Blue Ridge STR market: 1,484 active listings, 34% occupancy, $361 average daily rate as of February 2026.
Market Overview
Blue Ridge, Georgia is a mountain resort town in Fannin County with a year-round short-term rental market built around the Chattahoochee National Forest, the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, and downtown Appalachian tourism. As of February 2026, the market had 1,484 active STR listings, up from 839 in 2021, representing a 77% increase in supply over five years.
The average daily rate in February 2026 was $361, with the median listing earning $2,827 that month. Annual average revenue across all years of available data runs roughly $4,100 to $7,300 depending on year and listing tier, with 2021 being the strongest recorded year at $7,290 average monthly revenue.
Occupancy has declined significantly as supply expanded. The market averaged 68.6% occupancy in 2021, 59.2% in 2022, 54.3% in 2023, and 44.5% in 2024. The 2025 annual average came in at 44.3%, and the February 2026 snapshot shows 34.0% occupancy. The pattern is consistent: supply grew faster than demand, compressing occupancy rates across the board. ADR has partially compensated, rising from $295 average in 2021 to $373 in 2025 and $361 in the February 2026 snapshot.
This is a mature, competitive market. Investors entering now face a larger pool of competing properties and lower occupancy than the pre-2022 baseline suggested was achievable.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue | Active Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41% | $310 | $4,108 | 1,203 |
| Feb | 43% | $286 | $3,631 | 1,198 |
| Mar | 57% | $280 | $5,460 | 1,055 |
| Apr | 50% | $273 | $4,630 | 1,053 |
| May | 47% | $278 | $4,383 | 987 |
| Jun | 57% | $297 | $5,613 | 1,095 |
| Jul | 59% | $307 | $6,379 | 1,180 |
| Aug | 51% | $277 | $5,005 | 1,182 |
| Sep | 52% | $278 | $4,740 | 1,185 |
| Oct | 64% | $315 | $6,345 | 1,131 |
| Nov | 58% | $328 | $5,776 | 1,166 |
| Dec | 57% | $355 | $6,443 | 1,198 |
Blue Ridge follows a pronounced mountain resort seasonality pattern with two distinct peaks and one clear trough.
Fall is the strongest season. October is the single best month on record, averaging 63.6% occupancy and $315 ADR, driven by North Georgia’s leaf-peeping season. November maintains momentum at 58.2% occupancy and $328 ADR. December is also strong at 56.8% occupancy and $355 ADR, the highest ADR of the year, reflecting holiday demand and the premium placed on mountain cabin experiences in December.
Summer is the second peak. July averages 58.8% occupancy at $307 ADR. June comes in at 57.4% occupancy and $297 ADR. These months reflect outdoor recreation demand and families traveling during school breaks.
Winter into early spring is the weakest period. February averages 42.8% occupancy at $286 ADR, the lowest ADR of the year. January performs better than expected at 40.8% occupancy and $310 ADR, likely supported by New Year holiday carry-over and winter cabin seekers.
Spring occupancy is moderate. March rebounds to 57.2% occupancy, the third-highest month, but ADR remains depressed at $280. April sits at 50.0% and May at 46.6%, both at lower ADR levels ($273 and $278 respectively).
The practical implication: pricing strategy should target peak ADR in December and October while maximizing occupancy in March and July. Operators who hold firm on rates in October and December and discount aggressively in February and May will typically outperform the market average.
Revenue Breakdown
| Metric | 25th Pctile | Median | 75th Pctile | 90th Pctile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue/mo | $1,499 | $2,827 | $4,643 | $6,507 |
| ADR | $233 | $313 | $426 | $575 |
| Occupancy | 17% | 33% | 47% | 64% |
Revenue is highly skewed in the Blue Ridge market. The gap between a bottom-quartile property and a top-decile property is substantial.
In February 2026, monthly revenue by percentile was:
– Bottom quartile (p25): $1,499
– Median (p50): $2,827
– Upper quartile (p75): $4,643
– Top decile (p90): $6,507
The market average was $3,399, pulled above the median by high performers.
For annual estimates, the seasonal revenue averages across all available data by month suggest the following annualized run rates by tier. A median property earns approximately $4,500 to $5,500 per month during peak season (October, November, December, July) and roughly $2,800 to $3,600 during shoulder and off-peak months. Full-year median gross revenue is estimated at $48,000 to $55,000 based on these seasonal averages.
A top-quartile property earns meaningfully more during peak months, with revenue averaging $6,300 to $6,400 in July and October across all years of data. Annual gross for a p75 property is likely in the $70,000 to $85,000 range.
These are gross figures before platform fees (typically 3%), management fees (20 to 30%), and operating costs.
