STR Market Report
Hawaii, HI
Hawaii • Short-Term Rental Market
Key Market Metrics
36%
Entire-home, active listings
Occupancy Rate
~11 nights booked per month on average
$211
Median, entire-home
Avg Nightly Rate
Typical price per night charged by whole-home hosts in this market
20,680
Had a review in past 12 mo
Active Listings
Whole-home Airbnbs with at least 1 recent guest review — active supply
$2,279
~11 booked nights / month
Est. Monthly Revenue
Directional gross booking revenue estimate before fees, expenses, and seasonality shifts
Restricted
Heavy restrictions — often limited to owner-occupied primary residences or capped permits
Regulatory Risk
Quick Investor Read
Higher-risk setup due to weaker demand, pricing constraints, or regulation. Underwrite conservatively.
Market Dynamics
2 nights
Typical host minimum
Median Min Stay
Most common minimum booking length. Short = weekenders welcome. Long (7+ nights) = weekly guests only.
61%
Hosts with 5+ listings
Pro Host Rate
Over half of supply is run by professional investors — a highly competitive market
0.9/mo
Median reviews per month
Booking Velocity
How quickly typical listings earn new reviews — a proxy for how often properties get booked. Higher = stronger demand.
82%
Have a permit on file
Licensed Listings
High compliance rate — regulations are actively enforced here. Budget for permitting before listing.
☀️ Demand Seasonality: Year-round demand
Strong demand across all seasons — minimal seasonal revenue volatility
Market Overview
Hawaii's Big Island STR market differs from the popular Maui and Oahu markets in being less regulated at the county level, particularly in residential resort zones along the Kohala Coast (Kailua-Kona, Waikoloa). However, Hawaii has been moving toward stricter STR regulations statewide following years of housing concern activism. Properties in the Kona Coast resort corridor — with ocean views, lava tube features, or pool access — perform exceptionally well with ADR regularly exceeding $300 even at moderate occupancy. Volcano and Pahoa areas attract a niche ecotourism segment.
Top STR Neighborhoods
Premium Pricing Pocket
Primary Urban Center
Avg nightly rate: $1,758
Highest Occupancy Pocket
Ewa
Avg occupancy: 49.9%
Best Balanced Opportunity
Primary Urban Center
Healthy mix of demand, pricing, and listing depth
- 1Kailua-Kona
- 2Hilo
- 3Waikoloa
- 4Captain Cook
- 5Volcano
Ranked by active listing count (Inside Airbnb data).
Compare Similar Markets
Markets in Americas with similar investment-score profiles:
Live Market Analytics
Source: Inside Airbnb · 2025-09-16Listing Locations & Pricing
Listing Types
- Entire Home91.3%
- Private Room7.9%
- Hotel Room0.7%
- Shared Room0.1%
Takeaway: entire home apt dominates this market snapshot.
Price Distribution (per night)
Takeaway: the highest concentration of listings sits in the $201–300 nightly range.
Occupancy Rate Distribution
Takeaway: most listings cluster around 0–10% occupancy.
Monthly Seasonality (from booking calendar)
Peak month in this snapshot: Oct (48% occupancy).
Neighbourhood Breakdown (top 15)
| Neighbourhood | Listings ↓ | Avg Price | Occupancy | Avg Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Urban Center | 6,711 | $1,758 | 37% | — |
| Lahaina | 5,254 | $1,306 | 36.7% | — |
| Kihei-Makena | 4,459 | $470 | 35.6% | — |
| North Kona | 3,721 | $1,147 | 42.6% | — |
| North Shore Kauai | 2,329 | $607 | 39.5% | — |
| South Kohala | 1,942 | $503 | 35% | — |
| Koloa-Poipu | 1,654 | $553 | 38.7% | — |
| Puna | 1,206 | $154 | 30.9% | — |
| Kapaa-Wailua | 847 | $1,133 | 37.3% | — |
| Ewa | 827 | $494 | 49.9% | — |
| Lihue | 771 | $851 | 43.9% | — |
| Koolauloa | 581 | $430 | 32.8% | — |
| South Hilo | 553 | $182 | 31.6% | — |
| Koolaupoko | 409 | $486 | 34.2% | — |
| North Shore Oahu | 311 | $369 | 32.5% | — |
Source: Inside Airbnb. Click column headers to sort.
Analytics derived from Inside Airbnb public datasets. Data reflects the snapshot date above. Not financial advice.
Want verified, real-time data?
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Investment Score Breakdown
Score formula: Occupancy (max 45 pts) + ADR (max 30 pts) + Regulatory environment (up to 25 pts). Max score: 100.
Challenging market — lower occupancy, rate constraints, or restrictive regulations make Hawaii a higher-risk choice for new STR investors.
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