Folly Beach Airbnb Rental Market Data, Revenue and Occupancy Rates 2026

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Folly Beach Airbnb Rental Market Data, Revenue and Occupancy Rates 2026

Is Folly Beach, SC a good Airbnb market in 2026?

Yes, with caveats: Folly Beach, SC is a strong Airbnb market for full-time operators, with active hosts averaging $75,104 in annual revenue, 57% occupancy, and a $464 ADR (Chalet data). Regulation is strict, with a hard cap on STR licenses and a waitlist for new entrants.

Top-quartile operators see upside to $137,589. The headline median revenue ($77,474) is inflated by part-time listings and does not reflect full-time performance. For details on local policy, see the [Folly Beach STR regulations](/rental-regulations/folly-beach-sc).

Operator Revenue (full-time active)

$75,104/yr

vs. headline average of $77,474 · 110 active listings

Average Daily Rate

$464

Gross Yield

Ranked #312 in the US

Occupancy Rate

57%

New this quarter

Q2 2026 Market Momentum

Revenue and occupancy both declined YoY — operators are seeing softer demand.

Active Operator Revenue (Q2)

$23,098$38,91440.6%

Per active full-time listing, Apr–Jun

Average Occupancy (Q2)

64.2%66.0%1.8%

Investment thesis

Why invest in Folly Beach, SC Airbnb rentals?

Folly Beach, South Carolina, stands out as a tightly held, high-barrier short-term rental market defined by its strict cap on STR licenses and robust full-time operator performance. Over the past year, active full-time operators have averaged $75,104 in annual revenue (Chalet data), a figure that sets the pace for serious investors despite a broader whole-market median of $77,474—an apparent paradox explained by the dilution from a large part-time and casual host base. The market’s median occupancy sits at 57%, with an ADR of $464 and a median gross yield of 7.4% against a median home value of $1,050,016. Folly Beach ranks #222 nationally for STR performance. Seasonality is pronounced: July peaks at $9,387 in monthly revenue and 81% occupancy, while January plunges to $4,046 and 23% occupancy—a near 2.3x swing between high and low seasons.

Investment performance in Folly Beach is stratified by bedroom count, with larger homes capturing outsized returns. Four-bedroom properties, comprising 19% of supply, average $108,506 in annual revenue at an $809 ADR and 52% occupancy—a clear step up from the 3BR segment, which averages $66,735 at $491 ADR. The 5BR and 6BR tiers, though smaller in supply, sustain high average revenues of $129,942 and $151,632, respectively, with ADRs above $1,000. Investors looking for scale and yield in this market should focus on these mid- to large-format homes, where both nightly rates and annualized returns are meaningfully higher. For tailored acquisition strategies and on-the-ground insight, connect with a Chalet agent.

Geographically, nearly all investable inventory clusters in zip code 29439, which hosts 630 listings with a median annual revenue of $77,474, 57% occupancy, and an 8.2% yield on a $1,060,636 median home value. This concentration underscores the scarcity value of licensed inventory and the importance of precise asset selection. Investors should note that while 1BR and 2BR units are accessible and comprise a third of the market, their average revenues ($40,625 and $50,038, respectively) and occupancy rates lag meaningfully behind larger homes, reinforcing the premium on scale in this market.

At scale, Folly Beach rewards operators who can navigate both regulatory complexity and seasonality. The guest base is overwhelmingly regional, with Charlotte, Asheville, Charleston, and other Southeastern cities dominating origin markets—international guests account for less than 1%. Booking lead times average 64 days, with a median stay of 4.8 nights, indicating a blend of planned leisure and family travel. The market’s top hosts—Carolina One, MyOceanRental, and The Best Rentals—control a majority of supply, leveraging operational scale and local expertise. For investors modeling returns or evaluating acquisition fit, the Chalet ROI calculator is essential for scenario planning.

Risks are concentrated and material. Over the past year, revenue per listing surged by 24.7%, but this came alongside a 2.9% decline in occupancy and a 1.3% uptick in listing supply. Most notably, median home values fell by 3.6%, reflecting either softening demand for ownership or regulatory headwinds. The seasonal trough in January is severe, with occupancy dropping to 23%. Regulation is the defining constraint: Folly Beach enforces a hard cap of 800 STR licenses (currently maxed out), a non-transferability rule on sale, and significant compliance costs. New investors face a waitlist and high barriers to entry—see the Folly Beach STR regulations for the latest policy landscape.

Folly Beach is a classic scarcity market where outsized returns accrue to well-capitalized, operationally sophisticated investors who can secure a license and scale into larger homes—provided they can navigate the regulatory gauntlet and withstand deep seasonality.

Chalet exclusive

The market average hides a two-tier reality

Most market reports quote a single average, but in every STR market a wide gap separates full-time professional operators from part-time and underperforming listings. Underwriting against that average understates the upside for operators willing to do the work — and overstates it for everyone else.