Investment Analysis
Revenue Trend
RevPAR & ADR Trend
| Date | Revenue | RevPAR | ADR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2021 | $7,640 | $247 | $288 |
| Apr 2021 | $7,077 | $236 | $293 |
| May 2021 | $6,961 | $225 | $287 |
| Jun 2021 | $7,679 | $256 | $296 |
| Jul 2021 | $7,957 | $257 | $315 |
| Aug 2021 | $7,202 | $232 | $281 |
| Sep 2021 | $6,497 | $217 | $278 |
| Oct 2021 | $7,324 | $236 | $296 |
| Nov 2021 | $6,640 | $221 | $292 |
| Dec 2021 | $7,919 | $255 | $328 |
| Jan 2022 | $6,222 | $201 | $303 |
| Feb 2022 | $5,505 | $197 | $295 |
| Mar 2022 | $6,999 | $226 | $301 |
| Apr 2022 | $5,991 | $200 | $292 |
| May 2022 | $4,469 | $144 | $258 |
| Jun 2022 | $6,010 | $200 | $259 |
| Jul 2022 | $6,781 | $219 | $273 |
| Aug 2022 | $5,160 | $166 | $245 |
| Sep 2022 | $5,295 | $177 | $252 |
| Oct 2022 | $6,330 | $204 | $265 |
| Nov 2022 | $6,054 | $202 | $272 |
| Dec 2022 | $6,158 | $199 | $280 |
| Jan 2023 | $4,094 | $132 | $256 |
| Feb 2023 | $3,507 | $125 | $229 |
| Mar 2023 | $4,608 | $149 | $238 |
| Apr 2023 | $3,839 | $128 | $230 |
| May 2023 | $3,811 | $123 | $232 |
| Jun 2023 | $4,840 | $161 | $241 |
| Jul 2023 | $6,027 | $194 | $258 |
| Aug 2023 | $4,536 | $146 | $235 |
| Sep 2023 | $4,411 | $147 | $244 |
| Oct 2023 | $5,299 | $171 | $272 |
| Nov 2023 | $4,909 | $164 | $312 |
| Dec 2023 | $5,475 | $177 | $336 |
| Jan 2024 | $3,202 | $103 | $288 |
| Feb 2024 | $2,771 | $96 | $259 |
| Mar 2024 | $3,876 | $125 | $274 |
| Apr 2024 | $2,973 | $99 | $271 |
| May 2024 | $3,221 | $104 | $298 |
| Jun 2024 | $4,462 | $149 | $322 |
| Jul 2024 | $5,111 | $165 | $320 |
| Aug 2024 | $3,762 | $121 | $288 |
| Sep 2024 | $3,615 | $121 | $282 |
| Oct 2024 | $5,892 | $190 | $331 |
| Nov 2024 | $5,023 | $167 | $342 |
| Dec 2024 | $6,079 | $196 | $381 |
| Jan 2025 | $3,454 | $111 | $317 |
| Feb 2025 | $2,976 | $106 | $284 |
| Mar 2025 | $4,176 | $135 | $298 |
| Apr 2025 | $3,272 | $109 | $278 |
| May 2025 | $3,455 | $112 | $317 |
| Jun 2025 | $5,077 | $169 | $367 |
| Jul 2025 | $6,017 | $194 | $367 |
| Aug 2025 | $4,365 | $141 | $336 |
| Sep 2025 | $3,881 | $129 | $333 |
| Oct 2025 | $6,881 | $222 | $410 |
| Nov 2025 | $6,255 | $209 | $423 |
| Dec 2025 | $6,587 | $213 | $450 |
| Jan 2026 | $3,570 | $115 | $385 |
| Feb 2026 | $3,399 | $121 | $361 |
Occupancy vs Supply
| Date | Occupancy | Active Listings |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2021 | 72% | 790 |
| Jun 2021 | 74% | 829 |
| Sep 2021 | 68% | 847 |
| Dec 2021 | 73% | 900 |
| Mar 2022 | 63% | 905 |
| Jun 2022 | 62% | 1,172 |
| Sep 2022 | 57% | 1,178 |
| Dec 2022 | 62% | 1,181 |
| Mar 2023 | 58% | 1,173 |
| Jun 2023 | 60% | 1,164 |
| Sep 2023 | 53% | 1,165 |
| Dec 2023 | 50% | 1,015 |
| Mar 2024 | 46% | 952 |
| Jun 2024 | 46% | 818 |
| Sep 2024 | 43% | 1,228 |
| Dec 2024 | 51% | 1,398 |
| Mar 2025 | 47% | 1,455 |
| Jun 2025 | 45% | 1,491 |
| Sep 2025 | 40% | 1,505 |
| Dec 2025 | 48% | 1,496 |
With a typical home value of $504,992 and a median sale price of $495,166, entry costs in Blue Ridge are substantial for a small mountain town. Inventory is limited at 294 active listings, homes average 106 days to pending, and the sale-to-list ratio of 96.1% indicates modest price negotiation is possible.
