Cumming, GA has 65 active STR listings with a July peak of 61% occupancy and $5,497 average monthly revenue.
Market Overview
Cumming, Georgia sits in Forsyth County roughly 40 miles north of Atlanta, with Lake Lanier as the primary demand driver for short-term rental guests. As of February 2026, the market has 65 active listings, a count that has been relatively stable since 2023 after peaking at 81 listings in 2022.
The most recent data shows average occupancy at 30.0% for February 2026, which reflects normal winter seasonality for a lake-dependent market. Average daily rate came in at $197.80, with the median ADR at $149.00, indicating a skew toward higher-priced outlier properties pulling the average up.
Looking at the annual trend, occupancy has declined steadily from a 2021 peak of 65.6% down to 38.4% in 2025. This compression is consistent with what happened across most U.S. STR markets as pandemic-era demand normalized and supply increased. ADR has moved in the opposite direction, climbing from $200 in 2021 to $272 in 2025, which has partially offset the occupancy loss. Average annual revenue per listing fell from $4,869 in 2021 to $3,103 in 2025.
The market is best understood as a seasonal, recreation-dependent market rather than a year-round business travel or event-driven one. Performance is heavily concentrated in the May through September window, with July representing the strongest month across all metrics. Investors should underwrite to this seasonal profile rather than assuming consistent year-round cash flow.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue | Active Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37% | $212 | $2,251 | 70 |
| Feb | 40% | $204 | $2,500 | 70 |
| Mar | 48% | $215 | $3,573 | 68 |
| Apr | 52% | $219 | $3,871 | 68 |
| May | 57% | $238 | $4,586 | 66 |
| Jun | 59% | $247 | $4,974 | 72 |
| Jul | 61% | $254 | $5,497 | 75 |
| Aug | 55% | $258 | $4,776 | 75 |
| Sep | 51% | $245 | $3,982 | 75 |
| Oct | 50% | $228 | $3,425 | 68 |
| Nov | 44% | $248 | $3,386 | 69 |
| Dec | 42% | $233 | $3,191 | 70 |
Cumming follows a clear summer-peak, winter-trough pattern driven by Lake Lanier access and outdoor recreation demand.
July is the strongest month, with average occupancy of 61.4%, ADR of $254, and average revenue of $5,497. June is close behind at 58.8% occupancy and $4,974 average revenue. May through September represents the core earning window, with occupancy ranging from 51.0% to 61.4% and average revenues ranging from $3,982 to $5,497 per month.
The shoulder seasons offer moderate performance. April reaches 51.6% occupancy and $3,871 average revenue. October holds at 50.0% occupancy and $3,425 average revenue. November shows the first meaningful step down at 44.4% occupancy and $3,386 average revenue.
Winter is the weakest period. January occupancy averages 37.2% with $2,251 average revenue. February averages 39.8% occupancy and $2,500 in revenue. December comes in at 42.0% occupancy and $3,191 average revenue, supported by some holiday demand.
ADR does not follow the same sharp seasonal curve as occupancy. The highest ADR months are August ($258) and July ($254), but November ($248) and September ($245) are also strong on rate, likely because operators hold pricing firm while overall volume is lower. January and February have the lowest ADRs at $212 and $204 respectively.
For investors, this seasonal profile means roughly 5 months of strong revenue (May through September), 3 months of moderate revenue (March, April, October), and 4 months of below-average revenue (November through February). Annual cash flow projections should weight accordingly.
Revenue Breakdown
| Metric | 25th Pctile | Median | 75th Pctile | 90th Pctile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue/mo | $455 | $958 | $2,332 | $5,274 |
| ADR | $105 | $149 | $285 | $439 |
| Occupancy | 11% | 14% | 46% | 68% |
The February 2026 percentile data shows how wide the performance gap is within this market. At the 25th percentile, a property earned $455 for the month. The median property earned $958. The 75th percentile earned $2,332, and the 90th percentile earned $5,274.
These February figures reflect winter seasonality. A more representative view of top-half performance comes from the summer peak: average revenue in July is $5,497 across all listings, meaning many top performers exceed that figure significantly during peak months.
ADR percentiles in February tell a similar story. The 25th percentile ADR was $104.90, the median was $149.00, the 75th percentile was $284.50, and the 90th percentile reached $439.30. Properties positioned as premium lakefront or large-group accommodations can command rates more than 4x the median.
RevPAR (revenue per available room) for the market averaged $64.30 in February, with a median of $34.20, which confirms that many listings are running at relatively low utilization during off-peak months.
Operators in the top quartile are almost certainly lake-access or lake-view properties with larger guest capacities. Landlocked or smaller properties in Cumming are likely producing the lower-percentile figures. Buyers should verify whether a target property has direct lake access or proximity before modeling revenue assumptions.
