Cleveland, Georgia Short-Term Rental Market
Cleveland, GA STRs averaged $264 per night at 40.6% occupancy in April 2026, with revenue up 2.9% year-over-year.
Quick Answer: Cleveland, Georgia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 54%. average monthly revenue is $4,483. average daily rate is $309. the top operator is Evolve with 470 listings. market score is 88/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the North GA Mtns regional market, which includes Cleveland. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Cleveland.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Cleveland is the county seat of White County in the North Georgia mountains, roughly 75 miles northeast of Atlanta. The market is a mountain leisure destination anchored by outdoor recreation (more than 20 waterfalls, three state parks, tubing, ziplining, hiking), the Unicoi Wine Trail, and Babyland General Hospital, which reports approximately 250,000 visitors per year.
As of April 2026, the market posted a 40.6% occupancy rate and an average daily rate (ADR) of $264, producing a RevPAR of $107 and average monthly revenue of $3,097 per listing. Year-over-year as of April 2026, occupancy rose 2.0 percentage points, ADR increased 2.9%, and revenue per listing grew 2.9%.
The listing mix is overwhelmingly entire-place accommodations: 9,838 entire-place listings, with just 117 private rooms and 1 shared room. By bedroom count, three-bedroom units are most common (3,276 listings), followed by two-bedroom (2,458), four-bedroom (1,776), and one-bedroom (1,526). Five-bedroom units account for 915 listings.
A notable feature of this market’s distribution: 7,045 listings operate on both Airbnb and VRBO, which is an unusually high dual-platform share, compared to just 2,014 Airbnb-only and 897 VRBO-only. This reflects an operator base experienced with multi-channel distribution.
The composite Apivex market score is 87.8 out of 100, with particularly strong investability (91.8) and solid revenue growth (72.3) and seasonality (75.8) scores.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33% | $239 | $2,415 |
| Feb | 39% | $239 | $2,389 |
| Mar | 48% | $240 | $3,216 |
| Apr | 44% | $235 | $2,869 |
| May | 44% | $242 | $2,792 |
| Jun | 58% | $263 | $3,919 |
| Jul | 64% | $257 | $4,473 |
| Aug | 47% | $237 | $3,148 |
| Sep | 47% | $243 | $3,086 |
| Oct | 61% | $262 | $4,476 |
| Nov | 55% | $262 | $3,973 |
| Dec | 51% | $264 | $3,937 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Cleveland
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 470 | 28,108 | ★ 4.76 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 457 | 32,402 | ★ 4.58 |
| 3 | Escape To Blue Ridge | 371 | 4,391 | ★ 4.78 |
| 4 | Southern Comfort Cabin Rentals | 292 | 5,288 | ★ 4.71 |
| 5 | Georgia CFY | 187 | 4,592 | ★ 4.57 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Cleveland?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,526 |
| 2 bed | 2,458 |
| 3 bed | 3,276 |
| 4 bed | 1,776 |
| 5 bed | 915 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $310 |
| Luxury | $492 |
| Professionally Managed | $342 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,572 |
| Entire Place | $4,511 |
| House | $4,650 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 20.2% |
| vrbo | 9% |
| both | 70.8% |
Investment Analysis
Cleveland’s STR market offers strong revenue relative to home values, creating one of the more accessible gross yield profiles in the North Georgia region. The typical home value stands at $318,401 (Zillow, April 2026), while average monthly STR revenue in April 2026 reached $3,097. Annualizing that monthly figure produces approximately $37,167 in gross annual revenue, implying a gross yield of roughly 11.7% on the typical home value before expenses, vacancy, and management fees.
Tier comparisons show relatively modest spread at the ADR level: the all-listings ADR of $264 rises slightly to $264 for entire-home properties and to $285 for professionally managed listings. Luxury-tier properties average $397 per night. The small gap between all-listings and entire-home ADR suggests that most inventory is already entire-place units, leaving less upside from unit type alone.
