Crystal River, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Crystal River STRs averaged $179/night at 55.8% occupancy in April 2026, with a critical zoning restriction limiting STRs to waterfront commercial zones.
Quick Answer: Crystal River, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 56%. average monthly revenue is $2,828. average daily rate is $179. the top operator is Evolve with 358 listings. market score is 60/100 (grade C).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Crystal River is a small Gulf Coast city in Citrus County, Florida, known primarily as a manatee-watching destination where Kings Bay hosts the world’s largest winter concentration of West Indian manatees. The city has a resident population of approximately 3,640 and supports 8,090 active short-term rental listings across platforms, though a significant regulatory constraint (detailed in the Regulatory Summary) limits where STRs are legally permitted within city limits.
In April 2026, the average daily rate was $179.06 and occupancy reached 55.8%, generating a RevPAR of $99.99. Year-over-year, ADR grew 3.0% while occupancy declined 4.1%, resulting in a revenue decrease of 1.2%. The market scores a 60.1 out of 100 overall, with investability (83.9) and seasonality resilience (81.8) as the strongest indicators, though the regulation score of 51.0 reflects the city’s restrictive zoning framework.
Entire-place rentals account for 7,621 of 8,090 listings (94.2%), with 468 private rooms and 1 shared room. By bedroom count, two-bedroom (2,787) and three-bedroom (2,801) listings are the most common configurations. Airbnb hosts 3,067 single-channel listings, VRBO has 977, and 4,046 properties appear on both platforms.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65% | $178 | $3,127 |
| Feb | 80% | $158 | $3,056 |
| Mar | 78% | $159 | $3,290 |
| Apr | 58% | $154 | $2,467 |
| May | 53% | $152 | $2,220 |
| Jun | 61% | $161 | $2,541 |
| Jul | 64% | $168 | $3,001 |
| Aug | 52% | $149 | $2,255 |
| Sep | 48% | $136 | $1,809 |
| Oct | 54% | $134 | $1,936 |
| Nov | 58% | $139 | $2,032 |
| Dec | 57% | $148 | $2,218 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Crystal River
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 358 | 13,225 | ★ 4.74 |
| 2 | A&J Home Concierge | 160 | 633 | ★ 4.74 |
| 3 | McCormick Management Vacation Rental | 106 | 3,510 | ★ 4.84 |
| 4 | Village Valet Property Management, LLC | 102 | 1,251 | ★ 4.68 |
| 5 | Down Home Properties | 87 | 1,128 | ★ 4.69 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Crystal River?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,799 |
| 2 bed | 2,787 |
| 3 bed | 2,801 |
| 4 bed | 551 |
| 5 bed | 129 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $184 |
| Luxury | $283 |
| Professionally Managed | $203 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,252 |
| Entire Place | $2,909 |
| House | $2,991 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 37.9% |
| vrbo | 12.1% |
| both | 50% |
Investment Analysis
Crystal River’s April 2026 average monthly revenue of $2,828 reflects a market anchored by manatee-season demand in winter months. Houses averaged $2,991/month, entire-place listings $2,909, and apartments $2,252. The market’s typical home value is $271,795 (Zillow, as of April 2026), with a median sale price of $284,167 and a median list price of $334,817. With 341 properties listed for sale and a median days-to-pending of 83, the market is moving at a moderate pace.
Professionally managed listings averaged $202.82/night in ADR versus the all-listings average of $179.06, a 13% premium. Luxury-tier listings reached $282.98/night ADR. These premiums are narrower than in higher-demand coastal markets, suggesting that operational quality provides a more modest lift in this smaller market.
The most important investment consideration in Crystal River is zoning. A 2005 city ordinance prohibits STR rentals of under 90 days in residential zones. This ordinance predates Florida’s 2011 state preemption statute and therefore remains enforceable. Prospective investors must verify that a specific parcel is either in the waterfront commercial zoning district or has documented pre-2005 STR history (grandfathered status) before purchasing for STR purposes. Listings currently active on platforms may include grandfathered or commercial-zoned properties alongside unpermitted operations. Confirm parcel-level status with the Crystal River City Clerk before any acquisition.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Crystal River guests booked an average of 46.9 days in advance in April 2026, with an average length of stay of 5.1 nights. Both figures reflect the longer-stay orientation of eco-tourism visitors who typically plan multi-day itineraries around manatee swim tours, spring paddling, and wildlife refuge visits.
A 5.1-night average stay significantly reduces turnover costs per booking cycle compared to weekend-dominated markets. Minimum stay settings of 4-6 nights are likely well-matched to guest behavior, particularly during the November-through-April manatee season. Operators can use 3-night minimums in summer months to improve fill rates during the softer demand period.
The 47-day advance booking window means pricing adjustments made roughly 6-7 weeks before arrival dates will capture the majority of advance bookings. For the peak winter manatee window (December through March), rate escalation should be applied 8-10 weeks out to capture demand from guests planning around manatee swim tour availability, which is often booked far in advance.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Crystal River has one of the more restrictive STR environments in Florida. A 2005 city ordinance prohibits rentals shorter than three consecutive months (90 days) in all areas except the waterfront commercial zoning district. Because this ordinance predates Florida’s 2011 state preemption law, it retains grandfather protection and remains legally enforceable. This means short-term (nightly or weekly) Airbnb and VRBO rentals in residential neighborhoods are prohibited unless a property can demonstrate it was operating as an STR before 2005.
For legally permitted STRs in the waterfront commercial zone or with grandfathered status, state and local requirements apply: a Florida DBPR vacation rental license plus a city transient rental license are required, and operators must register and remit a 5% Citrus County Tourist Development Tax plus 6% Florida state sales tax, for a combined transient tax rate of 11% on stays of six months or less.
There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, and no annual night cap, but those requirements are largely superseded by the residential zone prohibition. The regulation score of 51.0 reflects this restrictive environment. Enforcement has historically been light: city officials have acknowledged difficulty identifying illegal listings, and a 2022 consideration of listing-detection software was not confirmed as implemented. Investors must verify parcel-level zoning and grandfather status directly with the Crystal River City Clerk before purchasing a property for STR use.
Market Comparison
Crystal River’s April 2026 ADR of $179.06 sits below the U.S. STR median of approximately $220, consistent with a small inland-adjacent nature-tourism market without beach or resort attributes. Occupancy at 55.8% is close to the U.S. median of approximately 55%, a reasonable outcome given the strongly seasonal demand profile.
The market’s investability score of 83.9 is a standout metric, reflecting the combination of manatee-driven winter demand, a permissive tax/operating environment for legally grandfathered or commercial-zone operators, and a moderate home price entry point. The typical home value of $271,795 compares favorably to coastal Florida STR markets.
Among operators, Evolve leads with 358 listings and a 4.74 average rating. A&J Home Concierge holds 160 listings at a 4.74 rating. McCormick Management Vacation Rental manages 106 properties at the highest rating among the top five (4.84), and Village Valet Property Management holds 102 listings at 4.68. Down Home Properties rounds out the top five with 87 listings at a 4.69 rating. Together these five operators manage 813 of the market’s 8,090 listed properties, approximately 10%.
Frequently Asked Questions About Crystal River, Florida
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