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 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 Hartselle. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Hartselle.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA 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 |
|---|---|
| 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 Hartselle 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 Hartselle, so these counts are not Hartselle-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 Hartselle?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Hartselle 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 (Hartselle)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Hartselle 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 Hartselle — 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
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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