A well-positioned short-term rental in the Poconos, Pennsylvania is estimated to gross $55,000 - $125,000 a year, at an average daily rate of $245 - $430 and annual occupancy of 52% - 62%. Net cash flow after a full expense load and debt service typically lands between $12,000 - $34,000. Those are estimates for illustration rather than a projection for any specific property.
Poconos short-term rental numbers for 2026
| Metric | Estimated range |
|---|---|
| Entry price | $400,000 - $900,000 |
| Average daily rate | $245 - $430 |
| Annual occupancy | 52% - 62% |
| Gross annual revenue | $55,000 - $125,000 |
| Net cash flow after debt service | $12,000 - $34,000 |
| Peak season | Summer weekends and the winter ski season, with a soft shoulder in spring |
| Do we buy here? | Yes, this is an active market for us. |
Figures are estimates assembled from our own closings and active-listing comparables, offered for illustration. They are not projections for any specific property, and actual performance varies with location, condition, amenities, management, and season.
What drives demand in Poconos
The Poconos are a weekend market pulled almost entirely from New York City and Philadelphia, both roughly two hours out. That produces a distinctive booking pattern: heavy Friday and Saturday demand, thin midweek, and a booking window measured in days rather than months.
Amenities do unusually heavy lifting here. A hot tub, a game room, and a fire pit are close to table stakes, and properties without them compete on price rather than on appeal.
Regulation in Poconos
Pennsylvania regulates at the township level and the picture varies sharply across short distances. Several Pocono townships have added permitting, occupancy limits, and noise ordinances. Many of the strongest properties sit inside private lake communities where the HOA governing documents, not the township, are the binding constraint.
Regulation is a pass or fail gate, not a factor to weigh against revenue. Confirm the rules for the specific parcel and the HOA before you write an offer, because county-level permissiveness frequently does not apply inside city limits. See how to check STR regulations before buying.
What a deal has to clear here
- Revenue supported by real comps. Eight to twelve active listings within one bedroom of the subject, live at least twelve months, underwritten to the median rather than the mean.
- Cash flow after a full expense load. Management at market rate, cleaning, supplies, utilities, insurance at short-term rental rates, property tax at the reassessed value, and debt service at the rate you will actually get.
- A reserve sized to the trough. Peak season is Summer weekends and the winter ski season, with a soft shoulder in spring. Model the worst three consecutive months against fixed costs, because those costs do not pause.
- Regulatory headroom. A permit you can actually obtain, in a jurisdiction that is not mid-moratorium, with governing documents that permit nightly stays.
- An exit that does not depend on the STR premium. If the only buyer is another short-term rental investor, you carry regulatory risk twice.
Our take on Poconos
Yes. The Poconos give us the lowest entry price of any drive-to market serving two of the largest metro areas in the country. The discipline required is on the midweek assumption: underwrite the weekend-weighted reality rather than an annualized occupancy figure.
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Frequently asked questions
How much can you make on Airbnb in Poconos?
A well-positioned short-term rental in Poconos is estimated to gross $55,000 - $125,000 a year, at an average daily rate of $245 - $430 and annual occupancy of 52% - 62%. Net cash flow after a full expense load and debt service typically lands in the $12,000 - $34,000 range. Figures are estimates for illustration, and actual performance varies with location, capacity, amenities, and management.
What does it cost to buy a short-term rental in Poconos?
Entry prices in Poconos generally run $400,000 - $900,000 for property that can compete in the nightly rental market. On top of the purchase you should budget closing costs, furnishing of roughly $20,000 to $45,000 depending on size, and an operating reserve sized to the shoulder season.
Is Poconos a good short-term rental market in 2026?
Yes. The Poconos give us the lowest entry price of any drive-to market serving two of the largest metro areas in the country. The discipline required is on the midweek assumption: underwrite the weekend-weighted reality rather than an annualized occupancy figure.
What is the peak season in Poconos?
Peak demand runs Summer weekends and the winter ski season, with a soft shoulder in spring. Because fixed costs continue through the shoulder months, the reserve requirement should be modelled against the worst three consecutive months rather than against the annual average.
- Pennsylvania short-term rental regulations
- Lake house investing guide
- Case study: Julie, 5BR lake house in Pocono Lake
- Case study: Pruthvi, Lake property in Poconos
- Why two cabins on one road follow different rules
- How to build a revenue projection for this market
- Financing a purchase in this market