At the median performance level (p50), a Blue Ridge STR grossed $2,827 in February 2026. Seasonality matters significantly here: the strongest months average over $6,000 in monthly revenue at the median tier. Using the seasonal average data, a median-performing listing can be estimated at roughly $50,000 to $55,000 gross annual revenue based on multi-year monthly averages.
Top-quartile properties (p75) earned $4,643 in February, and top-decile properties (p90) earned $6,507 in the same month. Properties at the 25th percentile earned just $1,499 in February, underscoring how wide the performance spread is.
With a $500,000 purchase price, achieving a 10% gross yield would require approximately $50,000 in annual revenue, which is attainable for a well-positioned property at or above the median tier. However, after mortgage debt service, management fees (typically 20 to 30% of gross), property taxes, insurance, and maintenance, net cash flow margins are tight.
The key risk is continued supply growth. The market added roughly 330 net new listings between 2022 and 2026. If that pace continues, occupancy pressure will persist. Zoning restrictions (detailed in Regulatory Summary) may eventually constrain supply growth inside city limits, but most STRs in this market operate in surrounding unincorporated Fannin County, which has different or no STR regulations.
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| Date | Typical Home Value |
|---|---|
| Mar 2021 | $390,331 |
| Dec 2021 | $480,902 |
| Sep 2022 | $527,937 |
| Jun 2023 | $498,956 |
| Mar 2024 | $500,522 |
| Dec 2024 | $505,811 |
| Sep 2025 | $494,565 |
Booking Insights
Blue Ridge STR guests book with moderate lead times. The February 2026 data shows an average booking lead time of 35.8 days, with a median of 28 days. This means half of all bookings are placed within four weeks of the stay.
The relatively short lead times reflect the spontaneous nature of mountain weekend getaways. Blue Ridge draws significant drive-market traffic from Atlanta (approximately 90 miles south) and Chattanooga, where last-minute trip planning is common.
Average length of stay is 3.1 days, with a median of 2.0 days. The gap between mean and median indicates that a subset of guests book extended stays (7 nights or more), pulling the average up, while the majority of bookings are 2-night weekend stays.
For operators, this pattern has practical implications. Setting a 2-night minimum is appropriate for this market given the demand base. Maintaining pricing flexibility in the 0 to 30 day window is important: last-minute price drops can fill gaps without meaningfully cannibalizing future bookings. Dynamic pricing tools that monitor 28 to 35 day lead windows will help operators respond to actual booking pace rather than static seasonal calendars.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Blue Ridge has a structured STR permitting system that limits where short-term rentals can legally operate.
Zoning restriction: STRs are only permitted in C-1 (commercial), CBD (central business district), and R-3 zones. Properties in R-1 or R-2 zones cannot legally operate as STRs. This is a hard restriction, not a variance process. Before purchasing any property in Blue Ridge city limits for STR use, the first step is confirming the zoning classification with the city.
Permitting requirements: Operators must obtain an annual STVR (Short-Term Vacation Rental) Certificate from the City of Blue Ridge. The renewal fee is $150 per year. A separate occupation tax certificate (business license) is also required through the City Business License Office.
Tax obligations: Operators must register for tax accounts with both the City of Blue Ridge and the Georgia Department of Revenue. Monthly tax returns are due by the 20th of the following month, covering hotel/motel taxes and state sales taxes. Most major booking platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo) collect and remit Georgia state sales tax on behalf of hosts, but hosts should verify local hotel/motel tax remittance requirements directly with the city.
Enforcement: The city actively enforces these regulations. There is currently no moratorium on new STR permits.
Important note for buyers: Most STR listings in the Blue Ridge area are not inside city limits. Many operate in unincorporated Fannin County, where STR regulations are less restrictive or do not apply. Buyers should confirm the specific jurisdiction of any property being evaluated.
Market Comparison
Blue Ridge is a mid-to-upper-tier mountain STR market by national standards. Its February 2026 ADR of $361 is well above the national STR median, which typically runs in the $150 to $220 range for non-resort markets. The higher ADR reflects the premium that mountain cabin inventory commands.
However, occupancy at 34% in February is below national averages for STR markets, which tend to run 45% to 55% annually. The Blue Ridge market’s occupancy decline from 68.6% in 2021 to the current range reflects a supply-demand imbalance that is common across popular pandemic-era STR destinations that experienced rapid inventory growth.
Compared to other North Georgia and Southern Appalachian markets, Blue Ridge sits at the higher end of ADR. Markets like Ellijay, GA and Hiawassee, GA have smaller supply bases and different demand profiles. Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in East Tennessee are larger, higher-volume markets with stronger absolute revenue potential but also more competition.
The Blue Ridge market’s strength is ADR durability and year-round demand. Its risk is the large and growing supply base of 1,484 listings against a town of approximately 1,253 permanent residents, meaning the STR market is almost entirely dependent on visitor demand rather than any underlying local housing need.
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