STR Market Report
Washington DC, DC
District of Columbia • Short-Term Rental Market
Key Market Metrics
41%
Entire-home, active listings
Occupancy Rate
~12 nights booked per month on average
$134
Median, entire-home
Avg Nightly Rate
Typical price per night charged by whole-home hosts in this market
3,722
Had a review in past 12 mo
Active Listings
Whole-home Airbnbs with at least 1 recent guest review — active supply
$1,648
~12 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.
27%
Hosts with 5+ listings
Pro Host Rate
Significant investor presence — you'll compete with experienced multi-property operators
2/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.
69%
Have a permit on file
Licensed Listings
Moderate compliance — licensing is required but enforcement is inconsistent
☀️ Demand Seasonality: Year-round demand
Strong demand across all seasons — minimal seasonal revenue volatility
Market Overview
Washington DC requires STR hosts to obtain a Basic Business License and limits operations to primary residences, significantly constraining the investment property market. However, for primary residence hosts, the market is among the strongest in the East Coast: year-round government contractor, lobbying, and government agency visitor demand, Cherry Blossom Festival, July 4th, Presidential Inauguration years, and consistent NGO/embassy event-driven demand. Capitol Hill and Dupont Circle are top-performing neighborhoods. ADR is strong relative to most mid-Atlantic markets.
Top STR Neighborhoods
Premium Pricing Pocket
Kalorama Heights, Adams Morgan, Lanier Heights
Avg nightly rate: $6,483
Highest Occupancy Pocket
Georgetown, Burleith/Hillandale
Avg occupancy: 46.4%
Best Balanced Opportunity
Kalorama Heights, Adams Morgan, Lanier Heights
Healthy mix of demand, pricing, and listing depth
- 1Capitol Hill
- 2Dupont Circle
- 3Georgetown
- 4Adams Morgan
- 5Logan Circle
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 · 2025-09-22Listing Locations & Pricing
Listing Types
- Entire Home76.5%
- Private Room21.6%
- Hotel Room1.3%
- Shared Room0.7%
Takeaway: entire home apt dominates this market snapshot.
Price Distribution (per night)
Takeaway: the highest concentration of listings sits in the $51–100 nightly range.
Occupancy Rate Distribution
Takeaway: most listings cluster around 0–10% occupancy.
Monthly Seasonality (from booking calendar)
Peak month in this snapshot: Sep (52.9% occupancy).
Neighbourhood Breakdown (top 15)
| Neighbourhood | Listings ↓ | Avg Price | Occupancy | Avg Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Station, Stanton Park, Kingman Park | 653 | $158 | 40.5% | — |
| Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park | 621 | $166 | 38.1% | — |
| Dupont Circle, Connecticut Avenue/K Street | 482 | $320 | 29.8% | — |
| Edgewood, Bloomingdale, Truxton Circle, Eckington | 461 | $140 | 44.7% | — |
| Columbia Heights, Mt. Pleasant, Pleasant Plains, Park View | 448 | $131 | 43.1% | — |
| Brightwood Park, Crestwood, Petworth | 370 | $113 | 40.5% | — |
| Shaw, Logan Circle | 349 | $193 | 42.7% | — |
| Downtown, Chinatown, Penn Quarters, Mount Vernon Square, North Capitol Street | 324 | $944 | 36.7% | — |
| Ivy City, Arboretum, Trinidad, Carver Langston | 297 | $129 | 36.7% | — |
| Kalorama Heights, Adams Morgan, Lanier Heights | 214 | $6,483 | 35.9% | — |
| Howard University, Le Droit Park, Cardozo/Shaw | 212 | $315 | 43% | — |
| Georgetown, Burleith/Hillandale | 168 | $314 | 46.4% | — |
| Congress Heights, Bellevue, Washington Highlands | 122 | $121 | 32% | — |
| Takoma, Brightwood, Manor Park | 121 | $137 | 34% | — |
| Twining, Fairlawn, Randle Highlands, Penn Branch, Fort Davis Park, Fort Dupont | 118 | $136 | 40.6% | — |
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?
Get professional analytics for Washington DC
Our estimates are a starting point — these tools give you neighborhood-level occupancy, revenue projections, and comp analysis from live Airbnb data.
Real-time occupancy, ADR, and RevPAR by neighborhood. The industry standard for STR market research.
View Washington DC data on AirDNA →Combines Airbnb data with traditional rental comps. Great for comparing STR vs long-term rental ROI.
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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 Washington DC a higher-risk choice for new STR investors.
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