Is Clearwater Beach or Treasure Island the Better Short-Term Rental Investment in 2026?

A regulation-first, data-cited comparison of two USA Today Top 3 Florida beaches for short-term rental investment: nightly-rental legality, AirROI 2026 revenue, Florida condo reserve law (SB 4-D and SIRS), lifestyle drivers (Pier 60 vs Sunset Beach Drum Circle and John's Pass access), and risk, applied to the Haydon SHORE™ STR Investment Framework by a Broker Associate who has closed 150+ vacation rental and STR transactions on this corridor.

Last Updated: August 6, 2026

Can You Short-Term Rent in Clearwater Beach vs Treasure Island?

In Clearwater Beach, rentals of less than 31 days or one calendar month are prohibited in every residential zone (LMDR, LDR, ILR, MDR) under Clearwater Community Development Code Sections 1-104.B and 3-919. Legal nightly and weekly vacation rentals in Clearwater Beach are limited to Tourist (T) and Resort Facilities High (RFH) districts, condo-hotels such as Sandpearl and Hyatt, and roughly 31 pre-2007 grandfathered residential properties. In Treasure Island, short-term rentals are governed by a change-of-occupancy system under Chapter 68 of the city zoning code, not a minimum-stay rule. Tourist Dwellings are permitted with no restriction on occupancy changes in zones CG (Commercial General), RFM-30 (Resort Facilities Medium), RFH-50 (Resort Facilities High), PR-MU Core (Planned Redevelopment Mixed-Use Core), and PR-MU Gulf Boulevard. In RU-75 (single-family residential), the code allows only 2 changes of occupancy per 12-month period, and in RM-15 (medium-density residential) only 6, which effectively prohibits weekly STR operations in those two zones.

For a short-term rental investor, that regulatory contrast is unusual on this corridor: both cities produce a hard divide between STR-permitted zones and STR-restricted zones, but Treasure Island uses a change-of-occupancy count instead of a minimum-stay rule. In the five permitted Treasure Island zones (CG, RFM-30, RFH-50, PR-MU Core, PR-MU Gulf Boulevard), a guest can book one night or one year; the restriction is on how many different guest groups occupy the property per year, not the length of any individual stay. Clearwater Beach uses the more common minimum-stay rule (30 days or less prohibited in residential zones), with condo-hotels and Tourist/RFH zones as the legal STR path.

Most competing content compares these two markets on beach quality and event calendars and stops short of naming the ordinance framework, the change-of-occupancy rule, and the specific zones that carry the STR product. This page names them, sources them, and dates them. Data sources: City of Clearwater Code Compliance (verified July 2026), Treasure Island Chapter 68, City of Treasure Island Community Development at (727) 547-4575 ext. 230, AirROI 2026 (May 2025 through April 2026), and StellarMLS closed-sale records compiled by Cyndee Haydon.

Short Verdict

Treasure Island is the stronger choice for buyers who want a legal nightly Airbnb or VRBO on a USA Today #2 Florida beach with no minimum-stay rule in the five permitted zones (CG, RFM-30, RFH-50, PR-MU Core, PR-MU Gulf Boulevard), the deepest condo-hotel inventory on the corridor, and demand anchors that include Florida's widest beach (up to 1,000 feet at Sunset Beach), the weekly Sunday Drum Circle, the annual Sanding Ovations sand-sculpting competition, and John's Pass walking access from the north end. Clearwater Beach is the better fit for buyers who want brand-name Clearwater Beach positioning at premium ADR, and who can enter condo-hotel product at Sandpearl or Hyatt, or a Tourist/Resort-zoned property. Treasure Island is the change-of-occupancy play with the deepest legal STR footprint on the corridor. Clearwater is the branded-resort play with a narrower legal STR footprint at premium ADR.

AS SEEN IN: CYNDEE HAYDON'S EXPERTISE FEATURED IN

RealTrends Verified Top 1.5% Real Estate Agent Nationally 2026, Cyndee Haydon, Future Home Realty

Markets Insider · Yahoo Finance · Associated Press · Benzinga · GlobeNewswire · Apple News · StreetInsider · WJW-TV Fox 8 · KTLA-TV

Sandbars to Sunsets Team with Future Home Realty was featured in 700+ media placements reaching 200M+ readers for expertise on Pinellas Gulf Beach vacation rental investment. RealTrends Verified 2026, #723 in Florida out of 232,000 Realtors, top 1.5% of residential professionals nationwide.

Key Takeaways: Clearwater Beach vs Treasure Island STR Investment

Clearwater Beach residential zones prohibit rentals under 31 days per Clearwater CDC 1-104.B and 3-919 (verified with City of Clearwater Code Compliance, July 2026); legal nightly STR is limited to Tourist (T) and Resort Facilities High (RFH) districts, condo-hotels, and roughly 31 grandfathered pre-2007 residential properties.
Treasure Island uses a change-of-occupancy system under Chapter 68 rather than a minimum-stay rule. Tourist Dwellings are permitted with unlimited occupancy changes in CG, RFM-30, RFH-50, PR-MU Core, and PR-MU Gulf Boulevard. RU-75 caps at 2 changes per year and RM-15 at 6 changes per year, which effectively prohibits weekly STR in those two zones.
USA Today 10Best 2026 ranks Treasure Island #2 Florida (up from #3 in 2025) and Clearwater Beach #3 Florida (down from #2). Three of the six top-ranked Florida beaches sit on the PSTA Route 555 Suncoast Beach Trolley corridor.
Treasure Island's demand anchors include the widest beach in Florida (up to 1,000 feet at Sunset Beach), the weekly Sunday Drum Circle behind the Bilmar Beach Resort at 10400 Gulf Boulevard (forms four hours before sunset, tradition since 2001), the annual Sanding Ovations international sand-sculpting competition in November, and John's Pass walking access from the north end.
AirROI 2026 reports Treasure Island at $35,205 average annual revenue, $331 ADR, 39.8 percent occupancy, and 22.3 percent year-over-year revenue growth on 937 listings with RevPAR of $129. Clearwater Beach AirROI figures blend condo-hotel and residential inventory, so Clearwater-only benchmarks must be pulled from StellarMLS before publishing.
Treasure Island has a deeper condo-hotel inventory than any other Pinellas Gulf Beach, and true condo-hotels are typically not eligible for conventional or DSCR financing. City of Treasure Island Section 68-494(12) caps owner-occupation of a condo-hotel unit at 90 days per consecutive 12-month period.
Cyndee Haydon has closed 435+ residential transactions and 150+ vacation rental and STR transactions totaling $230M+ in sales since 2005, has been a Gulf Beaches resident since 1991, and lived in North Clearwater Beach through the 1990s and early 2000s, a first-hand perspective on how the current zoning regime evolved on both sides of the corridor.

