Crane Hill, Alabama Short-Term Rental Market
Crane Hill STRs averaged $198/night at 47.7% occupancy in April 2026 with an investability score of 95.
Quick Answer: Crane Hill, Alabama is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Alabama Area market area is 55%. average monthly revenue in the Alabama Area market area is $3,645. average daily rate in the Alabama Area market area is $245. the top operator in the Alabama Area market area is Evolve with 254 listings. market score is 77/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Alabama Area regional market, which includes Crane Hill. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Crane Hill.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Crane Hill, Alabama sits on the Cullman County shore of Lewis Smith Lake, Alabama’s deepest lake at more than 21,000 acres. The short-term rental market here is dominated almost entirely by entire-place listings: 7,252 of approximately 7,599 active listings are whole-property rentals, with just 346 private rooms and one shared room. The average daily rate in April 2026 was $197.89, and occupancy ran at 47.7%. RevPAR came in at $94.44 per available night.
Bedroom distribution skews toward mid-size properties: 1-bedroom units account for 1,883 listings, 2-bedrooms 2,004, 3-bedrooms 2,198, 4-bedrooms 959, and 5-bedroom-plus units 540. Three-bedroom cabins and lake houses are the plurality. Airbnb is the dominant channel (3,323 listings) versus VRBO (783), with 3,493 listings appearing on both platforms simultaneously.
Year-over-year, occupancy slipped 0.95 percentage points, while ADR gained 0.88% and average monthly revenue rose 2.0% compared to the same month a year earlier. The market’s composite score of 76.6 out of 100 reflects strong investability (95.1) but moderate revenue growth momentum (59.6), signaling a mature lake market rather than a rapidly expanding one.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 36% |
| Feb | 46% |
| Mar | 53% |
| Apr | 49% |
| May | 50% |
| Jun | 59% |
| Jul | 59% |
| Aug | 46% |
| Sep | 45% |
| Oct | 46% |
| Nov | 45% |
| Dec | 38% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Crane Hill are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Alabama Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Alabama Area market as a whole, which includes Crane Hill, so these counts are not Crane Hill-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 254 | 8,558 | ★ 4.73 |
| 2 | Smith Lake | 65 | 556 | ★ 4.73 |
| 3 | Magnolia Linen Company | 53 | 4,687 | ★ 4.90 |
| 4 | Mentone Mountain Getaways | 45 | 3,537 | ★ 4.81 |
| 5 | 360 Destinations | 44 | 717 | ★ 4.73 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Crane Hill?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Crane Hill are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 43.7% |
| vrbo | 10.3% |
| both | 46% |
Home Value Trends (Crane Hill)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Crane Hill are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Crane Hill — how far ahead guests book and how to price around it — is available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Crane Hill is an unincorporated community within Cullman County and has no city government. Alabama’s local-control framework means STR rules are set municipality by municipality; Cullman County does not impose countywide STR-specific registration or permitting on unincorporated parcels such as those in Crane Hill. The City of Cullman’s business-license requirement applies only within city limits, not to the lake area.
The primary legal obligation for operators is lodging tax. The state lodgings tax rate applicable to this area is 5% of accommodation charges. Cullman County also levies its own self-administered county lodgings tax on top of that; operators should confirm the combined rate with the Cullman County Revenue Commissioner and the Alabama Department of Revenue. Airbnb collects and remits the state-administered portion automatically, but operators may have independent obligations for the county portion.
Note that Lewis Smith Lake spans Cullman, Walker, and Winston counties. The applicable tax rate depends on the county in which a specific parcel sits; buyers should verify county boundaries for any specific property. There are no documented owner-occupancy requirements, primary-residence restrictions, or annual night caps for this area. Enforcement is classified as minimal. Operators should also review any applicable HOA or marina covenants, which can impose restrictions independent of county or state rules. No new STR ordinance changes were identified in the past 24 months.
Market Comparison
Nationally, the median STR occupancy is approximately 55% and median ADR roughly $220. Crane Hill’s April 2026 occupancy of 47.7% sits below the national median, which is expected for an off-peak month in a seasonal lake market. The $197.89 ADR is similarly below the national median, reflecting the rural Alabama price point versus higher-cost coastal and mountain markets.
Within the Smith Lake area, Evolve is the dominant professional operator with 254 listings and 8,558 reviews at a 4.73 rating, representing roughly 3.3% of total area inventory. Smith Lake (the local brand) manages 65 listings with 556 reviews at a 4.73 rating. Magnolia Linen Company operates 53 listings with 4,687 reviews and the highest rating among the top five at 4.90, suggesting a strong reputation for quality. Mentone Mountain Getaways (45 listings, 3,537 reviews, 4.81) and 360 Destinations (44 listings, 717 reviews, 4.73) round out the top five. Combined, the top five operators manage 461 listings, representing roughly 6.1% of total inventory, meaning the market is predominantly owner-operated.
Frequently Asked Questions About Crane Hill, Alabama
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