Bar Harbor, ME
Acadia National Park gateway - Maine's premier island STR market
Bar Harbor sits at the entrance to Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island - Maine's top tourist destination and the second most-visited national park in the East. The compressed summer season (July-August) produces some of the highest short-season occupancy rates in New England. Lobster dinners, whale watching, and the carriage road network create a tourism ecosystem that supports premium ADR.
Across 36 active STR-viable listings analyzed this month, Bar Harbor shows a 5.0% median cap rate at a $725K median list price, 61% occupancy, and $278/night. That ranks #10 of 57 markets in STRROI's live ranking. At typical prices the income covers expenses with a moderate margin; deals work best with a solid down payment or a below-market purchase.
Bar Harbor real estate market right now
As of October 16, 2026, STRROI is tracking 36 homes for sale in Bar Harbor that could run as short-term rentals, at a median list price of $724,500. The middle half are priced between $575K and $1.0M. That works out to a median of $516 per square foot for a typical 1,586 square foot home.
These numbers cover the homes for sale STRROI analyzes as potential short-term rentals in Bar Harbor, mainly ZIP 04609. They are not every home sale in the area, so they can differ from MLS-wide figures. Month-by-month price history starts Oct 2026 and fills in as the market is re-checked each month.
What's for sale in Bar Harbor right now
Of the 36 homes for sale we analyzed in Bar Harbor, 5 (14%) project positive monthly cash flow with 20% down at a 7.5% rate, and 1 rate Buy or better on STRROI's 1-10 scale. 3-bedroom homes are the most common (15 for sale, median $599K). They also post the best median cap rate of any bedroom count, 5.2%, against 3.6% for 4-bedroom homes. By property type, condos lead at a 5.1% median cap rate across 3 listings.
- Buy: 1
- Moderate Buy: 1
- Watch: 3
- Weak: 20
- Avoid: 11
| Beds | For sale | Median price | Cap rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 12 | $697K | 4.9% |
| 3 | 15 | $599K | 5.2% |
| 4 | 4 | $1.8M | 3.6% |
| 5+ | 4 | $2.3M | 4.4% |
| Type | For sale | Median price | Cap rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family homes | 31 | $699K | 5.0% |
| Condos | 3 | $735K | 5.1% |
Top-ranked homes for sale in Bar Harbor this month
Scored 1-10 against real Airbnb comps. Addresses, photos and the full underwriting are in the app.
- #1Buy · 7/103 bd · 1 ba single-family homeZIP 04609 · listed at $549K
- Cap rate
- 8.2%
- Cash flow
- +$664/mo
- Nightly
- $358 at 61%
- #2Moderate Buy · 6/103 bd · 1 ba single-family homeZIP 04609 · listed at $599K
- Cap rate
- 7.4%
- Cash flow
- +$365/mo
- Nightly
- $358 at 61%
- #3Watch · 5/102 bd · 1 ba single-family homeZIP 04609 · listed at $468K
- Cap rate
- 7.1%
- Cash flow
- +$134/mo
- Nightly
- $273 at 61%
How Bar Harbor compares
Bar Harbor ranks #4 of 6 Northeast markets in STRROI's live ranking; Poconos leads the region with a median cap rate of 8.4%. Its 5.0% cap rate is 2.1 points above the 2.9% median across all 57 ranked markets, and its $725K typical list price is pricier than the Northeast median of $522K.
| Rank | Market | Cap rate | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Poconos, PA | 8.4% | $428K |
| #2 | Catskills, NY | 7.2% | $450K |
| #3 | Finger Lakes, NY | 6.8% | $380K |
| #10 | Bar Harbor, ME | 5.0% | $725K |
| #20 | Cape Cod, MA | 3.8% | $594K |
| #39 | The Hamptons, NY | 2.4% | $2.2M |
Rank is national, by median cap rate across active STR-viable listings. Cash flow uses STRROI's default financing assumptions. See the full ranking
Estimated Annual Performance
* Estimates based on market averages. Individual property performance varies. Always run a full underwriting analysis.
Why Investors Choose Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor STR investing, answered
Is Bar Harbor, ME a good short-term rental market?
Bar Harbor is a Northeast STR market with a 5.0% median cap rate, 61% annual occupancy, and $278/night across STR-viable listings, based on 36 active listings. It ranks #10 of 57 markets by median cap rate in STRROI's live ranking. This month 1 of its 36 homes for sale rates Buy or better.
What is the average Airbnb occupancy rate in Bar Harbor?
STR-viable properties in Bar Harbor average about 61% occupancy across the year. Peak season is July - August (very concentrated). Occupancy here reflects availability-adjusted booking performance, not raw calendar occupancy, so it represents what a full-time operated rental can realistically achieve.
How much do short-term rentals earn in Bar Harbor?
At $278/night and 61% occupancy, a typical Bar Harbor STR grosses roughly $61,795 per year before expenses, leaving an estimated $37,077 in net operating income. Across analyzed listings the median cap rate is 5.0%. Individual results depend on property, amenities, and management.
What types of properties work best for STR in Bar Harbor?
Among homes for sale right now, 3-bedroom homes post the strongest median cap rate by size (5.2%), and condos lead by property type (5.1%). With guests, the best-performing STR types here are Cottage, Single Family, Inn Suite, Waterfront Home. Matching the local guest profile and the amenities that drive bookings matters more than raw square footage.
How many homes for sale in Bar Harbor cash flow as an Airbnb?
5 of 36 STR-viable listings (14%) project positive monthly cash flow after the mortgage, assuming 20% down at a 7.5% rate on a 30-year loan. The top-ranked listing this month is a 3-bedroom single-family home in ZIP 04609 listed at $549K, projecting a 8.2% cap rate and +$664 a month.
What is the median home price in Bar Harbor, ME right now?
The median list price of the 36 homes for sale STRROI tracks in Bar Harbor is $724,500, and the middle half are priced between $575K and $1.0M. The median price per square foot is $516. These are homes that could run as short-term rentals, mainly ZIP 04609, not every sale in the area. Against a 5.0% median cap rate, that price level sets the return baseline you'd underwrite against.
Market averages, not guarantees. Cap rates, occupancy, and nightly rates are market-wide averages based on active STR listings and historical data. Individual property performance depends on location, amenities, management, and listing quality. Always run a full underwriting analysis before purchasing.Stats sourced from 36 active listings · last updated Oct 16, 2026
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