Why Does the Legal Framework Matter More Than the Beach Ranking?

Clearwater Beach ranks #3 in Florida and Treasure Island ranks #2 in Florida on the USA Today 10Best 2026 list. Both are national-scale destinations. Beach ranking favors Treasure Island by one position in 2026, but ranking is only part of the underwriting story. For an investor, the fork is not "which beach is better," it is "which market lets me legally operate the property I can afford to buy." Treasure Island uses a change-of-occupancy system that produces a broader legal-STR footprint in five zones. Clearwater Beach uses a minimum-stay rule that pushes most legal STR into condo-hotels and Tourist/RFH zones. Both are true at the same time.

Most competing content on this comparison describes Clearwater Beach as the resort corridor and Treasure Island as the wide-beach quirky neighbor and stops before naming the change-of-occupancy rule, the RU-75 and RM-15 caps that effectively exclude those zones from weekly STR, and the Section 68-494(12) 90-day owner-use cap on condo-hotel units. This page names them, sources them, and dates them.

What Does the Lifestyle and Walkability Feel Like in Each Market?

Clearwater Beach delivers a resort corridor along three miles of white sand, anchored by Pier 60, the nightly Sunsets at Pier 60 festival (4:00 to 8:00 PM daily, weather permitting), the Beach Walk promenade, and a dense hotel-and-restaurant cluster (Sandpearl, Hyatt, Marriott Sand Key). Treasure Island delivers roughly 3.5 miles of Gulf shoreline broken into three distinct neighborhoods (Sunshine Beach at the north end near John's Pass, Mid-Island Beach on the central Gulf Boulevard resort strip with the highest condo-hotel concentration, and Sunset Beach at the south end with the Sunday Drum Circle), Florida's widest beach at up to 1,000 feet at Sunset Beach, and the John's Pass Bridge walking connection north into Madeira Beach. Both are connected by PSTA Route 555, the Suncoast Beach Trolley.

Clearwater Beach (Pier 60 anchor). Nationally recognized destination with hotel-scale amenity packages: pools, fitness centers, concierge service, structured parking, and an activated public realm from Pier 60 through the Beach Walk. Guests can arrive Thursday night and not touch the car until Sunday. Pier 60 hosts the Sunsets at Pier 60 daily festival with artisans, street performers, and live music every night the weather cooperates, per the official Sunsets at Pier 60 program. That energy is the product. Peak season, holiday weekends, and major events run at high volume, which supports higher blended ADR but also higher turnover and higher wear on the unit.

Treasure Island (three-neighborhood anchor). Treasure Island is a 3.5-mile Gulf-front city broken into three distinct STR neighborhoods, each with its own guest demographic. Sunshine Beach at the north end sits within walking distance of the John's Pass Bridge into Madeira Beach and its boardwalk village. Mid-Island Beach along central Gulf Boulevard is the resort strip with the highest condo-hotel concentration, RFM-30 and RFH-50 zoning, and unlimited change-of-occupancy operation. Sunset Beach at the south end is home to the widest sand on the corridor (up to 1,000 feet), the Sunday Drum Circle behind the Bilmar Beach Resort at 10400 Gulf Boulevard (a tradition since 2001, forms four hours before sunset), and Ka'Tiki. Community Development is at (727) 547-4575 ext. 230.

How Do Pier 60 and the Sunday Drum Circle Differ as STR Demand Drivers?

Pier 60 drives a hotel-adjacent, nightly-festival demand pattern that peaks in the two hours before sunset and disperses into Clearwater Beach's resort corridor. The Treasure Island Sunday Drum Circle drives a weekly community-event demand pattern that concentrates in the four hours before sunset every Sunday at Sunset Beach, and pairs with Sanding Ovations each November to produce shoulder-season demand no neighboring city can replicate. Both are demand anchors, but Pier 60 is a nightly-recurring hotel-driven pattern while the Drum Circle plus Sanding Ovations produce a weekend-anchored community-event pattern.

Pier 60 (Clearwater Beach). Pier 60 Park sits at the base of Clearwater Beach's three-mile shoreline and hosts the Sunsets at Pier 60 daily festival two hours before sunset until two hours after (typically 4:00 to 8:00 PM), per the official Sunsets at Pier 60 program and Visit St. Pete Clearwater. The pier itself supports fishing (rentals and bait available), a covered pavilion, and a jet-ski and parasail launch. Because the surrounding blocks are dominated by Sandpearl, the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach, and other Tourist/RFH-zoned condo-hotels, the demand pattern favors those buildings and the ~31 grandfathered residential lots. Guest volume peaks around sunset and around holiday weekends.

