Milledgeville, Georgia Short-Term Rental Market
Milledgeville, GA STRs averaged $175/night at 50.4% occupancy in April 2026 in Baldwin County's historic Georgia capital.
Quick Answer: Milledgeville, 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 Milledgeville. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Milledgeville.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Milledgeville is a small historic city of approximately 16,748 residents in Baldwin County, central Georgia. It served as Georgia’s state capital from 1804 to 1868 before Atlanta and retains a dense collection of antebellum architecture. Tourism is primarily heritage-driven: visitors come for Georgia’s Old Governor’s Mansion, the Old Capitol building, Andalusia Farm (Flannery O’Connor’s home), and the historic district. Georgia College & State University generates steady university-related travel from parents, alumni, and event attendees. Lake Sinclair, a large reservoir immediately south of the city, draws water recreation and weekend visitors.
In April 2026, the STR market posted an average daily rate of $175 and an occupancy rate of 50.4%, with RevPAR of $88. Year-over-year through April 2026, occupancy declined 8.6 percentage points, ADR increased 3.6%, and revenue declined 4.9%. The occupancy decline is notable; however, 2025 annual occupancy averaged 52.8% and annual revenue reached $2,531/month, indicating that full-year performance remains solid. The April decline may partly reflect seasonal positioning in a spring shoulder month.
The listing mix is approximately 88% entire-place rentals and approximately 11% private rooms. One-bedroom units are the most common listing, followed by three-bedroom and two-bedroom properties.
Airbnb is the dominant channel, with approximately 40% of properties cross-listed on both Airbnb and VRBO.
The Apivex composite score is 75.7. Investability leads at 95.5, reflecting favorable property-cost-to-revenue ratios for rural Baldwin County. Seasonality scores 84.6, rental demand 70.8, regulation 66.1, and revenue growth 44.2.
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 Milledgeville
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 Milledgeville?
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 Zillow housing snapshot is available for Milledgeville in the current dataset. Investors should consult Baldwin County property tax records and local brokers for current home pricing and a direct gross yield calculation.
ADR ranges from $175 at the market average to $186 for entire-home listings, $216 for professionally managed properties, and $336 for luxury-tier listings. The professionally managed ADR of $216 is approximately 23% above the market average, a premium of $41/night. The luxury-tier ADR of $336 is approximately 92% above the market average.
Average monthly revenue was $2,414 in April 2026. Annual revenue has improved each year: $2,298/month in 2023, $2,436 in 2024, and $2,531 in 2025, representing an approximately 10% three-year revenue increase. Year-to-date 2026 performance is below the prior year on revenue, driven by the 8.6 percentage-point occupancy decline through April 2026.
By property type, house listings average $2,578/month and entire-place listings average $2,555/month, a gap of only $23/month. Both outperform the all-market average by approximately $164 and $141 respectively. Apartment-category listings average $1,924/month, approximately $490 below the all-market average.
The investability score of 95.5 reflects the market’s favorable entry economics relative to revenue. The 2025 annual average revenue of $2,531/month provides the baseline for return modeling against current local property prices.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
The average booking lead time for Milledgeville STRs is 38.4 days, approximately 5.5 weeks before arrival. This reflects a mix of heritage tourism travelers who plan specific site visits well in advance, university-related visitors with event-driven booking windows, and spontaneous Lake Sinclair weekend visitors who book closer to their arrival date.
Average length of stay is 4.0 nights, consistent with a heritage and lake destination that attracts multi-day itinerary-based visits rather than quick overnights. A 4-night average is well-served by a 2 or 3-night minimum stay policy, which captures the typical guest pattern while avoiding single-night turnover costs.
The 38.4-day lead time provides operators approximately 5 to 6 weeks of forward booking visibility. Summer reservations (June-July) should fill several weeks before arrival. January and December gaps may benefit from shorter minimum stays and modest promotional pricing, given the trough-season occupancy of 43 to 48% in those months.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Baldwin County, within which Milledgeville is the county seat, adopted a Short-Term Vacation Rental ordinance (Code Section 16.75) in January 2021 governing rentals of 30 consecutive days or less. All operators must obtain a Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate from Baldwin County Planning & Development plus an occupation tax certificate before listing any property.
The certificate application must be submitted under oath and includes proof of ownership, proof of homeowner’s insurance, a stated maximum occupancy matching what is advertised, an exemplar guest agreement, and designation of a local rental agent who can appear on-site within 24 hours of any complaint. Certificates do not transfer with a property sale; a new owner must submit a fresh application and pay the applicable fee. Certificates renew annually by December 31 with no automatic renewal. The application fee is set by the Board of Commissioners’ fee schedule rather than fixed in the ordinance and should be confirmed directly with Baldwin County Planning & Development.
The local hotel/motel excise tax is 8%, remitted monthly by the 20th of the following month. Late remittance accrues a 1% monthly penalty. Georgia’s $5/night state hotel-motel fee and state sales tax also apply.
There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, no annual night cap, and no separate STR zoning overlay. Rentals of fewer than 14 days per year are not classified as STRs under the ordinance.
Enforcement is moderate. Recent updates strengthened penalties: first violation $500 to $1,000, second $1,000, third $1,000 plus automatic certificate revocation, with violations accruing daily after the enforcement notice.
Market Comparison
The US median annual STR occupancy is approximately 55%. Milledgeville’s April 2026 occupancy of 50.4% is below the national median. The 2025 annual average of 52.8% is also below the benchmark. The market peaked at 60.8% occupancy in 2021 and has since normalized, with ADR growth from $136 in 2021 to $169 in 2025 partially offsetting the revenue impact of lower occupancy.
ADR of $175 is below the national median of approximately $220, consistent with a small Georgia heritage market where demand drivers are cultural tourism and regional recreation rather than resort amenities or urban proximity.
Top operators in the Milledgeville and Baldwin County market include Evolve (316 listings, 10,818 reviews, 4.66 average rating), Orlando (95 listings, 4,424 reviews, 4.70 rating), and Patriot Family Homes (71 listings, 3,674 reviews, 4.30 rating). Pine Mountain Chalet (51 listings, 459 reviews, 4.13 rating) and River Town Rentals (47 listings, 948 reviews, 4.69 rating) are also active in the market.
The composite score of 75.7 and investability of 95.5 describe a market with strong entry economics, moderate demand stability, and a positive three-year revenue trajectory. The absence of Zillow housing data prevents a direct gross yield calculation, but the high investability score reflects the market’s favorable revenue-to-property-cost ratio.
Frequently Asked Questions About Milledgeville, Georgia
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