Fontana, Wisconsin Short-Term Rental Market
Fontana-on-Geneva Lake STRs averaged $351/night at 36.0% occupancy in April 2026, with revenue up 11.9% year-over-year.
Quick Answer: Fontana, Wisconsin is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 62%. average monthly revenue is $8,411. average daily rate is $542. the top operator is Geneva Lakes Vacations with 143 listings. market score is 71/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Lake Geneva/Alpine Valley regional market, which includes Fontana. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Fontana.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Fontana-on-Geneva Lake sits on the western shore of Geneva Lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin, roughly 90 minutes from both Chicago and Milwaukee. The village operates as a seasonal lakefront destination drawing leisure travelers and boaters from throughout the Midwest. The STR market is small but concentrated: approximately 1,057 active listings, with entire-place rentals making up 1,022 of them (96.7% of supply). Supply skews toward larger properties, with 3-bedroom (277 listings), 4-bedroom (217), and 2-bedroom (251) units making up the bulk, and 5-bedroom properties (159 listings) showing notable luxury inventory.
In April 2026, the market averaged a daily rate of $351.01 and an occupancy rate of 36.0%, reflecting the shoulder-season nature of April before the summer lake season opens. RevPAR stood at $126.48. Year-over-year trends are positive: occupancy rose 8.8%, ADR rose 4.6%, and total revenue grew 11.9%. The channel mix is dominated by dual-listed properties: 699 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, with 255 Airbnb-only and 103 VRBO-only. The total market score is 70.9 out of 100, with the revenue growth score an exceptional 99.3, reflecting strong recent momentum in per-listing revenue.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29% | $306 | $2,494 |
| Feb | 32% | $307 | $2,460 |
| Mar | 35% | $288 | $2,655 |
| Apr | 34% | $308 | $2,686 |
| May | 46% | $378 | $3,677 |
| Jun | 59% | $451 | $6,377 |
| Jul | 67% | $460 | $7,802 |
| Aug | 59% | $446 | $6,954 |
| Sep | 42% | $392 | $4,510 |
| Oct | 36% | $344 | $3,606 |
| Nov | 32% | $311 | $2,773 |
| Dec | 38% | $326 | $3,084 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Fontana
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geneva Lakes Vacations | 143 | 6,062 | ★ 4.83 |
| 2 | Grand Welcome | 47 | 1,244 | ★ 4.84 |
| 3 | Evolve | 32 | 1,548 | ★ 4.86 |
| 4 | Vacation Rental Property Partners | 21 | 475 | ★ 4.85 |
| 5 | Portside Rentals | 9 | 92 | ★ 4.86 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Fontana?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 152 |
| 2 bed | 251 |
| 3 bed | 277 |
| 4 bed | 217 |
| 5 bed | 159 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $553 |
| Luxury | $903 |
| Professionally Managed | $603 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $6,561 |
| Entire Place | $8,558 |
| House | $9,075 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 24.1% |
| vrbo | 9.7% |
| both | 66.1% |
Investment Analysis
No housing price data was available for Fontana at the time of this report, so a gross yield estimate cannot be calculated. Investors should source local comparable sale prices independently before modeling returns.
What the data does show is strong revenue growth momentum. The 2025 annual average monthly revenue was $4,870, up from $4,572 in 2024 and $4,146 in 2023, a two-year growth of approximately 17.5%. The revenue growth score of 99.3 out of 100 reflects this trend relative to comparable markets. The April 2026 average of $3,206 is a shoulder-season figure; peak months are substantially higher, with July averaging $7,801 in historical data.
Tier differentiation is significant. Luxury properties averaged $660.17/night in ADR versus $351.01 for the overall market, a premium of 88%. Professionally managed listings averaged $377.56/night, about 7.6% above the market average. Entire-place listings averaged $363.11/night versus $2,430.90 in monthly revenue for apartment-style units, compared to $3,257 for entire places and $3,514 for houses. The investability score of 90.0 reflects the strength of the premium segment. The village’s strict regulation (enforcement score: strict, 180-night annual cap for Tourist Rooming Houses) means a portion of potential rental nights is legally restricted, which investors must account for in projections.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
Run a Free Address Analysis
Skip the market averages. Get revenue projections, comp analysis, and ROI for your specific property address. Free, instant, no signup required.
Analyze My Property →Home Value Trends (Fontana)
Booking Insights
In April 2026, Fontana’s average booking lead time was 57.3 days, slightly under two months. This reflects the planning behavior of Chicago and Milwaukee weekenders who book lake house rentals several weeks out. Properties that price competitively in the 60-to-90-day advance window can capture demand from organized planners; last-minute inventory in a market this small can be harder to fill at target rates.
The average length of stay is 2.96 nights, reflecting a nearly pure weekend market. This is one of the shorter average stays in the dataset and has direct implications for operating costs: at under 3 nights per booking, turnover frequency is high, making cleaning costs a larger portion of per-booking revenue. Operators who set 3-night minimums over peak weekends can reduce turnover while still capturing Saturday-night demand. In a market where July is 67.2% occupied at $460/night, protecting those peak weekends with minimum stay policies is a meaningful revenue lever.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are permitted in Fontana but are governed by strict and layered regulations. Operators must obtain both a Village of Fontana license and a State of Wisconsin Tourist Rooming House license from DATCP before listing. The village defines two rental categories with different rules.
Tourist Rooming Houses are allowed only in single-family homes, require a minimum stay of 7 consecutive nights, and are restricted to a single 180-consecutive-day operating window per calendar year (declared on the application). Vacation Rental Homes have no minimum stay and can operate year-round, but are limited to specific zoning districts: Abbey Springs PD, Abbey Villas, Abbey Ridge, and Village Center, or require a conditional use permit in Neighborhood Business or Community Business districts.
The annual village license fee is approximately $395, which includes a $250 administrative fee, $75 occupancy inspection, $50 fire inspection, and $20 room tax permit. State fees are additional. No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies. The village contracts with Granicus Host Compliance to monitor listings and maintains a 24/7 complaint hotline, indicating active enforcement. The license must be posted inside the front door of each rental. Operators must report room tax and verify HOA and covenant compliance before listing. No major ordinance changes were identified in recent months.
Market Comparison
At 36.0% occupancy in April 2026, Fontana is below the US STR median of approximately 55%, which is expected for a seasonal lake destination in shoulder season. The summer peak of 67.2% in July is well above the national median for that month. The April ADR of $351.01 is above the US median of approximately $220, reflecting the lake-resort premium.
The operator landscape is smaller-scale than major resort markets. Geneva Lakes Vacations leads locally with 143 listings and 6,062 reviews (4.83 average rating), followed by Grand Welcome with 47 listings and 1,244 reviews (4.84 rating), and Evolve with 32 listings and 1,548 reviews (4.86 rating). Together these three operators account for 222 listings out of approximately 1,057 total, or about 21.0% of the market. Ratings across all three top operators are notably high, ranging from 4.83 to 4.86, which is above typical market averages and reflects the quality expectations of the affluent visitor base.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fontana, Wisconsin
What is the average daily rate for STRs in Fontana-on-Geneva Lake, WI?
What occupancy rates can I expect from a Fontana STR?
Is there a cap on how many nights I can rent my property in Fontana?
What permits are required for an Airbnb in Fontana, WI?
What is the revenue growth trend for Fontana STRs?
Which property management companies operate in Fontana?
What is the best month for STR revenue in Fontana?
Analyze Fontana Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Fontana.
Free Fontana STR Calculator →