Sunday Drum Circle plus Sanding Ovations (Treasure Island). The Treasure Island Sunday Drum Circle forms behind the Bilmar Beach Resort at 10400 Gulf Boulevard four hours before sunset every Sunday, a tradition since 2001, and drives measurable weekend booking demand on the south end of Treasure Island. Sanding Ovations is an international sand-sculpting competition held every November on Treasure Island Beach that drives measurable November demand when most Gulf Beach markets are soft, per the City of Treasure Island. Combined, these two anchors produce a weekend-anchored and shoulder-season demand pattern that condo-hotels in RFM-30 and RFH-50 zones capture, and that Sunset Beach STR homes and condos in permitted zones benefit from most.

Investment implication. A Clearwater Beach STR unit is priced against the Pier 60 sunset crowd and the Sandpearl/Hyatt guest overflow, which supports higher condo-hotel ADR but requires legal STR status in a very narrow zone or building set. A Treasure Island STR unit in the five permitted zones is priced against the Drum Circle plus Sanding Ovations community-event pattern plus the widest-beach-in-Florida demand anchor, which supports steady demand across 937 listings at $331 ADR, and supports RM-15 seasonal rentals inside its 6-changes-per-year cap.

"Clearwater Beach and Treasure Island are USA Today's #3 and #2 Florida beaches for 2026, respectively, so the beach product is not really the argument. The argument is regulatory design. Clearwater uses a minimum-stay rule that pushes almost all legal STR into condo-hotels and Tourist zones. Treasure Island uses a change-of-occupancy system that opens up five zones with no cap and closes down two residential zones with hard limits. I lived in North Clearwater Beach through the 1990s and early 2000s and watched Clearwater's residential zoning tighten. Treasure Island's Chapter 68 framework, especially the RFM-30 and RFH-50 unlimited-change zones on Mid-Island, is one of the most STR-friendly frameworks on the entire Pinellas corridor for an investor who wants to underwrite a condo-hotel unit correctly." Cyndee Haydon, Broker Associate, Sandbars to Sunsets Team with Future Home Realty (BK3142780)

How Do Clearwater Beach and Treasure Island Compare Side by Side?

Clearwater Beach is a minimum-stay-restricted market where legal nightly STR concentrates in Tourist and Resort Facilities High districts, condo-hotels, and about 31 grandfathered residential properties. Treasure Island is a change-of-occupancy-based market where Tourist Dwellings are permitted with no cap in CG, RFM-30, RFH-50, PR-MU Core, and PR-MU Gulf Boulevard, and where RU-75 (2 changes per year) and RM-15 (6 changes per year) effectively restrict weekly STR in those two zones. All city-specific revenue, ADR, occupancy, and price benchmarks below are marked for verification against Cyndee's proprietary StellarMLS export before publishing.

Factor	Clearwater Beach	Treasure Island
Controlling regulation	Clearwater CDC 1-104.B and 3-919 (STR defined as 30 days or less; prohibited in residential zones LMDR, LDR, ILR, MDR). Legal in Tourist (T) and Resort Facilities High (RFH) districts, condo-hotels, ~31 grandfathered pre-2007 properties. Verified with City of Clearwater Code Compliance, July 2026.	City of Treasure Island Chapter 68 zoning code. Change-of-occupancy system rather than minimum stay. Tourist Dwellings permitted with unlimited changes in CG, RFM-30, RFH-50, PR-MU Core, and PR-MU Gulf Boulevard. Restricted in RM-15 (6 per year) and RU-75 (2 per year). Section 68-494(12) caps condo-hotel owner-occupation at 90 days per 12 months.
Minimum stay	31 days or one calendar month, whichever is less, in all residential zones. No minimum in T, RFH, condo-hotels, and grandfathered properties.	None. In the five permitted zones, there is no minimum or maximum length of stay. A guest can book one night or one year. The restriction is on how many different guest groups use the property per year, not on the length of any individual stay.
Regulatory approach	Minimum-stay rule: rentals under 31 days prohibited in residential zones.	Change-of-occupancy rule: each new occupant (paid or unpaid) counts as one change of occupancy. In RU-75 only 2 per year, in RM-15 only 6 per year, in CG/RFM-30/RFH-50/PR-MU Core/PR-MU Gulf Boulevard no limit.
Typical annual revenue (AirROI 2026)	$41,200 (AirDNA, updated Aug 5, 2026; blended figure includes condo-hotel inventory, down 5.3% YoY)	$35,205 (AirROI 2026, up 22.3% YoY)
Average Daily Rate (ADR)	$361 (AirDNA, up 2.1% YoY)	$331 (AirROI 2026)
Occupancy	59 percent (AirDNA, down 8.8% YoY)	39.8 percent (AirROI 2026)
Active listings (AirROI 2026)	1,900 (AirDNA, down 9.2% YoY)	937 (one of the largest markets on the corridor)
YoY revenue growth	-5.3 percent (AirDNA)	+22.3 percent (AirROI 2026); RevPAR $129
Buyable STR-eligible inventory	Narrow: condo-hotels (e.g., Sandpearl, Hyatt), Tourist/RFH-zoned buildings, ~31 grandfathered residential properties.	Broadest on the corridor: CG (Commercial General condo-hotel and mixed commercial), RFM-30 (mid-density Gulf Boulevard condo-hotel), RFH-50 (high-density Gulf Boulevard), PR-MU Core, PR-MU Gulf Boulevard. Deepest condo-hotel inventory on the corridor. RM-15 seasonal (6 changes per year) and RU-75 severely restricted (2 per year).
Signature demand anchors	Pier 60 and the nightly Sunsets at Pier 60 festival (4:00 to 8:00 PM daily, weather permitting), plus the Beach Walk promenade and hotel-corridor amenity density.	Widest beach in Florida (up to 1,000 feet at Sunset Beach), Sunday Drum Circle at 10400 Gulf Boulevard (four hours before sunset, since 2001), Sanding Ovations sand-sculpting competition each November, John's Pass walking access from the north end.
Ideal investor profile	Higher-capital buyer targeting premium ADR, brand-name Clearwater Beach positioning, and condo-hotel or Tourist-zoned inventory. Comfortable with portfolio or specialty financing on condo-hotels.	Investor comfortable with condo-hotel underwriting (portfolio or cash financing, no conventional or DSCR), targeting the deepest condo-hotel inventory on the corridor plus PR-MU and RFM-30/RFH-50 mid-density condo product on the Mid-Island resort strip. Comfortable with the 90-day owner-use cap on condo-hotel units per Section 68-494(12).
Tax stack (combined)	13 percent (7 percent Florida sales tax + 6 percent Pinellas Tourist Development Tax).	13 percent (7 percent Florida sales tax + 6 percent Pinellas Tourist Development Tax).
2026 beach ranking	#3 Florida beach (USA Today 10Best 2026, was #2 in 2025).	#2 Florida beach (USA Today 10Best 2026, up from #3 in 2025).

