Fort White, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Fort White STRs averaged $164/night at 47.2% occupancy in April 2026, driven by gateway demand for Ichetucknee Springs State Park.
Quick Answer: Fort White, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 47%. average monthly revenue is $2,183. average daily rate is $164. the top operator is Evolve with 119 listings. market score is 62/100 (grade C).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Fort White is a small rural town of approximately 693 residents in Columbia County, North Central Florida, whose short-term rental market exists almost entirely because of Ichetucknee Springs State Park, a 2,241-acre National Natural Landmark located about four miles northwest of town. The park is one of Florida’s most popular spring recreation sites, drawing up to 5,000 visitors per day during the summer peak (Memorial Day through Labor Day).
The active STR listing base totals approximately 3,113 units based on bedroom-segment data, which is large relative to the town’s residential population and reflects the broader Columbia County market area served by Fort White-proximate rentals. The market is overwhelmingly entire-place: 2,910 entire-place listings (93% of the market) and 222 private rooms. In April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $164, occupancy of 47.2%, and a RevPAR of $77.
Year-over-year, occupancy declined 2.1 percentage points while ADR rose 2.0%, leaving revenue slightly negative at -0.7%. Channel distribution shows 1,508 Airbnb-only listings, 361 VRBO-only, and 1,263 on both platforms, indicating a predominantly Airbnb market. The bedroom mix spans 1,035 one-bedrooms, 856 two-bedrooms, 890 three-bedrooms, 240 four-bedrooms, and 92 five-plus-bedroom properties.
The investability score of 84.8 out of 100 and seasonality score of 85.0 out of 100 reflect the market’s reliable spring-fed recreation demand and moderate seasonal balance relative to beach markets.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43% | $125 | $1,573 |
| Feb | 54% | $133 | $1,702 |
| Mar | 57% | $145 | $2,248 |
| Apr | 49% | $144 | $1,946 |
| May | 50% | $149 | $1,958 |
| Jun | 59% | $176 | $2,675 |
| Jul | 62% | $181 | $3,077 |
| Aug | 46% | $161 | $2,118 |
| Sep | 42% | $141 | $1,620 |
| Oct | 46% | $136 | $1,717 |
| Nov | 47% | $138 | $1,713 |
| Dec | 44% | $134 | $1,711 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Fort White
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 119 | 4,656 | ★ 4.76 |
| 2 | Steinhatchee River Rentals | 32 | 844 | ★ 4.86 |
| 3 | The American Dream Vacation Rentals | 22 | 217 | ★ 4.84 |
| 4 | Vacasa | 22 | 570 | ★ 4.82 |
| 5 | Bird Rack Realty | 19 | 339 | ★ 4.73 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Fort White?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,035 |
| 2 bed | 856 |
| 3 bed | 890 |
| 4 bed | 240 |
| 5 bed | 92 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $169 |
| Luxury | $298 |
| Professionally Managed | $234 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,012 |
| Entire Place | $2,258 |
| House | $2,388 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 48.1% |
| vrbo | 11.5% |
| both | 40.3% |
Investment Analysis
Fort White’s investment profile centers on a nature-recreation demand driver (Ichetucknee Springs) that creates consistent summer peak demand within a small, rural market. The city’s typical home value was not available in the current housing dataset, so a gross yield computation cannot be made at this time.
April 2026 average monthly revenue was $2,183, with an annualized run rate of approximately $26,198 based on that single month. The 2025 annual average of $2,256/month is a more reliable baseline, suggesting an annualized revenue of approximately $27,072. Revenue has grown from $1,379/month annually in 2017 to $2,256 in 2025, a 64% cumulative increase.
Tier differentiation is notable. The all-listings ADR of $164/night compares to $169 for entire-home listings, $234 for professionally managed properties (a 43% premium), and $298 for luxury-tier properties (an 82% premium over the all-listings average). The professionally managed premium of 43% is one of the highest in this batch, suggesting that properties with dedicated management and premium presentation earn significantly above-market rates.
Revenue by property type in April 2026: houses averaged $2,388/month, entire-place units averaged $2,258, and apartments averaged $2,012. The house-to-apartment gap of $376/month (19%) is present but not as wide as in some beach markets.
The investability score of 84.8 and the nature-tourism anchor at Ichetucknee Springs suggest a durable demand floor, though investors should weigh the seasonal concentration of demand in the summer peak window.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Fort White guests book an average of 38 days in advance as of April 2026, a short lead time consistent with regional Florida day-trip and weekend recreation travelers. Most bookings originate from within Florida’s I-75 corridor, including Gainesville, High Springs, Lake City, and the Tampa-Orlando metro areas. The 38-day window is typical for nature and springs recreation markets where trip planning is informal and weather-dependent.
Average length of stay is 3.98 nights, just under four nights, reflecting a mix of weekend and extended-weekend stays typical of springs and outdoor recreation markets. Operators should consider 3-night minimums during peak summer weeks to capture full weekends while maintaining flexibility in shoulder months. The spring’s year-round 72-degree water temperature provides some off-peak demand from scuba divers and paddlers who visit outside the summer tubing season.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Fort White has no dedicated short-term rental ordinance. Whole-home Airbnb and VRBO rentals are governed primarily by Florida state law. Any dwelling rented to guests more than three times per year for stays under 30 days must hold a Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling license, issued by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants.
There is no owner-occupancy requirement, no primary-residence rule, and no cap on annual rental nights. Florida Statute 509.032(7)(b) preempts local governments from banning STRs or capping stay length and frequency for ordinances adopted after June 1, 2011; Fort White’s Land Development Code was adopted in 2013, so the town cannot impose such restrictions.
The town’s Land Development Code regulates lodging through a Bed and Breakfast Inn use, which requires a special use permit and owner-occupancy. This applies to B&B operations and is distinct from standard whole-home vacation rentals.
On taxes, the combined transient rental tax is 11%: 6% Florida state sales tax plus Columbia County’s 5% Tourist Development Tax. Operators should register for a local business tax receipt and confirm current requirements with the Columbia County Tax Collector. Enforcement at the town level is minimal.
Market Comparison
Fort White’s April 2026 ADR of $164 is below the US STR median of approximately $220/night, consistent with a rural North Florida nature market rather than a coastal or urban destination. The 47.2% occupancy rate also trails the US median of approximately 55%, though the summer peak months (July at 61.6%) exceed median levels.
Professional management is modest in scale. Evolve leads with 119 listings, 4,656 reviews, and a 4.76 average rating. Steinhatchee River Rentals holds 32 listings with a 4.86 rating. The American Dream Vacation Rentals and Vacasa each manage 22 listings, with ratings of 4.84 and 4.82 respectively. Bird Rack Realty rounds out the top five with 19 listings at a 4.73 rating. The top five collectively manage 214 listings, representing approximately 7% of the estimated 3,113-listing market.
The market’s primary differentiator among North Florida STR markets is its direct access to Ichetucknee Springs State Park, one of Florida’s most-visited state parks, which provides a reliable summer demand anchor that most inland Florida markets lack. The investability score of 84.8 and seasonality score of 85.0 both reflect this nature-tourism underpinning.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fort White, Florida
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