Chalet's active-operator benchmark filters out part-time and dormant listings so you can underwrite against what real operators in this market actually earn.

Top Quartile Operators$137,589

Top 25% of 182 listings

Active Operator Average$75,104

← This is your real underwriting benchmark

All-Listings Average$68,743

What typical market reports quote — every listing, incl. part-time

Where are you in your STR journey?

Three ways investors typically use this page. Pick the one that matches you.

Highest ROI segment

I'm converting an LTR to STR

See the revenue lift and occupancy upside of switching a long-term rental to a short-term in Folly Beach.

Run LTR → STR comparison

Monthly Revenue & Seasonality

Revenue per active listing in Folly Beach, SC, by month. Demand peaks Jun–Aug.

Monthly Revenue Trend

Revenue per active listing by month in Folly Beach, SC

$7,267

Season	Occ.	Revenue
Summer Jun–Aug	73%	$7,862
Spring Mar–May	60%	$6,750
Fall Sep–Nov	51%	$5,579
Winter Dec–Feb	26%	$3,791

Monthly Occupancy & Daily Rates

How occupancy and ADR move through the year — peak, shoulder, and low season patterns.

Monthly Occupancy Rate

Annual avg 52% · peaks at 81% in Jul

81% (Jul)

Summer peak

52%

Annual avg

Revenue by Bedroom Count

Annual revenue, occupancy, and ADR by bedroom configuration — Folly Beach runs mostly 3 Bedrooms, but 5 Bedrooms deliver the highest annual revenue.

Bedrooms	Listings	Occupancy	ADR	Annual Revenue
Studio	0	0%	$0	$0
1 Bedroom	85	49%	$276	$49,105
2 Bedroom	158	52%	$386	$73,068

Home Values & Guest Demand

Median home-value trend and where Folly Beach guests travel from.

Median Home Value

$1,050,016▼ 2.61% YoY

Source: Zillow ZHVI

Peak: $1,126,145 in Jun 2024

Home values in Folly Beach are softening — buyers may have negotiating leverage they didn't have 12 months ago.

Where Guests Come From

Top origin cities · Folly Beach

Best Zipcodes for Airbnb in Folly Beach (2026)

Top-performing zipcodes ranked by gross yield. Click any zipcode for full analytics.

29439

Annual Rev

$77,474

Yield

Listings

918

Step 1: Find your Folly Beach team

Match with Folly Beach's top STR-specialist agents

Get matched with Folly Beach, SC realtors who specialize in short-term rentals — they know which neighborhoods actually cash flow and which to avoid. We've vetted them all.

No fees · Average match in 5 minutes

613

Active STRs tracked in Folly Beach

$1.05M

Median home value

Step 2: Line up financing

Match with STR-specialist lenders

Conventional lenders often won't underwrite STR income. We connect you with lenders who use DSCR, projected revenue, and Airbnb-specific underwriting.

Compliance & Rules

Airbnb Rules & Regulations in Folly Beach, SC

Before setting up an Airbnb in Folly Beach, review the local STR regulations and confirm any HOA restrictions on your specific property.

Full Folly Beach STR regulation guide

Are Airbnbs legal in Folly Beach, South Carolina?

Yes, Airbnbs are legal in Folly Beach but are strictly regulated and capped at 800 licenses.

Do I need a license to operate an Airbnb in Folly Beach?

Yes, you need both a business license and a rental registration permit to operate an Airbnb in Folly Beach.

Step 3: Stress-test the deal

Calculate your Airbnb income potential in Folly Beach, SC

Run any Folly Beach address through Chalet's calculator — instant, data-backed estimates of occupancy, nightly rate, and annual revenue, plus cash flow and returns.

Calculate Your Income Potential

Folly Beach market average

$77,474

/yr

Projected gross rental income at market occupancy and nightly rate.

Avg daily rate

$464

Occupancy

57%

Gross yield

Calculator unlocks the full per-property deal report.

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers to the questions investors ask most about this market.

Is Airbnb profitable in Folly Beach, SC?

Yes. Operating a short-term rental in Folly Beach, SC can be highly profitable. Listings see consistent guest demand, with hosts earning an average of $77,474 annually at 57% occupancy.

How much can you make on Airbnb in Folly Beach, SC?

Hosts average $77,474 per year. Bedroom count drives the spread: Studios average $0, 1 Bedrooms average $49,105, 2 Bedrooms average $73,068.

Trust & Sources

How we build this report

Data sources

Proprietary Chalet STR performance data (613 active listings tracked daily)
Local Chalet market-partner verification
City permit records and public county data

Methodology notes

Active operator = listing with sustained availability and booking activity over the trailing 12 months
Revenue figures are gross of platform fees, before operating expenses and taxes
Updated monthly · last refresh July 2026

Explore Other Markets in this State

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Information provided is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice.

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Folly Beach, SC