Investment Analysis
Revenue Trend
RevPAR & ADR Trend
| Date | Revenue | RevPAR | ADR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2021 | $4,944 | $160 | $191 |
| Apr 2021 | $4,990 | $166 | $199 |
| May 2021 | $5,366 | $173 | $196 |
| Jun 2021 | $5,574 | $186 | $197 |
| Jul 2021 | $5,878 | $190 | $204 |
| Aug 2021 | $5,119 | $165 | $192 |
| Sep 2021 | $4,379 | $146 | $193 |
| Oct 2021 | $4,296 | $139 | $201 |
| Nov 2021 | $4,203 | $140 | $203 |
| Dec 2021 | $3,941 | $127 | $222 |
| Jan 2022 | $3,398 | $110 | $188 |
| Feb 2022 | $3,744 | $134 | $212 |
| Mar 2022 | $4,496 | $145 | $235 |
| Apr 2022 | $4,990 | $166 | $218 |
| May 2022 | $6,646 | $214 | $297 |
| Jun 2022 | $5,948 | $198 | $241 |
| Jul 2022 | $6,466 | $209 | $251 |
| Aug 2022 | $4,974 | $161 | $210 |
| Sep 2022 | $4,173 | $139 | $216 |
| Oct 2022 | $3,813 | $123 | $197 |
| Nov 2022 | $4,331 | $144 | $213 |
| Dec 2022 | $3,955 | $128 | $204 |
| Jan 2023 | $2,395 | $77 | $168 |
| Feb 2023 | $2,298 | $82 | $145 |
| Mar 2023 | $2,939 | $95 | $189 |
| Apr 2023 | $3,553 | $118 | $190 |
| May 2023 | $4,127 | $133 | $203 |
| Jun 2023 | $5,032 | $168 | $218 |
| Jul 2023 | $5,824 | $188 | $217 |
| Aug 2023 | $4,799 | $155 | $213 |
| Sep 2023 | $4,345 | $145 | $213 |
| Oct 2023 | $3,161 | $102 | $205 |
| Nov 2023 | $2,651 | $88 | $233 |
| Dec 2023 | $2,633 | $85 | $226 |
| Jan 2024 | $1,699 | $55 | $220 |
| Feb 2024 | $2,420 | $84 | $207 |
| Mar 2024 | $2,437 | $79 | $217 |
| Apr 2024 | $2,771 | $92 | $222 |
| May 2024 | $3,703 | $120 | $266 |
| Jun 2024 | $4,312 | $144 | $283 |
| Jul 2024 | $4,602 | $148 | $290 |
| Aug 2024 | $4,837 | $156 | $367 |
| Sep 2024 | $3,905 | $130 | $332 |
| Oct 2024 | $3,649 | $118 | $301 |
| Nov 2024 | $2,886 | $96 | $255 |
| Dec 2024 | $2,651 | $86 | $238 |
| Jan 2025 | $1,996 | $64 | $226 |
| Feb 2025 | $2,240 | $80 | $258 |
| Mar 2025 | $3,050 | $98 | $245 |
| Apr 2025 | $3,050 | $102 | $266 |
| May 2025 | $3,088 | $100 | $228 |
| Jun 2025 | $4,005 | $134 | $296 |
| Jul 2025 | $4,715 | $152 | $309 |
| Aug 2025 | $4,151 | $134 | $310 |
| Sep 2025 | $3,106 | $104 | $273 |
| Oct 2025 | $2,207 | $71 | $236 |
| Nov 2025 | $2,858 | $95 | $338 |
| Dec 2025 | $2,774 | $90 | $277 |
| Jan 2026 | $1,769 | $57 | $256 |
| Feb 2026 | $1,799 | $64 | $198 |
Occupancy vs Supply
| Date | Occupancy | Active Listings |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2021 | 67% | 60 |
| Jun 2021 | 67% | 67 |
| Sep 2021 | 66% | 71 |
| Dec 2021 | 55% | 72 |
| Mar 2022 | 55% | 75 |
| Jun 2022 | 71% | 89 |
| Sep 2022 | 58% | 89 |
| Dec 2022 | 48% | 81 |
| Mar 2023 | 48% | 76 |
| Jun 2023 | 67% | 80 |
| Sep 2023 | 54% | 82 |
| Dec 2023 | 34% | 57 |
| Mar 2024 | 27% | 54 |
| Jun 2024 | 50% | 47 |
| Sep 2024 | 40% | 63 |
| Dec 2024 | 39% | 72 |
| Mar 2025 | 41% | 77 |
| Jun 2025 | 39% | 75 |
| Sep 2025 | 37% | 68 |
| Dec 2025 | 34% | 66 |
The Cumming STR market presents a wide performance spread between properties, which makes property selection more important than market selection. In February 2026, the 25th percentile property earned $455 in monthly revenue, the median earned $958, the 75th percentile earned $2,332, and the top 10% earned $5,274 or more. That is a 10x gap between bottom and top quartile performers.
On an annualized basis, the seasonal data suggests a competitive property in the top half of the market could realistically earn $36,000 to $55,000 per year in gross revenue, based on average monthly revenue of $3,000 to $4,600 during peak months and $2,200 to $2,500 in winter. Bottom-quartile properties will fall well short of those figures.
