Highlands, NC
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Annual revenue (actual)
$45.9k
12 mo avg
↑6%
from prior 12 mo
Occupancy rate
31%
12 mo avg
↓2%
from prior 12 mo
Avg daily rate
$377
12 mo avg
↑15%
from prior 12 mo
Gross yield
5.5%
Current potential
↓0.4 pts
vs prior-year prices
Lead time
42 days
12 mo avg
↑1 days
from prior 12 mo
Revpar
$99
12 mo avg
↑7%
from prior 12 mo
Methodology note: Figures reflect Highlands market data as of October 2026. Data covers Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com listings. Values are seasonally influenced; rounding applied for readability.
Ranked by median gross yield across eligible homes. Each home’s annual room-revenue potential is compared with its ZIP- and bedroom-matched value, before expenses.
| Neighborhood | Revenue (potential) | Gross yield |
|---|---|---|
| West Lake Glenville & Norton Surroundings | $41.1K 37 listings | 8.9% 37 listings |
| Glenville & Eastern Lake Surroundings | $49.0K 32 listings | 7.9% 32 listings |
| Tuckasegee & East Fork Lake Country | $39.5K 12 listings | 7.7% 12 listings |
| Cullowhee & Northern Mountain Country | $30.9K 30 listings | 7.4% 30 listings |
| Scaly Mountain | $31.7K 17 listings | 7.0% 17 listings |
Data as of 2026-09-30
Revenue per listing by bedroom
Annual revenue per listing, broken down by bedroom count. Compare which property sizes perform best.
Bedroom count:
0
1
2
3
4+
Short-term rental supply growth
Tracks how the number of active listings changes over time. Rising supply with flat revenue may indicate saturation.
Performance metrics by bedroom
Breakdown of revenue, property values, yields, supply, and cleaning fees for each bedroom type.
Bedrooms
Median revenue
Median home value
Gross yield
Supply
Amenity revenue impact
This estimate compares similar listings in this market. When local data is limited, we blend in state and U.S. results to prevent unusually high or low estimates.
| Amenity | Est. revenue impact |
|---|---|
| Sauna | +21% $9,648/yr |
| EV Charger | 🔒 +1•% · $••••/yr Revenue lift and listing count available in Markets |
| Hot Tub | 🔒 +1•% · $••••/yr Revenue lift and listing count available in Markets |
| Barbecue | 🔒 +2% · $•••/yr Revenue lift and listing count available in Markets |
| Bicycles | 🔒 +2% · $•••/yr Revenue lift and listing count available in Markets |
| Lake Access | 🔒 +1% · $•••/yr Revenue lift and listing count available in Markets |
| Pets Allowed | 🔒 +1% · $•••/yr Revenue lift and listing count available in Markets |
Nightly rate by day of week
Average nightly rate for each day of the week. Most markets see higher rates on weekends.
Occupancy rate by day of week
Shows booking patterns throughout the week. Helps understand demand cycles.
Listings by channel
Listings by rental type
Listings by amenities
Listings by size
4+ bedrooms (0%)
Listings by availability
Length of stay by bedroom
Studio (8.4 nights)
2 bedrooms (5.6 nights)
3 bedrooms (5.4 nights)
4+ bedrooms (5.0 nights)
1 bedroom (4.2 nights)
Cleaning fee by bedroom
4+ bedrooms ($291)
3 bedrooms ($199)
2 bedrooms ($154)
Studio ($140)
1 bedroom ($88)
Professional host share
Independent hosts (52%)
Professionally managed (48%)
Housing market signals
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Are home values in Highlands going up or down?
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Which home type gives you the most space for the price?
Over the 12 months ending September 2026, the Highlands market averaged 1,363 active Airbnb and VRBO listings, up 8% from a year earlier and up 22% over two years.
An average Highlands listing earns $41K/year. High-performing listings earn $96K, while low-performing listings earn $17K.
Median Highlands home prices by size are 1-bedroom $330K, 2-bedroom $439K, 3-bedroom $706K, and 4+ bedroom $1.9M.
Average occupancy in Highlands is 27%, producing RevPAR of $90 per available night.
Rules vary across Highlands. Highlands: Moderate. Business license required, zoning compliance needed. Town enforces but many operate informally given tourism economy. Cashiers: Lenient. Unincorporated area under Jackson County rules - minimal regulations, business license suggested. Very light enforcement. Franklin: Moderate. Business license and zoning compliance required through Macon County. Standard enforcement, primarily complaint-driven rather than proactive monitoring. Verify requirements for the property's jurisdiction.
The Highlands Airbnb and VRBO market appears broadly balanced. Supply has grown 8% year-over-year, while RevPAR has increased 3%, showing no clear supply-demand imbalance.
RevPAR is highest in July and June; it is lowest in February and January.
The most common amenities are Internet (99%), Kitchen (98%), TV (97%). The strongest positive revenue associations are Ev Charger (+51%), Washing Machine (+48%), Pool (+23%).
Average daily rate in Highlands is $413, up 14% year-over-year. Rates peak in June and are lowest in January.
Guests in Highlands book an average of 42 days in advance, up 3% from last year. Booking windows range from 33 days for 1-bedroom listings to 50 days for 4+ bedroom listings.
Booking demand is highest on Saturday and lowest on Tuesday. Nightly rates peak on Friday and are lowest on Tuesday. Weekend occupancy is 54% higher than weekday occupancy.
For each eligible home, annual room-revenue potential is divided by a ZIP- and bedroom-matched home-value estimate. Groups show the median of those yields. Cleaning income is excluded. Gross yield is before expenses and financing.
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