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 is 52%. average monthly revenue is $5,376. average daily rate is $404. the top operator is Pristine Properties with 382 listings. market score is 59/100 (grade C).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex 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 | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42% | $256 | $2,621 |
| Feb | 64% | $258 | $3,326 |
| Mar | 68% | $336 | $4,751 |
| Apr | 53% | $354 | $4,830 |
| May | 64% | $363 | $5,427 |
| Jun | 81% | $424 | $8,139 |
| Jul | 78% | $390 | $7,490 |
| Aug | 50% | $355 | $4,706 |
| Sep | 50% | $328 | $4,238 |
| Oct | 50% | $304 | $3,784 |
| Nov | 38% | $286 | $2,678 |
| Dec | 35% | $286 | $2,584 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Apalachicola
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | 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 pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 413 |
| 2 bed | 986 |
| 3 bed | 1,487 |
| 4 bed | 1,119 |
| 5 bed | 689 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $406 |
| Luxury | $598 |
| Professionally Managed | $470 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $4,211 |
| Entire Place | $5,426 |
| House | $5,740 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 12.6% |
| vrbo | 27.8% |
| both | 59.6% |
Investment Analysis
The Apalachicola area presents an unusually strong gross-yield profile. The typical home value is $293,301 — well below the area’s median list price of $432,333, indicating constrained supply and recent appreciation pressure. At $5,376/month average revenue and approximately $64,517 annualized gross revenue, the implied gross yield on the typical home value is approximately 22% — a figure that reflects the significant gap between residential home values and the market’s strong rental demand.
Investors must navigate a critical zoning constraint: nightly and weekly STRs are only permitted in commercial zones within the City of Apalachicola. All residential zones require a 30-day minimum rental period. Most active listings are located on St. George Island or in commercially zoned sections of the Apalachicola area, where this restriction does not apply. Buyers must verify the specific zoning of any acquisition before assuming STR eligibility.
Luxury-tier properties command $598/night ADR versus $404 for all listings, a 48% premium. Professionally managed properties average $470/night, 16% above the market average. House-type properties lead revenue at $5,740/month, above entire-place units at $5,426 and well above apartments at $4,211/month.
With only 66 homes currently listed for sale, acquisition options are limited. ADR has risen consistently from $275 (2017) to $381 (2025), showing sustained pricing power across a nearly decade-long period.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Apalachicola area guests book approximately 63 days in advance on average, with an average stay of 4.72 nights. The 63-day lead time reflects the planning behavior of vacation-home guests who book summer beach weeks and holiday weekends well in advance. This is longer than most urban markets but shorter than the most competitive Gulf Coast beach markets.
The 4.72-night average stay is above the national STR average and consistent with weekly-rental patterns in a beach vacation market. Many properties on St. George Island offer 7-night minimum stays during peak summer weeks. The 4.72 average likely blends full weekly bookings with shorter spring/fall stays.
For operators, the 63-day lead time supports a firm pricing strategy: lock in peak-summer (June-July) rates by April, accept no last-minute discounts on prime weekends, and use dynamic pricing tools for fall and shoulder months inside 30 days. Properties offering Saturday-to-Saturday weekly packages during June and July maximize revenue per turnover during the peak window.
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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