What Five Questions Does Every Serious Buyer Ask Before Choosing Between These Two Markets?

Most Clearwater vs. Treasure Island lifestyle guides pose lifestyle questions and answer them qualitatively. Here are the same five decision questions answered with the ordinance, statute, and data a buyer actually uses to close.

1. How does owner-use work in a Clearwater Beach condo-hotel versus a Treasure Island condo-hotel under the 90-day rule?

Match the vehicle to the use. In Clearwater Beach, a condo-hotel unit at Sandpearl or Hyatt legally rents nightly and often imposes owner-use caps (14 to 30 days per year is common). In Treasure Island, City Code Section 68-494(12) caps owner-occupation of a condo-hotel or hotel or motel unit at 90 days per consecutive 12-month period; a more restrictive individual rental-pool agreement (e.g., 14 or 30 owner nights) takes precedence over the city rule, but no pool agreement can allow more than 90 owner nights.

2. How does Clearwater Beach's Pier 60 crowd volume compare to Treasure Island's Sunday Drum Circle and Sanding Ovations demand?

Clearwater Beach absorbs national holiday-weekend and event volume (Pier 60 sunset draws crowds nightly). Treasure Island absorbs strong weekend volume around the Sunday Drum Circle at Sunset Beach and significant November demand around Sanding Ovations, and the Mid-Island resort strip absorbs steady condo-hotel volume year-round. Higher volume in Clearwater supports higher ADR and turnover at the cost of higher operational wear. Treasure Island's condo-hotel product supports similar turnover economics; RM-15 and RU-75 residential zones are effectively excluded from that pattern by the 6- and 2-change limits.

3. Is STR income the primary goal in Clearwater Beach's zoned inventory or Treasure Island's five permitted zones?

If income is primary, verify the specific unit's legal STR status before offer, and do not work backward from a projected income number. In Clearwater Beach, that means confirming Tourist (T) or Resort Facilities High (RFH) zoning, condo-hotel status, or grandfathered-property confirmation from City of Clearwater Code Compliance. In Treasure Island, it means confirming the parcel sits in CG, RFM-30, RFH-50, PR-MU Core, or PR-MU Gulf Boulevard (not RU-75 or RM-15) with the City of Treasure Island Community Development at (727) 547-4575 ext. 230.

4. Have you reviewed SB 4-D and SIRS compliance for a condo or condo-hotel in Clearwater Beach or Treasure Island?

For any condo or condo-hotel in either market, request the current Milestone Inspection (required for 3+ story buildings at 30 years, per Florida SB 4-D) and the Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) under Florida Statute §718.112(2)(g). As of budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024, associations can no longer waive or reduce SIRS-component reserves. Read both reports plus 24 months of board minutes before offer. Treasure Island's deeper condo-hotel inventory makes this review especially important because condo-hotel special assessments hit units directly.

5. Are flood, wind, and insurance costs comparable in Clearwater Beach and Treasure Island?

Both markets sit on Pinellas County barrier islands in FEMA flood zones with meaningful post-Hurricane Helene and Milton exposure. Treasure Island single-family and multifamily typically quote $2,500 to $10,000+ per year for flood coverage and $3,000 to $18,000+ for wind (Sandbars to Sunsets 2026 client quote comparisons); condo-hotel exposure differs by building. Clearwater Beach premiums vary widely between low-rise residential and high-rise condo-hotel construction. Always quote the specific property, not a corridor average, through FEMA NFIP and a private wind carrier.

How Does Florida's Condo Reserve Legislation Affect Both Markets?

Florida SB 4-D (2022) and follow-on legislation impose two overlapping requirements on all condo buildings of three or more habitable stories: a Milestone Inspection at 30 years of age and a Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) every 10 years under §718.112(2)(g). Since December 31, 2024, unit owners can no longer vote to waive or reduce SIRS-component reserves. Both Clearwater Beach and Treasure Island have significant older Gulf-front and Gulf-Boulevard condo and condo-hotel inventory that must comply, and Treasure Island's deeper condo-hotel inventory makes SB 4-D review a first-order underwriting task.

Under Florida Statute §718.503, revised effective July 1, 2025, a buyer's condo-document review period is 7 business days (previously 3). Use those days. Read the Milestone Inspection report, the SIRS, the current-year budget, the last two years of financials, and 24 months of board minutes for the words milestone, SIRS, reserve, assessment, and loan. A building past its statutory Milestone deadline with no completed inspection is a red flag. A building with a SIRS-funding gap disclosed in minutes is a special-assessment risk that must be priced into the offer.

