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