Ocean City, MD
Maryland's top beach STR market
Ocean City is Maryland's premier beach destination, drawing 8 million visitors annually. The barrier island runs 10 miles of Atlantic coast with a dense STR market anchored by summer tourism. Walkable boardwalk access and a well-established rental management ecosystem make it one of the easiest East Coast markets to operate an STR in.
Across 146 active STR-viable listings analyzed this month, Ocean City shows a 2.7% median cap rate at a $550K median list price, 32% occupancy, and $266/night. That ranks #32 of 57 markets in STRROI's live ranking. At typical prices, cash flow is tight: most listings only pencil out with a large down payment, a below-list purchase, or above-market nightly rates.
Ocean City real estate market right now
As of October 16, 2026, STRROI is tracking 146 homes for sale in Ocean City that could run as short-term rentals, at a median list price of $549,500. The middle half are priced between $350K and $889K. That works out to a median of $419 per square foot for a typical 1,347 square foot home. Homes here have been on the market 76 days on average, shorter than the 101 days typical across the 56 markets in STRROI's ranking, so well-priced homes here tend to go quickly. 60 of them were listed in the last 30 days.
These numbers cover the homes for sale STRROI analyzes as potential short-term rentals in Ocean City, mainly ZIP 21842. 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 Ocean City right now
Of the 146 homes for sale we analyzed in Ocean City, none project positive monthly cash flow with 20% down at a 7.5% rate, and none rate Buy or better on STRROI's 1-10 scale. 3-bedroom homes are the most common (50 for sale, median $575K). They also post the best median cap rate of any bedroom count, 2.9%, against 2.2% for 4-bedroom homes. By property type, multi-family lead at a 3.5% median cap rate across 5 listings.
- Weak: 9
- Avoid: 137
| Beds | For sale | Median price | Cap rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | $257K | 2.7% |
| 2 | 44 | $360K | 2.6% |
| 3 | 50 | $575K | 2.9% |
| 4 | 23 | $999K | 2.2% |
| 5+ | 19 | $1.4M | 2.7% |
| Type | For sale | Median price | Cap rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family homes | 41 | $825K | 2.3% |
| Townhouses | 41 | $649K | 2.7% |
| Condos | 40 | $405K | 2.8% |
| Manufactured homes | 17 | $319K | 2.7% |
| Multi-family | 5 | $1.6M | 3.5% |
Top-ranked homes for sale in Ocean City this month
Scored 1-10 against real Airbnb comps. Addresses, photos and the full underwriting are in the app.
- #1Weak · 4/1011 bd · 0 ba multi-family propertyZIP 21842 · listed at $1.4M
- Cap rate
- 5.3%
- Cash flow
- -$1,665/mo
- Nightly
- $589 at 32%
- #2Weak · 4/107 bd · 8 ba single-family homeZIP 21842 · listed at $800K
- Cap rate
- 4.2%
- Cash flow
- -$1,670/mo
- Nightly
- $591 at 32%
- #3Weak · 3/104 bd · 2 ba manufactured homeZIP 21842 · listed at $500K
- Cap rate
- 5.0%
- Cash flow
- -$729/mo
- Nightly
- $410 at 32%
How Ocean City compares
Ocean City ranks #3 of 4 Mid-Atlantic markets in STRROI's live ranking; Virginia Beach leads the region with a median cap rate of 3.8%. Its 2.7% cap rate is 0.2 points below the 2.9% median across all 57 ranked markets, and its $550K typical list price is cheaper than the Mid-Atlantic median of $612K.
| Rank | Market | Cap rate | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| #19 | Virginia Beach, VA | 3.8% | $625K |
| #24 | Outer Banks, NC | 3.4% | $635K |
| #32 | Ocean City, MD | 2.7% | $550K |
| #38 | Rehoboth Beach, DE | 2.4% | $600K |
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 Ocean City
Ocean City STR investing, answered
Is Ocean City, MD a good short-term rental market?
Ocean City is a Mid-Atlantic STR market with a 2.7% median cap rate, 32% annual occupancy, and $266/night across STR-viable listings, based on 146 active listings. It ranks #32 of 57 markets by median cap rate in STRROI's live ranking. This month none of its 146 homes for sale rate Buy or better.
What is the average Airbnb occupancy rate in Ocean City?
STR-viable properties in Ocean City average about 32% occupancy across the year. Peak season is Memorial Day - Labor Day. 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 Ocean City?
At $266/night and 32% occupancy, a typical Ocean City STR grosses roughly $30,972 per year before expenses, leaving an estimated $18,583 in net operating income. Across analyzed listings the median cap rate is 2.7%. Individual results depend on property, amenities, and management.
What types of properties work best for STR in Ocean City?
Among homes for sale right now, 3-bedroom homes post the strongest median cap rate by size (2.9%), and multi-family lead by property type (3.5%). With guests, the best-performing STR types here are Condo, Townhouse, Single Family. Matching the local guest profile and the amenities that drive bookings matters more than raw square footage.
How many homes for sale in Ocean City cash flow as an Airbnb?
0 of 146 STR-viable listings (0%) 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 11-bedroom multi-family property in ZIP 21842 listed at $1.4M, projecting a 5.3% cap rate and -$1,665 a month.
What is the median home price in Ocean City, MD right now?
The median list price of the 146 homes for sale STRROI tracks in Ocean City is $549,500, and the middle half are priced between $350K and $889K. The median price per square foot is $419. These are homes that could run as short-term rentals, mainly ZIP 21842, not every sale in the area. Against a 2.7% median cap rate, that price level sets the return baseline you'd underwrite against.
How long do homes stay on the market in Ocean City?
Homes for sale in Ocean City have been listed 76 days on average, shorter than the 101 days typical across the 56 markets in STRROI's ranking, so well-priced homes here tend to go quickly. 60 of them were listed in the last 30 days.
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 146 active listings · last updated Oct 16, 2026
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