Practical impact on this comparison: Clearwater Beach's older Sand Key high-rises and Treasure Island's older Gulf Boulevard resort-strip buildings and RFM-30 condo-hotels both fall under SB 4-D. Clearwater's newer condo-hotels (Sandpearl 2007, several 2010s+ product) and Treasure Island's newer PR-MU product carry less near-term Milestone exposure but still require SIRS.

Which Market Produces Higher STR Revenue Per Property?

Clearwater Beach reports the higher blended average at $41,200 versus Treasure Island's $35,205, but Treasure Island revenue is growing faster and from a larger listing base: up 22.3 percent year-over-year on 937 listings (AirROI 2026), versus Clearwater Beach's 5.3 percent year-over-year decline on 1,900 listings (AirDNA, updated August 5, 2026). Both markets are condo-hotel-heavy, so financing and owner-use limits matter as much as the headline revenue gap.

Treasure Island's 22.3 percent year-over-year revenue growth (AirROI 2026) reflects the corridor's post-Hurricane Helene and Milton demand recovery, the 2026 USA Today ranking upgrade to #2 Florida, and the depth of legal STR inventory (five permitted zones plus condo-hotels). Clearwater Beach's AirDNA numbers include Sandpearl, Hyatt, and other condo-hotel product where nightly rates run several multiples of a typical Gulf Beach condo, but occupancy (-8.8% YoY) and active supply (-9.2% YoY) both contracted even as ADR rose 2.1 percent, a signal of softening demand rather than a pricing opportunity. That is a real revenue tier, but it is a different asset class with different financing (portfolio or cash), different insurance requirements, and different owner-use rules.

A zone-level revenue breakout for Treasure Island (RFH-50 vs. RFM-30 vs. CG condo-hotel vs. PR-MU) and a property-type breakout for Clearwater Beach both await StellarMLS exports that do not exist yet for either city. Until then, treat the town-wide AirROI and AirDNA averages as market-wide signals, not per-zone or per-asset-class projections.

Which Market Carries More Regulatory and Insurance Risk?

Clearwater Beach carries higher zoning-classification risk because legal STR status depends on Tourist or RFH zoning, condo-hotel status, or grandfathered inclusion that can be challenged. Treasure Island carries change-of-occupancy tracking risk in RU-75 and RM-15 zones (a property that exceeds 2 or 6 changes per year becomes a Tourist Dwelling and is presumed illegal in those two zones); in the five permitted zones, regulatory risk is low as long as the parcel remains inside the permitted zone. Both cities have material post-Hurricane Helene and Milton exposure; the Treasure Island 2024-cloudfront ordinance permitted docks, lifts, and pool equipment to remain through October 8, 2026 without a principal structure, reflecting the depth of storm damage.

Both markets sit in Pinellas County FEMA flood zones and share the corridor's post-Hurricane Helene and Milton reset. Flood and wind insurance stacks are similar in construction: NFIP or private flood plus wind coverage layered on an HO-6 or DP-3 policy depending on structure and use. Treasure Island single-family and multifamily typically run $2,500 to $10,000+ per year for flood coverage and $3,000 to $18,000+ for wind, sourced from Sandbars to Sunsets 2026 client quote comparisons.

Verify Before You Buy. Rental minimums, condo declarations, and city zoning maps vary by building and change over time. Clearwater Beach residential zoning, T/RFH boundaries, and the grandfathered-property list are administered by the City of Clearwater Planning and Development Department. Treasure Island STR regulation is administered by the City of Treasure Island Community Development Department at 120 108th Avenue, (727) 547-4575 ext. 230, under Chapter 68 of the code. Any property in an RU-75 or RM-15 zone that is publicly advertised for rental is presumed to be a Tourist Dwelling under Section 68-2, which is prohibited in those two zones. Confirm the current zoning of the specific parcel in writing and the current condo or condo-hotel declaration before making an offer.

How Do These Markets Score on the Haydon SHORE™ STR Investment Framework?

Every Sandbars to Sunsets STR analysis runs through the Haydon SHORE™ STR Investment Framework, five factors that determine whether a Gulf Beach property will actually perform as a vacation rental investment. Below is the framework applied to Clearwater Beach and Treasure Island side by side. Subsequent mentions on this page use SHORE™.

SSupply and Demand, Clearwater Beach

Constrained legal-STR supply (Tourist and RFH zones, condo-hotels, ~31 grandfathered lots) against strong branded tourist demand as a USA Today #3 Florida beach. Active listings fell 9.2 percent year-over-year (AirDNA, Aug 5, 2026), alongside falling occupancy, worth pricing into any deal even in a scarce-supply market.

SSupply and Demand, Treasure Island

Broadest legal-STR supply on the corridor (five permitted zones plus deep condo-hotel inventory, 937 listings AirROI 2026) against USA Today #2 Florida beach demand, weekend Drum Circle demand, and November Sanding Ovations shoulder-season demand. Depth of inventory supports 22.3 percent YoY revenue growth.

HHosting and Rental Rules, Clearwater Beach

Zone-restricted. STR prohibited in LMDR, LDR, ILR, MDR under Clearwater CDC 1-104.B and 3-919. Legal only in T, RFH, condo-hotels, or on the ~31 grandfathered residential list. Verify with City of Clearwater Code Compliance.

HHosting and Rental Rules, Treasure Island

Change-of-occupancy-based. Chapter 68 permits Tourist Dwellings with unlimited changes in CG, RFM-30, RFH-50, PR-MU Core, PR-MU Gulf Boulevard. Restricts RM-15 to 6 changes per year and RU-75 to 2 per year. Section 68-494(12) caps condo-hotel owner-use at 90 days per 12 months.

