The Top 10 Home Rental Locations For The July 4th Holiday

While most of us think red, white, and blue for Independence Day, savvy homeowners are thinking of a different color: green. 

That’s because apart from being an excuse to drink beer and eat hot dogs, our nation’s birthday is one of the best times of the year to rent your home. Last year, demand for popular beachfront vacation rentals increased by as much as 132% during the holiday week– and with a record 49 million Americans making a vacation trek this 4th of July – that number is likely to only go higher. 

To figure out who stands to gain the most from the July 4th home rental boost, I spoke with vacation rental site Vrbo, to find out the most popular destinations for the holiday week. Top locations were selected based on the increase in their vacation rental demand during the week of July 4th – as compared to the four weeks before and after. As this comparison cannot be done until after the time period is over, rental data comes from 2018. 

10. Bethany Beach, Delaware

July 4th Rental Demand Increase: 51%

Average Cost Per Night: $445

With a mile-long stretch of beach, and a population of only 1,200, Bethany Beach is known for being one of the cleanest places in the state to catch some peace by the water. While 9 million tourists visit Delaware every year, Sussex County (of which Bethany Beach is a part of) is noteworthy for generating the vast majority of its tourism accommodation income from home rentals – $1.2 billion compared to just $198 million for hotels. July 4th is the most popular time of the year here, with a local officials estimating an influx of  25,000 visitors for the fireworks and annual parade.

9. Isle of Palms, South Carolina

July 4th Rental Demand Increase: 53%

Average Cost Per Night: $606

Located just an hour drive outside Charleston, Isle of Palms prides itself on being a location to do just about anything. With a marina, golf championships and a reputation for its beach volleyball, Isle of Palms is a popular destination for tourists year round, as well for Independence Day. The 53% rental demand for vacation home rentals over the week of July 4th is especially impressive considering the existing stock of hotels and resorts.

8. North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

July 4th Rental Demand Increase: 56%

Average Cost Per Night: $321

Part of the “Grand Strand” a noted 60-mile stretch of beach in the Southeast, North Myrtle Beach benefits from both lots of beach front real estate, and a lively downtown. With a year round population of 16,032 – and a greater metro population of almost 450,000 – North Myrtle Beach is one of the most populous spots on our list. The existing rental housing supply, which features many apartments and condos, may benefit vacation goers more than homeowners, as North Myrtle Beach had the third lowest cost per night on our list. 

7. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

July 4th Rental Demand Increase: 60%

Average Cost Per Night: $355

Rounding out the South Carolina entries is the luxury island resort of Hilton Head, South Carolina. With 12 miles of beaches, an astounding 24 golf courses, and three separate fireworks shows, the island sees roughly 2.6 million visitors annually – many of whom fly directly onto the island’s airport. The island previously grabbed the attention of Forbes for being one of the 5 Best Emerging Markets for Luxury Real Estate, with the high rental demand providing a nice source of income for second homeowners. While the island has over 6,000 villas and 3,000 hotel rooms, it doesn’t appear market saturation is occurring anytime soon.

6. Fort Myers Beach & Cape Coral, Florida

July 4th Rental Demand Increase: 63%

Average Cost Per Night: $216

The joint Fort Myers & Cape Coral area is well known to most in the country – both for its extensive beach coast line, as well as for being the spring training location for several MLB teams. The area sees roughly 3 million paid accommodations annually (this figure excludes those that stay with family and relatives), generating $3.1 billion in tourism revenue. While July 4th generates a lot of traffic for those renting their homes, summer is actually the slowest season here (a high average temperature of 92 in July and August is likely a factor).

5. New Smyrna Beach, Florida

July 4th Rental Demand Increase: 65%

Average Cost Per Night: $261

An hour from the Orlando airport, New Smryna Beach ranks as the second most affordable place on our list. Despite seeing a 65% bump during the July 4th weekend, the average Vrbo home rented for only $261 per night last year during July 4th weekend– possibly due to the large existing supply of hotel accommodations of the Orlando theme park area. The beach town, which features 17 miles of sandy coastline, has 3,512 condos and single family homes (plus 839 hotel units) and an annual tourist population of roughly 380,000 visitors.

4. Holmes Beach, Florida

July 4th Rental Demand Increase: 68%

Average Cost Per Night: $379

Located on the Anna Maria Island just outside Tampa, Holmes Beach is a small city of 4,295 with waterfront property just about anywhere you go. With a 4th of July fireworks show and a local marina, Holmes Beach is a popular spot for those who enjoy taking to the water to see the light show. The average age on the island is 53 years old, indicating it might be a rental location among those who seek a calm scenery for their vacation.

3. Ocean City, New Jersey 

July 4th Rental Demand Increase: 70%

Average Cost Per Night: $354

With 8 miles of beach and a renovated boardwalk located in southern New Jersey, Ocean City’s popularity as a 4th of July destination is likely due to its proximity to both New York City and Philadelphia. While the year round population is estimated to be just over 11,200, the summer months see a daily tourist population of roughly 150,000. The city has 1,400 hotel room and guest houses (this does not include home rentals), which leads to a 70% increase in rental demand during the week of Independence Day. 

2. New Orleans, Louisiana

July 4th Rental Demand Increase: 111%

Average Cost Per Night: $410

The only major city on our list, it appears The Big Easy has strong holiday popularity over the 4th, possibly due to the “Dueling Barges” fireworks show, and the music of the Essence Festival. Even though this city is known as a tourist destination, a record breaking 18 million visitors to the city last year shows demand might be outpacing supply. Last year, the city saw a 18.44% increase in lodging spending alone – and the already high demand doubled over 4th of July.

1. Cape Cod, Massachusetts

July 4th Rental Demand Increase: 132%

Average Cost Per Night: $420

A conglomeration of 15-towns in the eastern most part of Massachusetts, Cape Cod is one of the oldest areas in the nation. Known for its distinctive hook-like shape, Cape Cod covers more than 400 miles of shoreline – with its shape acting as a natural barrier island to inland waters.With roughly 4 to 4.5 million visitors annually, Cape Cod is truly a summer destination: its occupancy rate jumps from a low 26.1% in January, to a high of 80% in the peak month of August (July is the second busiest month at 76.9% occupancy). Second homeownership is popular here, as both the rental potential is high, and the drive from Boston is only one and a half hours.

This post first appeared on Forbes.com. To see the original, click here.