Saint Simons Island, Georgia Short-Term Rental Market
Saint Simons Island STRs averaged $360/night at 62.4% occupancy in April 2026 across roughly 5,390 active listings.
Quick Answer: Saint Simons Island, Georgia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 62%. average monthly revenue is $5,818. average daily rate is $360. the top operator is Hodnett Cooper Vacation Rentals with 349 listings. market score is 55/100 (grade D).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Saint Simons Island, Georgia operates one of the larger coastal short-term rental markets in the Southeast, with approximately 5,390 active listings tracked across bedrooms and listing types. The market recorded a 62.4% occupancy rate and a $359.62 average daily rate in April 2026, producing a RevPAR of $224.29. Year-over-year, occupancy slipped 2.2 percentage points while ADR held nearly flat (up 0.05%) and monthly revenue edged up 1.2%, suggesting that rate discipline is partially offsetting softening demand.
By listing type, the market is overwhelmingly whole-property: entire-place listings account for 5,304 of roughly 5,394 tracked units, with just 90 private-room listings. By bedroom count, two-bedroom (1,986 units) and three-bedroom (1,802 units) properties form the largest segments, followed by one-bedroom (715), four-bedroom (596), and five-bedroom (291) listings. Channel distribution shows broad multi-platform activity: 3,495 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, while 989 are Airbnb-only and 910 are VRBO-only, indicating strong cross-platform exposure for most operators.
The market’s investability score of 84.5 and rental demand score of 86.4 (out of 100) reflect durable leisure demand, though the revenue growth score of 49.4 and seasonality score of 51.2 flag meaningful volatility across the calendar year.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40% | $232 | $2,444 |
| Feb | 63% | $238 | $3,166 |
| Mar | 68% | $293 | $4,672 |
| Apr | 59% | $303 | $4,511 |
| May | 57% | $309 | $4,482 |
| Jun | 73% | $347 | $6,473 |
| Jul | 74% | $335 | $6,520 |
| Aug | 48% | $295 | $4,000 |
| Sep | 46% | $273 | $3,347 |
| Oct | 51% | $279 | $3,540 |
| Nov | 40% | $270 | $2,925 |
| Dec | 36% | $261 | $2,637 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Saint Simons Island
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hodnett Cooper Vacation Rentals | 349 | 6,784 | ★ 4.72 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 292 | 9,241 | ★ 4.56 |
| 3 | RedAwning | 236 | 4,646 | ★ 4.46 |
| 4 | Lighthouse Vacations | 187 | 8,334 | ★ 4.86 |
| 5 | Real Escapes | 184 | 6,523 | ★ 4.68 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Saint Simons Island?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 715 |
| 2 bed | 1,986 |
| 3 bed | 1,802 |
| 4 bed | 596 |
| 5 bed | 291 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $363 |
| Luxury | $608 |
| Professionally Managed | $407 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $5,481 |
| Entire Place | $5,874 |
| House | $6,255 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 18.3% |
| vrbo | 16.9% |
| both | 64.8% |
Investment Analysis
At a $687,349 typical home value and $5,818 average monthly revenue (April 2026), Saint Simons Island produces an estimated gross annualized yield of approximately 10.2% before platform fees, taxes, and operating costs (($5,818 x 12) / $687,349). That headline yield is materially above the national coastal-market average, though buyers should model net yield after the 7% Glynn County hotel-motel tax, platform commissions, and local management fees.
Tier separation is meaningful: the average entire-home ADR of $362.50 sits close to the all-listings average of $359.62, while luxury-tier properties command $608.25 per night, a 69% premium. Professionally managed properties average $407.36, a 13% premium over the market average, which suggests that quality operations and channel management deliver measurable rate upside.
By property type, houses generate $6,255 in average monthly revenue versus $5,874 for entire-place listings broadly and $5,481 for apartments, making single-family homes the highest-revenue category. The housing market shows a sale-to-list ratio of 0.924 and a median 35 days to pending, indicating a moderately competitive but not frenetic buyer environment. With 364 units for sale and no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement under county rules, investors can acquire and operate non-resident properties freely under a standard annual certificate.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Guests booking Saint Simons Island properties plan ahead: the average booking lead time is 64.1 days, roughly two months out. This relatively long planning horizon gives operators a meaningful window to apply dynamic pricing strategies, particularly for peak summer weekends and holiday periods where early demand signals can justify higher rates before the market adjusts.
The average length of stay is 4.3 nights, positioning the market between traditional weekend-trip (2-3 night) and full-week vacation rental (7-night) patterns. A 4-night average implies that most stays span a long weekend or a short mid-week getaway rather than a full week, which creates higher turnover frequency than purely weekly markets. Operators should price minimum-stay requirements carefully: a 3-night minimum captures the long-weekend segment without sacrificing mid-week fill, while 4-5 night minimums during peak season may optimize revenue without significant vacancy risk given the 64-day lead time indicating committed planners in the booking pool.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Saint Simons Island falls within unincorporated Glynn County, which adopted its Short-Term Rental Ordinance (Chapter 2-31) in July 2021. Short-term rentals (fewer than 30 consecutive nights) are permitted and require a Short-Term Rental Certificate, also called an Accommodation Excise Tax Certificate, issued annually by the Glynn County Tax Commissioner. The base application fee is $150 if filed by July 1, rising to $225 after that date.
Operators must post the certificate at the main property entrance and maintain smoke and CO detectors in every bedroom, at least one fire extinguisher, a stated vehicle limit, posted off-site parking instructions, and a designated 24-hour local contact. Commercial events are prohibited. Owners renting six or more properties must also obtain an Occupation Tax Certificate. There is no cap on rental nights per year, no owner-occupancy requirement, and no primary-residence requirement, which allows non-resident investors to operate freely.
On the tax side, operators collect Georgia’s 6% state sales tax on rentals under 90 nights, the $5-per-room-per-night Georgia State Hotel-Motel Fee, and the Glynn County Hotel-Motel Tax, which increased from 5% to 7% effective July 1, 2025 under Georgia HB 732. Enforcement runs through LodgingRevs as the compliance monitor. Glynn County has moved STR certificate applications to the OpenGov Tax and Revenue Portal. Note that individual condo associations and neighborhood CC&Rs may impose additional rental restrictions beyond county rules.
Market Comparison
Saint Simons Island’s 62.4% April 2026 occupancy exceeds the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, and its $359.62 ADR is well above the national median of roughly $220, reflecting the island’s positioning as a premium coastal destination. The RevPAR of $224.29 is especially strong relative to most inland and secondary coastal markets.
The professional management layer is well-developed. Hodnett Cooper Vacation Rentals leads with 349 listings and a 4.718 average rating across 6,784 reviews, representing the dominant local operator. Vacasa follows with 292 listings and 9,241 reviews at a 4.559 rating, bringing national-scale distribution. RedAwning (236 listings, 4.458 rating) provides aggregator-style reach. Lighthouse Vacations (187 listings, 4.857 rating) is the highest-rated operator among the top five, and Real Escapes rounds out the top five at 184 listings and a 4.681 rating. The top five operators together manage roughly 1,248 of approximately 5,394 total market listings, or about 23% of the market, indicating that independent operators still control the majority of supply.
Frequently Asked Questions About Saint Simons Island, Georgia
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What occupancy rate do Saint Simons Island Airbnb properties achieve?
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Do I need a permit to operate a short-term rental on Saint Simons Island?
What is the occupancy tax rate for short-term rentals on Saint Simons Island?
When is peak season for Saint Simons Island vacation rentals?
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