OOperating Economics, Clearwater Beach

$41,200 average annual revenue, $361 ADR, 59 percent occupancy across 1,900 listings, revenue down 5.3 percent year-over-year (AirDNA, Aug 5, 2026). Same 13 percent tax stack. Condo-hotels often require specialty or portfolio financing, which changes DSCR math.

OOperating Economics, Treasure Island

$35,205 average annual gross revenue, $331 ADR, 39.8 percent occupancy, 22.3 percent YoY revenue growth (AirROI 2026 on 937 listings), RevPAR $129. Same 13 percent tax stack. Deepest condo-hotel inventory on corridor; true condo-hotels typically ineligible for conventional and DSCR, requiring portfolio or cash financing.

RRisk and Resilience, Clearwater Beach

Regulatory-status risk is the top risk: proving legal STR status at closing and at each renewal. Same FEMA flood-zone exposure and post-Helene rebuild framework as the rest of the corridor.

RRisk and Resilience, Treasure Island

Change-of-occupancy tracking risk in RU-75 (2 per year) and RM-15 (6 per year) zones: exceeding the cap converts the property to an illegal Tourist Dwelling. Very low regulatory risk in the five permitted zones. Deep post-Helene and Milton exposure; a 2024 ordinance permitted docks, lifts, and pool equipment to remain without a principal structure through October 8, 2026.

EExperience and Earnings Potential, Clearwater Beach

Premium guest-experience positioning (Sandpearl, Hyatt, Pier 60, Sunsets at Pier 60), higher blended ADR, brand-name search visibility. Best fit for a buyer targeting premium-tier product, not a first STR.

EExperience and Earnings Potential, Treasure Island

Widest beach in Florida (up to 1,000 feet at Sunset Beach) plus a weekly Sunday Drum Circle at 10400 Gulf Boulevard, Sanding Ovations sand-sculpting each November, and John's Pass walking access. Three distinct neighborhoods (Sunshine, Mid-Island, Sunset Beach) let a buyer target a guest demographic precisely. Best fit for a buyer targeting depth of legal STR inventory at $331 ADR on a USA Today #2 Florida beach.

How Do You Decide Between Clearwater Beach and Treasure Island?

Decide on legal buyability first, financing second, and revenue third. If depth of legal STR inventory across five permitted zones, condo-hotel scale, and USA Today #2 Florida beach demand fit the plan, Treasure Island is the strongest fit, provided the buyer can underwrite condo-hotel financing where relevant. If brand-name Clearwater Beach positioning at premium ADR fits, and the buyer can enter Tourist-zoned, RFH-zoned, condo-hotel, or grandfathered inventory at premium prices, Clearwater Beach fits.

Confirm the property's STR status in writing before offer: for Clearwater Beach, request the zoning classification and, for a residential lot, the grandfathered-property confirmation from City of Clearwater Code Compliance. For Treasure Island, confirm the parcel sits in CG, RFM-30, RFH-50, PR-MU Core, or PR-MU Gulf Boulevard (not RU-75 or RM-15) with the City of Treasure Island Community Development Department at (727) 547-4575 ext. 230.
For a Treasure Island condo-hotel purchase, review the rental-pool agreement in full. Section 68-494(12) caps owner-occupation at 90 days per consecutive 12-month period, but a more restrictive pool agreement (14 or 30 owner nights is common) takes precedence over the city rule. No pool agreement can allow more than 90 owner nights.
Match the market to your financing plan. Condo-hotels in either market typically require portfolio or cash financing because conventional and most DSCR programs exclude condo-hotel classification. Standard Treasure Island RFM-30, RFH-50, PR-MU non-condo-hotel condo product typically qualifies for conventional or DSCR loans provided the building is warrantable.
Pull the current condo declaration, bylaws, and amendments for any condo purchase in either market and read the minimum-stay term and rental restrictions as recorded, not as remarked in MLS. Individual condo declarations may impose stricter rules than the city ordinance.
Model the deal with the 13 percent combined tax stack (7 percent Florida sales + 6 percent Pinellas TDT) built in from day one, not netted out later. For Treasure Island, also add three registrations to the pro forma: the City of Treasure Island Local Business Tax at 120 108th Avenue, the Florida DBPR Vacation Rental License (District 3, renewing February 1), and the Pinellas County Tourist Development Tax account at (727) 464-7777.
Compare AirROI revenue benchmarks side by side, but for Clearwater Beach, verify whether the figure includes condo-hotel inventory before using it as a projection. For Treasure Island, cross-check the AirROI $35,205 average against a StellarMLS pull of similar-bedroom-count and similar-zone listings.
Stress-test the flood and wind insurance stack against 2026 quotes for the specific property, not a corridor average. Treasure Island Gulf-Boulevard high-rise condo-hotel exposure differs materially from Mid-Island low-rise or Sunset Beach single-family exposure; quote the property, not the market.
Ideally, walk the property with a Realtor who has closed both Clearwater Beach and Treasure Island STR transactions and can confirm rental legality, zoning classification, and condo or condo-hotel declaration terms in the same visit.

Clearwater Beach vs Treasure Island STR FAQ

Can I legally run an Airbnb in Clearwater Beach in a single-family home?

Only in the ~31 grandfathered pre-2007 residential properties or in Tourist (T) and Resort Facilities High (RFH) zoned lots. All other residential zones (LMDR, LDR, ILR, MDR) prohibit rentals of less than 31 days per Clearwater CDC 1-104.B and 3-919. Verify status with City of Clearwater Code Compliance before purchase.

Can I legally run an Airbnb in Treasure Island in a single-family home?

