Eatonton, Georgia Short-Term Rental Market
Eatonton STRs on Lake Oconee averaged $175/night at 50.4% occupancy in April 2026, with the most consistent year-round occupancy of any market in this analysis.
Quick Answer: Eatonton, Georgia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 55%. average monthly revenue is $3,064. average daily rate is $202. the top operator is Evolve with 316 listings. market score is 76/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Georgia Area regional market, which includes Eatonton. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Eatonton.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Eatonton is the seat of Putnam County and the primary gateway to the Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair resort region of central Georgia, roughly 80 miles southeast of Atlanta. The short-term rental market spans the lakefront and surrounding area, with 8,386 entire-place listings making up the bulk of the roughly 9,478 active units tracked (88%). Private rooms account for 1,088 listings and shared rooms for just 4.
In April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $175 and occupancy of 50.4%, producing a RevPAR of $88. Average monthly revenue per listing came in at $2,414. Year-over-year, ADR grew 3.6% but occupancy fell 8.6%, resulting in a net revenue decline of 4.9% versus April 2025. The occupancy softness is the primary headwind.
The bedroom mix skews toward smaller and mid-size properties. One-bedroom units lead at 2,840 listings, followed closely by three-bedroom (2,717) and two-bedroom (2,193) units. Four-bedroom listings account for 1,174 and five-bedroom for 549. Airbnb hosts 5,043 listings and VRBO 632, with 3,803 cross-listing on both platforms.
The market’s overall score of 76 out of 100 is driven by an exceptionally high investability score of 95 and a seasonality score of 85, which reflects the market’s unusually flat occupancy distribution across months. Rental demand scores 71 and regulation 66. The lowest dimension is revenue growth at 44, consistent with the flat revenue trajectory observed since 2022.
Annual averages for 2025 show occupancy of 52.8%, ADR of $169, and average monthly revenue of $2,531 per listing. Revenue has grown incrementally since 2022 ($2,302/month) through 2025 ($2,531/month), a gain of about 10% over three years.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43% | $118 | $1,538 |
| Feb | 53% | $120 | $1,607 |
| Mar | 56% | $134 | $2,031 |
| Apr | 54% | $147 | $2,126 |
| May | 54% | $157 | $2,257 |
| Jun | 59% | $175 | $2,738 |
| Jul | 60% | $176 | $2,865 |
| Aug | 51% | $151 | $2,156 |
| Sep | 51% | $150 | $2,036 |
| Oct | 54% | $151 | $2,271 |
| Nov | 52% | $150 | $2,124 |
| Dec | 48% | $139 | $1,985 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Eatonton
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 316 | 10,818 | ★ 4.66 |
| 2 | Orlando | 95 | 4,424 | ★ 4.70 |
| 3 | Patriot Family Homes | 71 | 3,674 | ★ 4.30 |
| 4 | Pine Mountain Chalet | 51 | 459 | ★ 4.13 |
| 5 | River Town Rentals | 47 | 948 | ★ 4.69 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Eatonton?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,840 |
| 2 bed | 2,193 |
| 3 bed | 2,717 |
| 4 bed | 1,174 |
| 5 bed | 549 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $215 |
| Luxury | $389 |
| Professionally Managed | $256 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,038 |
| Entire Place | $3,271 |
| House | $3,362 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 53.2% |
| vrbo | 6.7% |
| both | 40.1% |
Investment Analysis
No housing price snapshot is available for Eatonton in the current dataset, so gross yield cannot be computed. Investors should use Putnam County assessor data or local comparable sales for entry-cost analysis.
What the STR data shows is a market with moderate absolute revenue but unusually stable year-round occupancy. Entire-place listings averaged $2,555/month and house listings averaged $2,578/month in April 2026, both above the all-listing average of $2,414. Apartment listings trailed at $1,924/month.
Rate tier differentiation is pronounced. The luxury tier ADR reached $336 in April 2026, nearly double the market average of $175. Professionally managed properties averaged $216/night, a $41/night premium over the market average, one of the larger management premiums in this batch.
