Apalachicola, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Apalachicola area STRs averaged $404/night at 52.0% occupancy in April 2026, with June peak reaching 80.9% occupancy and $8,139 monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Apalachicola, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Cape San Blas/St. George Island market area is 79%. average monthly revenue in the Cape San Blas/St. George Island market area is $10,706. average daily rate in the Cape San Blas/St. George Island market area is $525. the top operator in the Cape San Blas/St. George Island market area is Pristine Properties with 382 listings. market score is 59/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Cape San Blas/St. George Island regional market, which includes Apalachicola. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Apalachicola.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Apalachicola, Florida anchors the ‘Forgotten Coast’ of the Florida Panhandle, a region known for historic architecture, world-famous oysters, and a slower pace than overdeveloped beach resort towns. The STR market serves approximately 4,700 active listings across the broader Franklin County area including St. George Island, with entire-place units comprising 4,646 listings (99% of supply) and 54 private rooms.
As of April 2026, the market posted a $404 average daily rate, 52.0% occupancy, and $209.86 RevPAR. Revenue averaged $5,376/month. Year-over-year, occupancy is up 3.07%, ADR up 2.88%, and revenue up 0.67% — a stable, modestly growing market. The market scored 59.38 overall, with investability (92.92) and rental demand (72.43) as the standout dimensions.
Bedroom distribution skews toward larger properties: 3-bedroom units lead at 1,487 listings, followed by 4-bedroom (1,119), 2-bedroom (986), 5-bedroom (689), and 1-bedroom (413). This reflects the market’s vacation-home character, where multi-room beach houses dominate. Channel distribution is VRBO-heavy: 2,803 listings on both platforms, 1,307 VRBO-only, and 590 Airbnb-only — the inverse of most urban STR markets.
Revenue has grown from $5,027 (2023) to $4,988 (2024) to $5,242 (2025) with ADR rising from $354 (2022) to $381 (2025), despite modest occupancy softening from a 2020-2021 pandemic peak.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 42% |
| Feb | 64% |
| Mar | 68% |
| Apr | 53% |
| May | 64% |
| Jun | 81% |
| Jul | 78% |
| Aug | 50% |
| Sep | 50% |
| Oct | 50% |
| Nov | 38% |
| Dec | 35% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Apalachicola are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Cape San Blas/St. George Island market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Cape San Blas/St. George Island market as a whole, which includes Apalachicola, so these counts are not Apalachicola-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pristine Properties | 382 | 4,820 | ★ 4.59 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 299 | 8,881 | ★ 4.58 |
| 3 | Cape & Coast Vacation Rentals | 241 | 3,235 | ★ 4.65 |
| 4 | Collins Vacation Rentals | 186 | 174 | ★ 4.48 |
| 5 | 360 Blue | 119 | 1,554 | ★ 4.69 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Apalachicola?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Apalachicola 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 | 12.6% |
| vrbo | 27.8% |
| both | 59.6% |
Home Value Trends (Apalachicola)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Apalachicola 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 Apalachicola — 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
Apalachicola operates a strict two-tier vacation rental framework that confines nightly and weekly STRs exclusively to commercial zones. In all four residential zoning districts (R-1 through R-4), the minimum rental period is 30 days and the maximum is 6 months — a residential property cannot be listed on Airbnb or VRBO for weekend or weekly stays.
Nightly and weekly rentals are permitted only in commercial zones: C-1 General Commercial Downtown (some parcels restricted to upper floors only), C-2 Neighborhood Commercial (by Special Exception only), C-3 Highway Commercial, C-4 Riverfront Commercial (upper floors only), and O/R Office Residential.
All operators must obtain: (1) a Florida DBPR State Vacation Rental License from myfloridalicense.com; (2) registration with the Florida Department of Revenue for Franklin County’s 3% Tourist Development Tax; and (3) a City of Apalachicola Business Occupational License. The permit fee is not published for the city business license. Total tax is approximately 9%: 6% Florida state sales tax plus 3% Franklin County TDT. Revised official vacation rental fact sheets were published in July 2025, clarifying the commercial-zone-only restriction.
No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement exists. Properties on St. George Island (outside the City of Apalachicola limits) operate under different and generally less restrictive rules. Investors should verify specific parcel zoning before any acquisition.
Market Comparison
Nationally, STR markets average approximately 55% occupancy and $220 ADR. Apalachicola’s April 2026 occupancy of 52.0% is slightly below the national median, but April is a shoulder month here — annual average occupancy for 2025 was 51.1% while ADR of $381 significantly exceeds the national $220 median. This combination of high ADR at modest occupancy reflects a premium pricing position on limited inventory.
The investability score of 92.92 is exceptionally high and the highest in this batch of 10 markets, reflecting strong yield fundamentals relative to property costs. Revenue growth at 74.39 is also above average. The regulation score of 52.50 reflects the strict commercial-zone-only framework within city limits.
Pristine Properties leads with 382 listings and 4,820 reviews at a 4.59 average rating. Vacasa manages 299 listings with 8,881 reviews at a 4.58 rating. Cape and Coast Vacation Rentals holds 241 listings (4.65 rating, 3,235 reviews). Together the top 3 operators manage 922 listings, approximately 20% of estimated active supply — a higher concentration than most markets in this batch.
Frequently Asked Questions About Apalachicola, Florida
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