Hartselle, Alabama Short-Term Rental Market
Hartselle, AL STRs averaged $198/night at 47.7% occupancy in April 2026 across a market of more than 7,500 active listings.
Quick Answer: Hartselle, Alabama is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 55%. average monthly revenue is $3,645. average daily rate is $245. the top operator is Evolve with 254 listings. market score is 77/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Alabama Area regional market, which includes Hartselle. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Hartselle.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Hartselle, AL market area covers Morgan County and surrounding North Alabama lake and mountain destinations, producing a significantly larger STR inventory than the city of Hartselle alone (population 15,455) would suggest. The market tallied approximately 7,584 active listings by bedroom count as of the latest snapshot, with entire-place units dominating at 7,252 listings (96% of supply). Private rooms account for 346 listings. Bedroom distribution skews toward larger properties: three-bedrooms lead at 2,198 listings, followed by two-bedrooms (2,004), one-bedrooms (1,883), four-bedrooms (959), and five-plus-bedrooms (540). Channel distribution is nearly balanced: 3,493 properties cross-list on both Airbnb and VRBO, while 3,323 are Airbnb-only and 783 VRBO-only, reflecting the leisure cabin and lake-house character of the broader market. In April 2026, occupancy reached 47.72%, ADR was $197.89, and RevPAR was $94.44. Year-over-year, occupancy dipped 0.95 percentage points while ADR rose 0.88% and revenue increased 2.0%, suggesting pricing power is partially offsetting softer demand. Market scores show a high investability rating of 95.1/100, with total score at 76.6/100 and revenue growth at 59.6/100.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36% | $146 | $1,610 |
| Feb | 46% | $147 | $1,645 |
| Mar | 53% | $167 | $2,309 |
| Apr | 49% | $172 | $2,259 |
| May | 50% | $201 | $2,637 |
| Jun | 59% | $224 | $3,464 |
| Jul | 59% | $227 | $3,703 |
| Aug | 46% | $200 | $2,583 |
| Sep | 45% | $211 | $2,504 |
| Oct | 46% | $193 | $2,528 |
| Nov | 45% | $201 | $2,417 |
| Dec | 38% | $170 | $2,054 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Hartselle
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | 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 Hartselle?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,883 |
| 2 bed | 2,004 |
| 3 bed | 2,198 |
| 4 bed | 959 |
| 5 bed | 540 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $250 |
| Luxury | $458 |
| Professionally Managed | $303 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,261 |
| Entire Place | $3,724 |
| House | $4,152 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 43.7% |
| vrbo | 10.3% |
| both | 46% |
Investment Analysis
For investors, the Hartselle area offers a compelling combination of relatively low entry prices and meaningful rental income. The typical home value in the market was $247,359 as of April 2026, with a median list price of $269,925 and 116 active listings for sale (median 33 days to pending). At an average monthly revenue of $2,531 across all listing types, the annualized gross revenue of approximately $30,376 against a $247,359 purchase price implies a gross yield of roughly 12.3%, before operating expenses, taxes, and platform fees. House-type listings outperform at $2,796/month, while entire-place units average $2,589/month and apartments average $1,891/month. On the rate side, professionally managed listings command $228.37/night, about 15% above the market average of $197.89, while luxury-tier units reach $390.62/night. Alabama does not impose owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirements for STRs, which allows non-resident investors to operate freely. Investability scores at 95.1/100 reflect the combination of affordable entry prices, absence of restrictive regulations, and an established leisure-travel demand base. Occupancy has trended downward from a 2021 peak of 55.9% to 46.3% in 2025, a pattern worth monitoring.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Hartselle area STRs averaged a booking lead time of 48.3 days in April 2026, meaning guests typically plan roughly seven weeks in advance. This is considerably longer than urban markets, consistent with the leisure and lake-vacation character of the broader area, where travelers plan cabin or lakehouse getaways well ahead of summer weekends and holiday periods. Average length of stay was 3.67 nights, suggesting a weekend-getaway pattern rather than extended stays. Shorter stays mean more frequent turnovers and cleaning costs compared to markets with 5- to 7-night averages. The combination of long lead times and short stays creates a predictable but operationally intensive pattern: operators can set pricing and minimum-stay rules well in advance for summer weekends, while shoulder-season gaps may need last-minute discounting to fill. A 3-night minimum stay policy aligns with the average LOS and helps avoid single-night orphan bookings during peak demand.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Hartselle has no dedicated short-term-rental ordinance. No STR-specific permitting, night caps, owner-occupancy mandates, or zoning overlays were found in the city’s municipal code or zoning appendix. Alabama leaves STR regulation to localities, and Hartselle has not acted in this space. In practice, two general obligations apply. First, any business operating within city limits requires a general business license, scaled to gross receipts, expiring December 31 and renewable each January. Operators should contact the Hartselle Business License Office at (256) 773-2535 to confirm applicability and current fees. Second, state and local lodging taxes apply to transient occupancy. Alabama’s state lodgings tax rate applies in Morgan County, and the county or city may levy additional local lodging taxes, but the exact combined rate for a Hartselle address was not confirmed from primary sources and should be verified with the Alabama Department of Revenue. No owner-occupancy, primary-residence, or night-cap requirements were found. Enforcement appears minimal given the absence of a regulatory framework. The city recodified its Code of Ordinances in March 2024 and adopted a comprehensive plan in August 2024, neither of which added STR rules. Investors should verify current business-license and lodging-tax obligations directly with the City of Hartselle and ADOR before operating.
Market Comparison
The Hartselle area’s 47.7% April occupancy is below the US STR median of approximately 55%, reflecting the market’s strong seasonality and the fact that April falls before the summer peak. Annual 2025 occupancy averaged 46.3%, indicating this is a structurally moderate-occupancy leisure market. ADR of $197.89 is below the US median of roughly $220 but strong for a North Alabama market, reflecting the mix of lake properties and mountain retreats. Revenue growth scored 59.6/100, better than many comparable leisure markets. Evolve is the dominant operator with 254 listings and 8,558 reviews at a 4.73 rating, holding the largest market share. Smith Lake (65 listings, 4.73 rating) and Magnolia Linen Company (53 listings, 4.90 rating) focus on the lake-cabin niche and hold strong review profiles. Mentone Mountain Getaways (45 listings, 4.81 rating) and 360 Destinations (44 listings, 4.73 rating) round out the top five. The professional management market is active but not highly concentrated, with the top five operators together managing roughly 461 listings out of more than 7,500 total.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hartselle, Alabama
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