2.9% in a year. At typical revenue that's a 7.6% gross yield, before the mortgage, taxes and running costs.
Folly Beach ranks #9 of the 12 South Carolina markets we track by gross yield.
| # | Market | Gross yield | Revenue/yr | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Charleston, SC | 15.0% | $46,422 | |
| 2 | Columbia, SC | 14.4% | $33,131 | |
| 3 | Myrtle Beach, SC | 11.8% | $38,194 | |
| 4 | Charleston, SC |
None listed in Folly Beach right now, so here are others in South Carolina.
A typical active Airbnb in Folly Beach, SC earned $80,988 in the 12 months to Sep 2026. The median listing was booked 57% of nights, and the average nightly rate was $501 in Sep 2026. Against a median home value of $1,070,951, that's a 7.6% gross yield before the mortgage, taxes and running costs.
A typical active listing earned $80,988 in the 12 months to Sep 2026. The top 25% of listings averaged $130,855 and the bottom 25% $9,580. Estimated by size: 1-bedroom about $57,259; 2-bedroom about $79,858; 3-bedroom about $96,967 and 4-bedroom about $147,084 a year.
The typical listing was booked 57% of nights in the 12 months to Sep 2026, from 75% in June to 24% in January.
Based on 634 Folly Beach short-term rental listings tracked by Chalet, with data through Sep 2026. Home values come from the Zillow Home Value Index.
Airbnb data sites count different things. Some average every listing, including ones that are rarely booked; some use a whole metro area instead of the town; some use a calendar year. We show typical figures for active listings in Folly Beach over the last 12 months, and label each number with what it counts. Compare like with like before comparing sites.
| Share of listings |
|---|
| Nightly rate |
|---|
| Occupancy |
|---|
| Est. revenue/yr |
|---|
| Studio | 0% | $348 | 36% | $45,828 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | 13% | $286 | 55% | $57,259 |
| 2 bedrooms | 22% | $400 | 55% | $79,858 |
| 3 bedrooms | 37% | $513 | 52% | $96,967 |
| 4 bedrooms | 19% | $806 | 50% | $147,084 |
| 5 bedrooms | 7% | $1,110 | 47% | $189,017 |
Estimated revenue = nightly rate × occupancy × 365, last 12 months.
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| Month | Revenue | Occupancy | Nightly rate | Revenue a year earlier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | $8,137 | 59% | $454 | |
| Nov 2025 | $5,885 | 42% | $431 | |
| Dec 2025 | $4,936 | 29% | $441 | |
| Jan 2026 | $3,890 | 24% | $387 | |
| Feb 2026 | $4,706 | 37% | $399 | |
| Mar 2026 | $8,215 | 65% | $501 | |
| Apr 2026 | $7,492 | 65% | $552 | |
| May 2026 | $7,738 | 64% | $624 | |
| Jun 2026 | $7,507 | 75% | $716 | |
| Jul 2026 | $9,302 | 75% | $792 | |
| Aug 2026 | $6,709 | 57% | $602 | |
| Sep 2026 | $6,472 | 56% | $535 |
Yes, Airbnbs are legal in Folly Beach but are strictly regulated and capped at 800 licenses.
Yes, you need both a business license and a rental registration permit to operate an Airbnb in Folly Beach.
STRs in Folly Beach are subject to a 5% state sales tax, 2% state accommodations tax, 2% county accommodations fee, 1% municipal accommodations fee, and 1% beach preservation fee. (Source: https://dor.sc.gov/tax/accommodations)
The 10 largest operators in Folly Beach each ran 20 or more listings as of May 2025.
and 3 more
Of guests from the top 10 cities, 90% live within a day's drive. Guests book 79 days ahead on average.
and 3 more
| 11.4% |
| $67,257 |
| 5 | North Myrtle Beach, SC | 11.1% | $44,114 |
|---|
| 6 | Murrells Inlet, SC | 10.6% | $42,547 |
|---|
| 7 | Aiken, SC | 10.3% | $29,028 |
|---|
| 8 | Greenville, SC | 9.4% | $31,026 |
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| 9 | Folly Beach, SC (this market) | 7.6% | $80,988 |
|---|
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July; March and October earned the most, bringing in 32% of a typical listing's revenue in the 12 months to Sep 2026.
$1,070,951 as of August 2026 (Zillow Home Value Index), up 2.9% in a year.
3-bedroom homes make up 37% of listings, earning an estimated $96,967 a year.
The top origin cities are Charlotte, NC (5.1% of guests); Asheville, NC (4.1% of guests) and Charleston, SC (3.8% of guests). Of guests from the top 10 cities, 90% live within a day's drive.
Chalet tracks 634 short-term rental listings in Folly Beach, SC, with data through Sep 2026.
For education only, not financial, legal or investment advice. Full methodology