It depends on the specific zone. In RU-75 (single-family residential), only 2 changes of occupancy per 12-month period are allowed, which effectively prohibits weekly STR operations. A single-family or duplex home in a permitted zone such as CG, PR-MU Core, or PR-MU Gulf Boulevard can legally rent with no cap on occupancy changes. Verify the specific parcel zone with City of Treasure Island Community Development before offer.

What is the change-of-occupancy rule in Treasure Island?

Treasure Island regulates STRs through a change-of-occupancy system under Chapter 68 rather than a minimum-stay rule. Each new set of occupants (paid or unpaid) counts as one change of occupancy. In RU-75 only 2 changes per 12-month period are permitted, in RM-15 only 6, and in CG, RFM-30, RFH-50, PR-MU Core, and PR-MU Gulf Boulevard there is no limit. There is no minimum or maximum length of any individual stay.

What is the minimum stay for a short-term rental in Treasure Island?

There is no minimum or maximum stay in Treasure Island. In the five permitted zones (CG, RFM-30, RFH-50, PR-MU Core, PR-MU Gulf Boulevard), a guest can book one night or one year. The restriction is on how many different guest groups occupy the property per year, not on the length of any individual stay.

What is the average annual revenue for a vacation rental in Treasure Island?

$35,205 average annual revenue with $331 ADR, 39.8 percent occupancy, and 22.3 percent year-over-year revenue growth on 937 listings, per AirROI 2026, with RevPAR of $129.

What is the average annual revenue for a vacation rental in Clearwater Beach?

$41,200 average annual revenue at a $361 ADR and 59 percent occupancy across 1,900 active listings, per AirDNA data updated August 5, 2026. This is a blended, market-wide figure that includes condo-hotel inventory, so it overstates what a standard residential or Tourist/RFH-zoned condo produces on its own. Revenue is down 5.3 percent year-over-year.

Why does this page use AirDNA data for Clearwater Beach and AirROI for Treasure Island?

Treasure Island and the rest of this site's core cities are benchmarked against AirROI 2026 (May 2025 through April 2026). A verified AirROI dataset for Clearwater Beach was not available at time of publication, so Clearwater Beach figures come from AirDNA (updated August 5, 2026) instead, a different provider covering a slightly different trailing-twelve-month window. Both sources are cited by name and date everywhere they appear.

Is short-term rental revenue growing or shrinking in Clearwater Beach and Treasure Island right now?

The two markets are moving in opposite directions. Clearwater Beach STR revenue is down 5.3 percent year-over-year, with occupancy down 8.8 percent and active listings down 9.2 percent even as ADR rose 2.1 percent (AirDNA, updated August 5, 2026). Treasure Island revenue is up 22.3 percent year-over-year on 937 listings (AirROI 2026).

Should I buy in Clearwater Beach or Treasure Island for my first short-term rental?

For a first STR with depth of legal inventory across five permitted zones and USA Today #2 Florida beach demand, Treasure Island is often the stronger fit, especially in RFM-30 or PR-MU non-condo-hotel product where conventional and DSCR financing remains available. Clearwater Beach fits when the buyer wants brand-name premium positioning and can enter condo-hotel or Tourist-zoned inventory at premium prices.

What zoning districts allow short-term rentals in Clearwater Beach?

Tourist (T) and Resort Facilities High (RFH) districts, together with condo-hotels and the ~31 grandfathered pre-2007 residential properties. Residential zones LMDR, LDR, ILR, and MDR prohibit rentals of less than 31 days or one calendar month under Clearwater CDC 1-104.B and 3-919 (STR defined as 30 days or less).

What zoning districts allow short-term rentals in Treasure Island?

Tourist Dwellings are permitted with no restriction on occupancy changes in CG (Commercial General), RFM-30 (Resort Facilities Medium), RFH-50 (Resort Facilities High), PR-MU Core (Planned Redevelopment Mixed-Use Core), and PR-MU Gulf Boulevard. RU-75 allows only 2 changes of occupancy per year and RM-15 only 6, per Treasure Island Chapter 68.

Is Treasure Island the #2 Florida beach in 2026?

Yes. USA Today 10Best 2026 ranks Treasure Island #2 in Florida, up from #3 in 2025. Clearwater Beach ranks #3 in Florida in 2026, down from #2 in 2025. St. Pete Beach ranks #6, meaning three of the six top Florida beaches sit on the PSTA Route 555 Suncoast Beach Trolley corridor.

What is the Sunday Drum Circle in Treasure Island?

The Sunday Drum Circle is a weekly community tradition since 2001, held on Treasure Island Beach behind the Bilmar Beach Resort at 10400 Gulf Boulevard. The circle forms four hours before sunset every Sunday and runs until sundown, and drives measurable weekend booking demand on the south end of Treasure Island.

What is Sanding Ovations in Treasure Island?

Sanding Ovations is an international sand-sculpting competition held every November on Treasure Island Beach. It drives measurable November demand when most Gulf Beach markets are entering the shoulder season, and is a demand anchor that no neighboring city can replicate.

Are Sand Key condos in Clearwater Beach short-term rental friendly?

Sand Key sits within Clearwater's city limits, and most Sand Key condo buildings impose a 2-week or monthly minimum stay under the current condo declaration, not nightly. Rental terms vary building by building and change over time, so always confirm against the current declaration and amendments before offer.

Are condo-hotels in Clearwater Beach a better STR investment than a Treasure Island condo-hotel?

Treasure Island has a deeper condo-hotel inventory than any other Pinellas Gulf Beach, concentrated on the Mid-Island resort strip in RFM-30 and RFH-50 zones. Clearwater Beach's condo-hotel inventory is smaller but includes flagship brands (Sandpearl, Hyatt). Both markets carry the 13 percent tax stack. Section 68-494(12) caps owner-occupation of a Treasure Island condo-hotel at 90 days per 12 months; individual rental pool agreements may impose stricter caps.