Housing costs in Cumming are significant. The typical home value is $594,143 and the median sale price is $530,716. At a $530,000 purchase price with 25% down ($132,500), a 30-year loan at current rates carries a principal and interest payment in the range of $2,500 to $2,800 per month before taxes, insurance, HOA fees, and management costs. A median-performing property generating roughly $958 per month in peak winter months does not cover that debt service. Break-even requires consistent top-half performance, particularly during the May through September peak.
The sale-to-list ratio of 98.1% and 64 median days to pending suggest a moderately competitive housing market, not a distressed one. Investors are unlikely to find significant discounts below asking price. The 801 units of for-sale inventory provides reasonable selection for buyers targeting STR-eligible properties.
Key risk factors: (1) continued occupancy compression from 2021 highs, (2) Forsyth County zoning restrictions that limit STR eligibility to agricultural and ag-residential zones, (3) high entry cost relative to achievable revenue for median performers.
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| Date | Typical Home Value |
|---|---|
| Mar 2021 | $415,330 |
| Sep 2022 | $577,349 |
| Mar 2024 | $618,572 |
| Sep 2025 | $615,010 |
Booking Insights
Cumming’s booking patterns reflect its leisure-focused, drive-market guest profile. In February 2026, the average booking lead time was 24.5 days, with a median of just 9 days. That wide gap between average and median indicates that while most bookings are made within 1 to 2 weeks of arrival, a subset of guests plan further out, pulling the average up.
Average length of stay was 6.4 nights, with a median of 3 nights. Again, the gap suggests a mix of weekend short stays (2 to 3 nights) and longer vacation stays of a week or more, likely concentrated in the summer peak season.
For pricing strategy, the short median lead time (9 days) means dynamic pricing tools need to be active and responsive to last-minute demand. Properties that lock in fixed rates weeks in advance may leave money on the table during high-demand weekends. On the other hand, the 24.5-day average lead time suggests enough bookings arrive with reasonable advance notice to support minimum-night requirements without excessive vacancy.
The 3-night median stay suggests that 2-night minimum policies are workable without severely limiting bookings, while 4-night or longer minimums during peak weeks could reduce overall occupancy. Operators targeting the summer Lake Lanier crowd may want to test weekly minimums during July to capture longer-stay revenue at higher total value per booking.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Cumming and Forsyth County have a two-layer regulatory structure that investors must navigate carefully before purchasing.
At the city level, property owners must obtain a business license through the City of Cumming before operating a short-term rental. The application includes a fee and requires compliance with specific zoning designations. The City of Cumming municipal code governs which zones permit STR activity.
At the county level, Forsyth County has restricted short-term rentals to agricultural (AG) and agricultural residential (AR) zones. Properties in standard residential subdivisions may not qualify for STR operation under county rules without a conditional use permit. This is a critical due-diligence item: not all residential properties in the Cumming market are legally eligible to operate as short-term rentals. Buyers must confirm the zoning designation of any specific property before assuming STR operation is permitted.
On the tax side, operators are required to collect and remit an 8% hotel/motel tax on gross rental income. This tax must be submitted to the city by the 20th of the month following the rental period. Failure to remit on schedule can result in penalties.
Safety compliance requirements include functioning smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. These are standard baseline requirements and unlikely to represent significant cost.
The combination of zoning restrictions and the conditional use permit requirement in most residential zones is the most significant regulatory risk in this market. Investors should obtain written zoning confirmation from Forsyth County for any target property before closing.
Market Comparison
Cumming is a small-to-mid-sized leisure market relative to national benchmarks. Its 65 active listings and population of approximately 10,175 put it in a niche category: a smaller city with a specific recreational asset (Lake Lanier) driving the majority of STR demand.
Compared to national STR averages, Cumming’s occupancy rate of 38.4% for 2025 is below the U.S. average of roughly 50 to 55% for established markets, but typical for seasonal lake markets that go quiet in winter. The market’s ADR of $272 for 2025 is above many secondary and tertiary markets, reflecting the premium that lake-access and larger-group properties can command.
Within Georgia, Cumming competes for guest demand with other North Georgia mountain and lake destinations, including Blue Ridge, Helen, and Lake Burton. Those markets, particularly Blue Ridge, tend to attract longer stays and command higher average nightly rates, though they also carry higher property acquisition costs.
Cumming’s proximity to Atlanta (roughly 40 miles north) is a meaningful demand advantage. Atlanta’s metro population of over 6 million provides a large pool of drive-market guests looking for lake weekends without long travel times. This proximity also supports the short booking lead times seen in the data: guests can decide on a Thursday to book a weekend lake trip and reach Cumming easily.
The market’s declining occupancy trend from 2021 to 2025 is not unique to Cumming. It mirrors a national pattern of post-pandemic STR demand normalization combined with increased supply in many secondary leisure markets.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cumming, Georgia
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