Revenue by property type shows houses averaging $3,194 per month, above the market average of $3,097. Entire-place listings average $3,114. Apartments average $1,933.
YoY trends have been positive: 2025 annual average revenue was $3,807 per listing, up from $3,673 in 2024. As of April 2026, the YoY revenue growth rate was +2.9%. The Apivex revenue growth score of 72.3 and investability score of 91.8 both signal a strong investment environment relative to comparable markets.
Note: The median list price ($375,783) is significantly above the Zillow typical home value ($318,401), which may reflect a premium segment of homes being actively listed for sale in this market.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
In April 2026, Cleveland STR guests booked an average of 42.5 days in advance and stayed an average of 3.3 nights per visit.
A 42-day lead time reflects the planning behavior of drive-market leisure travelers from Atlanta who book mountain cabins and vacation homes for weekend getaways, fall foliage trips, and summer retreats several weeks in advance. For operators, this means pricing can be held firm through about five to six weeks before arrival, with rate adjustments for last-minute fill targeting the final two weeks before arrival.
The 3.3-night average length of stay is consistent with a weekend cabin market, suggesting most bookings are Friday-Monday trips with some mid-week and extended stays mixed in. This drives moderate turnover costs.
The high dual-platform listing rate (7,045 listings on both Airbnb and VRBO) signals that experienced operators in this market have already internalized the value of multi-channel distribution to fill the 3.3-night stay cycle. New operators should consider listing on both platforms from the outset.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Cleveland sits in a dual-jurisdiction market with materially different rules inside the City of Cleveland versus unincorporated White County. Investors must confirm which jurisdiction applies to a target property before proceeding.
Within the City of Cleveland, the City Council adopted an STR ordinance (codified at Code of Ordinances Chapter 12, Article VI) on March 14, 2022, that allows STRs in residential districts. Operators must obtain city permit approval, meet life-safety codes, and hold an annual occupational tax certificate (business license) renewable by January 1. A lodging excise tax of 8% applies to accommodations. Permit and license fee amounts are set in a separate fee schedule not published online; verify current amounts with the City of Cleveland.
Most STR inventory in the Cleveland market actually lies in unincorporated White County, which is governed by a separate and stricter Host License program (effective January 31, 2024). White County imposes a hard countywide cap of 650 active licenses. At adoption, approximately 501 licenses covering 546 units had already been issued, meaning available license slots may be limited. Licenses expire December 31 annually, are non-transferable (new owners have 60 days to reapply), and require proof of commercial or STR-specific insurance, a 24/7 local responsible-party contact who must respond to complaints within 2 hours, and planning-department eligibility verification. Some subdivisions are excluded from STR eligibility per the county STR subdivision map. The county also levies an 8% lodging tax.
No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies in either jurisdiction. Enforcement is at moderate severity in both jurisdictions.
Market Comparison
Against national STR benchmarks, Cleveland’s April 2026 occupancy of 40.6% is below the US median of approximately 55%, while its $264 ADR significantly exceeds the national median of roughly $220. The market earns well above average on rate but below average on occupancy, which is typical of mountain cabin markets where larger properties command premium nightly rates while not filling every night.
The market’s composite score of 87.8 out of 100 ranks it among the stronger mountain markets in the Apivex dataset, driven by investability (91.8), revenue growth (72.3), and seasonality (75.8).
Professional operators are deeply embedded in this market. Evolve leads with 470 listings and 28,108 reviews (4.76 rating). Vacasa holds 457 listings and 32,402 reviews (4.58 rating). Escape To Blue Ridge operates 371 listings with 4,391 reviews (4.78 rating). Southern Comfort Cabin Rentals manages 292 listings with 5,288 reviews (4.71 rating). Together, the top four professional managers account for approximately 1,590 listings out of an estimated 9,956 total active listings.
The strong professional operator presence, combined with the White County 650-license cap and the high dual-platform listing rate, points to a maturing market where sophisticated operators have already secured their position.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cleveland, Georgia
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