Pell City, Alabama Short-Term Rental Market
The Pell City, AL area STR market averaged $245 a night at 54.5% occupancy in June 2026.
Quick Answer: Pell City, 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 Pell City. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Pell City.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Pell City is the largest city in St. Clair County, Alabama, sitting on the shores of Logan Martin Lake off Interstate 20, roughly 35 miles east of Birmingham. Its visitor economy is overwhelmingly lake and recreation driven, centered on Logan Martin Lake’s more than 15,000 surface acres, which draws boaters, anglers, jet skiers, and kayakers, along with fishing tournament participants and second-home owners along the lakefront.
As of June 2026, the Pell City area STR market shows an average daily rate of $245.36 with occupancy at 54.50%, essentially flat year over year (up 0.48%) even as ADR eased 1.59%. Revenue per listing rose 2.26% year over year to $3,645.10 per month for the average active listing.
Listing count, bedroom mix, and channel split data for this area are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Pell City, so this profile omits those specific breakdowns.
Entire home rentals average $249.64 a night, close to the area wide figure, while listings in the top luxury tier command $458.24 a night and professionally managed listings average $303.32, both well above the $245.36 area wide ADR.
Pell City has a population of 14,320. Local visitor amenities include Lakeside Park, a free 65-acre city park with a swimming beach, Pine Harbor Marina, and the CEPA performing arts venue, drawing mostly regional day-trippers and weekend lake-goers from the Birmingham metro.
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 Pell City
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 Pell City?
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
The Pell City area STR market rents for $245.36 a night on average, with a wide premium for higher tier properties. Listings in the top luxury tier average $458.24 a night, about 87% above the area wide ADR, nearly double, while professionally managed listings average $303.32, about 24% above market. This gap points to real upside for owners who can position a property into professional management or the luxury tier, particularly given demand from lakefront second-home buyers and fishing tournament visitors.
Revenue per listing rose 2.26% year over year on essentially flat occupancy (up 0.48%) even as ADR eased 1.59%. The average active listing generated $3,645.10 in monthly revenue, or roughly $43,741 annualized.
Against a typical home value of $283,882.48 (Zillow, June 2026), one of the more affordable entry points in this data set, that annualized revenue figure equals about 15% of the purchase price on a gross basis, a strong top line ratio, though it excludes cleaning fees, management commissions, taxes, insurance, and vacancy, so actual net cash on cash returns will run below that gross figure.
Resale housing carries a median list price of $423,800.00, notably above the typical home value, suggesting listed inventory skews toward larger or premium lakefront properties. With 144 homes for sale and a slower median 53 days to pending, buyers have reasonable selection and some negotiating room in this market.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Guests book Pell City stays an average of 50.49 days in advance, a moderate planning window consistent with visitors organizing a lake weekend or a fishing tournament trip well ahead of arrival.
Average length of stay sits at 3.97 nights, consistent with a multi-day lake getaway rather than a single overnight stop, reflecting the area’s draw as a boating and fishing destination for Birmingham area visitors.
Given the moderate lead time, owners have a reasonable window to set pricing ahead of the summer boating season, while the multi-night stay pattern supports a manageable pace of cleaning and turnover between guests.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Pell City, Alabama does not appear to have a dedicated short-term rental ordinance. Alabama has no statewide STR permit; the state delegates regulation to local governments, and Pell City has not published STR-specific rules covering permit caps, night limits, or owner-occupancy mandates.
In practice, an operator must obtain a City of Pell City business license, issued annually and expiring December 31, with renewals delinquent after January 31, and register for and remit lodging tax. Lodging tax is layered: a 4% Alabama state lodgings tax, a 1% St. Clair County lodging tax inside Pell City limits, plus the Pell City municipal lodging tax of roughly 5%, for a combined rate on the order of 10%. Airbnb and Vrbo may collect some of these automatically, but hosts remain responsible for full compliance and should verify current rates with the Pell City Revenue Department and the Alabama Department of Revenue.
Because there is no STR-specific licensing regime and the market is a lake recreation area friendly to vacation homes, the regulatory climate is relatively permissive with minimal dedicated STR enforcement. Investors should still confirm zoning district compatibility with the Planning and Zoning Department and watch for any newly adopted ordinance, since Alabama municipalities can add STR rules at any time.
Market Comparison
Pell City’s occupancy of 54.50% sits just below the broader US short-term rental median of roughly 55%, while its $245.36 average daily rate runs above the roughly $220 national median, reflecting a market with premium lakefront pricing rather than high volume, budget supply.
Property manager data for this area is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Pell City, so this profile omits naming specific operators here.
Pell City’s above average rate combined with near national median occupancy points to a market driven by a smaller pool of premium lakefront properties on Logan Martin Lake rather than a broad base of budget listings, consistent with its role as a second-home and vacation-home market for the Birmingham metro.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pell City, Alabama
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