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 in the Florida Central Area market area is 55%. average monthly revenue in the Florida Central Area market area is $2,878. average daily rate in the Florida Central Area market area is $189. the top operator in the Florida Central Area market area is Evolve with 358 listings. market score is 60/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Florida Central Area regional market, which includes Crystal River. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Crystal River.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA 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 |
|---|---|
| Jan | 65% |
| Feb | 80% |
| Mar | 78% |
| Apr | 58% |
| May | 53% |
| Jun | 60% |
| Jul | 64% |
| Aug | 52% |
| Sep | 48% |
| Oct | 54% |
| Nov | 58% |
| Dec | 57% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Crystal River are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Florida Central Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Florida Central Area market as a whole, which includes Crystal River, so these counts are not Crystal River-only figures.
| # | 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 nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Crystal River 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 | 37.9% |
| vrbo | 12.1% |
| both | 50% |
Home Value Trends (Crystal River)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Crystal River 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 Crystal River — 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
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
Can I legally operate a short-term rental in Crystal River, FL?
What is the average daily rate for STRs in Crystal River?
What occupancy rate can I expect for a Crystal River rental?
What are the tax requirements for Crystal River short-term rentals?
What are the best months for Crystal River STR revenue?
What is the typical home value in Crystal River?
Who are the largest property managers in Crystal River?
Analyze Crystal River Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Crystal River.
Free Crystal River STR Calculator →