Year-over-year ADR growth of 3.6% is positive, but occupancy is down 8.6% and revenue is down 4.9%. The multi-year trend shows revenue has been essentially flat since 2022 ($2,302 in 2022, $2,298 in 2023, $2,436 in 2024, $2,531 in 2025). This plateau is reflected in the revenue growth score of 44, the lowest dimension in the market scorecard.
The investability score of 95 reflects the combination of low regulation complexity, strong year-round occupancy (no severe winter trough), and stable demand from Atlanta-metro weekenders and Lake Oconee second-home owners. For investors seeking stable cash flow rather than peak-season upside, the Eatonton lake market profile is worth examining.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
The average booking lead time in Eatonton is 38 days, meaning guests typically book just over five weeks before arrival. This relatively short window reflects the Atlanta drive-market character of the Lake Oconee region, where weekenders from Georgia’s major metro plan on shorter notice.
The average length of stay is 4.0 nights, the longest of any market in this analysis. This suggests guests are staying for extended weekends or longer lakeside retreats rather than single-night trips. A 4-night average with 50.4% occupancy implies approximately 4 turnovers per month at current occupancy levels.
For operators, the longer average stay reduces cleaning and turnover frequency relative to markets with 3-night averages, which can improve net margins on similar gross revenue. Setting minimum stays of 3 to 4 nights aligns with the natural booking pattern and would not significantly restrict demand. The 38-day lead time is short enough that last-minute flexibility pricing in the 7-to-14-day window can capture incremental revenue during shoulder months.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are legal and regulated under Putnam County jurisdiction, which governs the Lake Oconee and Eatonton area. Under a Short Term Vacation Rental ordinance that took effect September 1, 2023, a short-term rental is defined as any rental of a single-family dwelling for 30 consecutive days or less.
Before renting, operators must obtain two items from Putnam County: a Short Term Vacation Rental certificate and a county Occupation Tax Certificate. Applications and renewals are handled online through the county’s GeoPermits portal. The license renews annually. The specific certificate fee was not confirmed in the available sources and should be verified with Putnam County Planning and Development.
One exemption applies: a property rented for a single period of no more than 14 days in one calendar year does not require an STR certificate.
On taxes, Georgia law authorizes counties to levy a hotel-motel excise tax of up to 8%. The exact local rate applicable in Putnam County was not confirmed from a primary source in the available data. Operators should verify the current tax rate directly with the county before filing.
No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement was found. No annual nights cap was found. Enforcement is rated moderate and complaint-driven rather than proactively enforced. The county maintains a public STR complaint process and can act against non-compliant properties.
Market Comparison
Eatonton’s April 2026 occupancy of 50.4% is below the US STR median of approximately 55% but close enough to reflect a steady market rather than a distressed one. The ADR of $175 is below the national median of approximately $220, consistent with a mid-tier lake destination rather than a premium coastal or mountain resort.
The standout characteristic is consistency. Most leisure STR markets see winter occupancy drop to 30 to 40% in trough months; Eatonton’s January floor of 43.1% is above what most similarly priced markets achieve in their worst month. This stability is why the investability score of 95 is so high despite the modest ADR.
Evolve is the dominant operator with 316 listings and a 4.66 average rating across 10,818 reviews. Orlando ranks second with 95 listings and a 4.70 rating across 4,424 reviews. Patriot Family Homes manages 71 listings with a 4.30 rating. Together the top three operators account for 482 listings, roughly 5% of total market inventory, indicating that independent operators control the vast majority of supply.
The market’s total score of 76 is solid, with the high investability (95) and seasonality (84) scores being the primary strengths. The low revenue growth score (44) is the key caveat: the market’s revenue trajectory has been flat since 2022, and operators entering this market should underwrite for stability rather than growth.
Frequently Asked Questions About Eatonton, Georgia
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