How does Pier 60 in Clearwater Beach compare to the Sunday Drum Circle in Treasure Island as a rental demand driver?

Pier 60 drives a hotel-adjacent, sunset-peaked demand pattern (the nightly Sunsets at Pier 60 festival runs 4:00 to 8:00 PM daily, weather permitting) that concentrates guest volume in the two hours before sunset and feeds surrounding Tourist and RFH-zoned condo-hotels at premium ADR. The Treasure Island Sunday Drum Circle drives a weekly community-event demand pattern that concentrates in the four hours before sunset every Sunday at Sunset Beach and pairs with Sanding Ovations each November to produce shoulder-season demand no neighboring city can replicate.

What is the tax stack on a short-term rental in Clearwater Beach and Treasure Island?

Both markets carry the same combined 13 percent tax on transient stays: 7 percent Florida sales tax plus 6 percent Pinellas County Tourist Development Tax (TDT). Model this in from day one rather than netting it out after the fact.

How does hurricane and flood risk compare between Clearwater Beach and Treasure Island?

Both markets sit in Pinellas County FEMA flood zones on the same 26-mile Gulf corridor, with comparable post-Hurricane Helene and Milton rebuild frameworks and NFIP or private flood plus wind insurance stacks. Treasure Island took significant Helene and Milton damage; a 2024 city ordinance permitted docks, lifts, and pool equipment to remain through October 8, 2026 without a principal structure, reflecting the depth of storm damage. Per-property premiums vary widely, so stress-test the insurance quote for the specific property rather than a corridor average.

Where does the AirROI data on this page come from?

AirROI 2026 covering May 2025 through April 2026, as published on airroi.com for Treasure Island and Clearwater Beach. StellarMLS closed-sale figures cited elsewhere on this page are compiled by Cyndee Haydon from the current 48-field custom export used across the Sandbars to Sunsets Pinellas Gulf Beach STR Investment site.

Who verifies these facts before I make an offer?

Cyndee Haydon, Broker Associate, verifies STR eligibility against the current controlling ordinance (Clearwater CDC 1-104.B and 3-919 or Treasure Island Chapter 68 with Section 68-2 change-of-occupancy definitions and Section 68-494(12) condo-hotel owner-use cap), the current condo or condo-hotel declaration and rental pool agreement, and the current City of Clearwater Code Compliance record or City of Treasure Island Community Development record on every STR transaction, as part of the Sandbars to Sunsets due diligence workflow.

How does Florida SB 4-D and the SIRS requirement affect a condo purchase in Clearwater Beach or Treasure Island?

Florida SB 4-D (2022) requires a Milestone Inspection for condo and cooperative buildings three or more stories tall at 30 years of age and every 10 years thereafter, plus a Structural Integrity Reserve Study every 10 years under Florida Statute 718.112(2)(g). Since December 31, 2024, owners cannot vote to waive or reduce SIRS-component reserves. Treasure Island's deeper condo-hotel inventory makes SB 4-D review a first-order underwriting task because condo-hotel special assessments hit units directly. Always request the Milestone report, the SIRS, and 24 months of board minutes before offer, in either market.

Can I get from Treasure Island to Clearwater Beach without a car?

Yes. PSTA Route 555, the Suncoast Beach Trolley, connects Clearwater Beach (Park Street Terminal), Sand Key Park, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Redington Shores, Madeira Beach, John's Pass, Treasure Island, and St. Pete Beach on a single route along Gulf Boulevard. Treasure Island's north end also has walking access to John's Pass Village and Boardwalk in Madeira Beach via the John's Pass Bridge.

What financing options work for a Clearwater Beach condo-hotel vs. a Treasure Island condo-hotel?

Condo-hotels in both markets typically require portfolio or cash financing because conventional and most DSCR programs exclude condo-hotel classification. Treasure Island's RFM-30 and RFH-50 non-condo-hotel condo product typically qualifies for conventional loans, DSCR investor loans, or standard second-home financing, provided the building is warrantable and the zoning is confirmed. Match the vehicle to your capital stack and hold plan.

Related Resources

About Cyndee Haydon, Your Gulf Beach STR Investment Realtor

Cyndee Haydon, Clearwater Beach and Treasure Island Short-Term Rental Investment Expert, Sandbars to Sunsets Team with Future Home Realty

Cyndee Haydon, CRS, ABR, SRS, RENE, RSPS, CLHMS, CIPS, SRES

Clearwater Beach & Treasure Island STR Investment Expert · Broker Associate, Future Home Realty · BK3142780

RealTrends Verified 2026, #723 in Florida out of 232,000 Realtors, top 1.5% nationally · (727) 710-8035

Cyndee Haydon is Broker Associate with the Sandbars to Sunsets Team with Future Home Realty. She has closed 435+ residential transactions totaling $230M+ in sales since 2005, including 150+ vacation rental and short-term rental transactions and 62 STR-friendly properties sold in the past 5 years, 28 of them above $1M. She has been a Gulf Beaches resident since 1991, lived in North Clearwater Beach through the 1990s and early 2000s, and holds the CRS, ABR, SRS, RENE, RSPS, CLHMS, CIPS, and SRES designations. She is the 2026 Chair of the NAR Regulatory Issues Forum, 2026 Treasurer of Florida Realtors, and past NAR Insurance Committee Chair (2023).

Compare Clearwater Beach and Treasure Island for Your Next STR Purchase

Tell Cyndee what you are looking for and she will send back a like-for-like analysis with current StellarMLS data and verified regulatory status for each property on your shortlist, including current zoning (Clearwater T/RFH or Treasure Island CG/RFM-30/RFH-50/PR-MU) and condo or condo-hotel declaration terms.