Carrabelle, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
The Forgotten Coast STR market in September 2026 averaged $416 ADR, 49.5% occupancy and $5,390 monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Carrabelle, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Cape San Blas/St. George Island market area is 49%. average monthly revenue in the Cape San Blas/St. George Island market area is $5,390. average daily rate in the Cape San Blas/St. George Island market area is $416. the top operator in the Cape San Blas/St. George Island market area is Pristine Properties with 384 listings. market score is 58/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Cape San Blas/St. George Island regional market, which includes Carrabelle. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Carrabelle.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Carrabelle sits in Franklin County on Florida’s Forgotten Coast, a small commercial fishing village of 2,438 residents. The performance figures on this page describe the Forgotten Coast STR market, a regional series that covers Carrabelle and nearby communities, so read them as regional benchmarks rather than a count of Carrabelle homes alone. In September 2026 the market averaged an ADR of $416 and occupancy of 49.5%, which produced average monthly revenue of $5,390 per listing. Entire home ADR was $420, and the annualized revenue estimate from the seasonal sum of monthly figures is $55,589. Compared with September 2025, occupancy rose 21.5%, ADR rose 8.4% and revenue rose 18.2%. That is a clear rebound after several softer years: annual occupancy fell from 65.9% in 2021 to 50.6% in 2024, then edged up to 51.0% in 2025. Through the first nine months of 2026, occupancy stands at 57.8% with an ADR of $418 and revenue of $6,281 per month. Demand comes from visitors who want a quiet Old Florida stay rather than high-rise resort tourism. Core draws include inshore and saltwater fishing, boating, kayaking, Carrabelle Beach, Tate’s Hell State Forest, and heritage stops such as the 1895 Crooked River Lighthouse and the Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum. Vacation rentals have largely replaced hotels in this rural county, and typical visitors include anglers, boaters, nature travelers and retirees. Bedroom, channel and listing-type counts, along with the largest operators, are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Carrabelle, so this profile omits them. Investors should treat the market as seasonal, with a strong early summer peak and a quiet late fall and winter, as detailed in the seasonal section below.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 42% |
| Feb | 64% |
| Mar | 68% |
| Apr | 53% |
| May | 64% |
| Jun | 81% |
| Jul | 78% |
| Aug | 49% |
| Sep | 50% |
| Oct | 50% |
| Nov | 38% |
| Dec | 35% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Carrabelle 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 Carrabelle, so these counts are not Carrabelle-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pristine Properties | 384 | 4,847 | ★ 4.58 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 310 | 8,976 | ★ 4.58 |
| 3 | Cape & Coast Vacation Rentals | 230 | 3,225 | ★ 4.66 |
| 4 | Collins Vacation Rentals | 186 | 175 | ★ 4.49 |
| 5 | 360 Blue | 119 | 1,551 | ★ 4.69 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Carrabelle?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Carrabelle 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 | 12.5% |
| vrbo | 27.4% |
| both | 60.2% |
Home Value Trends (Carrabelle)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Carrabelle 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 Carrabelle — 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
Short-term rentals are legal in Carrabelle, which sits in rural Franklin County. Florida Statute 509.032 preempts local governments from prohibiting vacation rentals or regulating their duration or frequency, so there is no maximum nights limit, no owner-occupancy requirement and no primary-residence requirement. No Carrabelle-specific ban or cap was found. The main obligation is state level. A permit is required: anyone renting an entire dwelling more than three times per year for stays under 30 days, or advertising it as a regular rental, needs a Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling license. A single-unit license costs about $170 per year and renews annually, plus a $50 new-application fee and a $10 hospitality-education fee. Operators must also register with the Florida Department of Revenue and collect lodging taxes. Franklin County’s Tourist Development Tax is 3%, the lowest in the region, and it applies on top of the 6% state sales tax and any county discretionary surtax, for a combined lodging tax of roughly 9 to 10%. The county tax is state-administered and remitted to the Florida Department of Revenue, and Airbnb and Vrbo often collect and remit automatically. Zoning follows standard residential and other districts, and short-term rentals are treated as transient lodging under those general use rules. Enforcement is rated minimal. Florida SB 280 in 2024 would have created a statewide registration framework, but it was vetoed, so the existing preemption stands. Investors should verify current county and city requirements directly.
Market Comparison
The Forgotten Coast STR market is a seasonal destination where results swing widely through the year. September 2026 occupancy was 49.5% with an ADR of $416. Over the first nine months of 2026, occupancy of 57.8% was above the September level, which shows how much the peak season lifts results. Peak months at 80.7% in June and 78.3% in July sit far above December at 35.4%. Revenue per listing of $5,390 in September is supported by rate rather than volume. The market is also small and rural, with a Carrabelle population of 2,438, so it lacks the large events and urban demand that stabilize bigger markets. Investors comparing it with other coastal areas should weigh the higher nightly rate and low 3% county lodging tax against the sharp seasonality. Bedroom, channel and listing-type counts and the top operators are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Carrabelle, so this profile omits them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Carrabelle, Florida
What is the average Airbnb ADR in the Carrabelle area?
What is the occupancy rate for short-term rentals near Carrabelle?
When is the best time to rent in Carrabelle?
Do I need a permit for a short-term rental in Carrabelle?
Are there limits on rental nights or owner-occupancy rules in Carrabelle?
What lodging taxes apply to Carrabelle short-term rentals?
How much does a home cost in Carrabelle?
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