Fort White, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Fort White STRs averaged $164/night at 47.2% occupancy in April 2026, driven by gateway demand for Ichetucknee Springs State Park.
Quick Answer: Fort White, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Florida North Area market area is 55%. average monthly revenue in the Florida North Area market area is $2,944. average daily rate in the Florida North Area market area is $198. the top operator in the Florida North Area market area is Evolve with 119 listings. market score is 62/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Florida North Area regional market, which includes Fort White. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Fort White.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Fort White is a small rural town of approximately 693 residents in Columbia County, North Central Florida, whose short-term rental market exists almost entirely because of Ichetucknee Springs State Park, a 2,241-acre National Natural Landmark located about four miles northwest of town. The park is one of Florida’s most popular spring recreation sites, drawing up to 5,000 visitors per day during the summer peak (Memorial Day through Labor Day).
The active STR listing base totals approximately 3,113 units based on bedroom-segment data, which is large relative to the town’s residential population and reflects the broader Columbia County market area served by Fort White-proximate rentals. The market is overwhelmingly entire-place: 2,910 entire-place listings (93% of the market) and 222 private rooms. In April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $164, occupancy of 47.2%, and a RevPAR of $77.
Year-over-year, occupancy declined 2.1 percentage points while ADR rose 2.0%, leaving revenue slightly negative at -0.7%. Channel distribution shows 1,508 Airbnb-only listings, 361 VRBO-only, and 1,263 on both platforms, indicating a predominantly Airbnb market. The bedroom mix spans 1,035 one-bedrooms, 856 two-bedrooms, 890 three-bedrooms, 240 four-bedrooms, and 92 five-plus-bedroom properties.
The investability score of 84.8 out of 100 and seasonality score of 85.0 out of 100 reflect the market’s reliable spring-fed recreation demand and moderate seasonal balance relative to beach markets.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 43% |
| Feb | 54% |
| Mar | 57% |
| Apr | 49% |
| May | 50% |
| Jun | 58% |
| Jul | 62% |
| Aug | 46% |
| Sep | 42% |
| Oct | 46% |
| Nov | 47% |
| Dec | 44% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Fort White are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Florida North Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Florida North Area market as a whole, which includes Fort White, so these counts are not Fort White-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 119 | 4,656 | ★ 4.76 |
| 2 | Steinhatchee River Rentals | 32 | 844 | ★ 4.86 |
| 3 | The American Dream Vacation Rentals | 22 | 217 | ★ 4.84 |
| 4 | Vacasa | 22 | 570 | ★ 4.82 |
| 5 | Bird Rack Realty | 19 | 339 | ★ 4.73 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Fort White?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Fort White 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 | 48.1% |
| vrbo | 11.5% |
| both | 40.3% |
Home Value Trends (Fort White)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Fort White 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 Fort White — 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
Fort White has no dedicated short-term rental ordinance. Whole-home Airbnb and VRBO rentals are governed primarily by Florida state law. Any dwelling rented to guests more than three times per year for stays under 30 days must hold a Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling license, issued by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants.
There is no owner-occupancy requirement, no primary-residence rule, and no cap on annual rental nights. Florida Statute 509.032(7)(b) preempts local governments from banning STRs or capping stay length and frequency for ordinances adopted after June 1, 2011; Fort White’s Land Development Code was adopted in 2013, so the town cannot impose such restrictions.
The town’s Land Development Code regulates lodging through a Bed and Breakfast Inn use, which requires a special use permit and owner-occupancy. This applies to B&B operations and is distinct from standard whole-home vacation rentals.
On taxes, the combined transient rental tax is 11%: 6% Florida state sales tax plus Columbia County’s 5% Tourist Development Tax. Operators should register for a local business tax receipt and confirm current requirements with the Columbia County Tax Collector. Enforcement at the town level is minimal.
Market Comparison
Fort White’s April 2026 ADR of $164 is below the US STR median of approximately $220/night, consistent with a rural North Florida nature market rather than a coastal or urban destination. The 47.2% occupancy rate also trails the US median of approximately 55%, though the summer peak months (July at 61.6%) exceed median levels.
Professional management is modest in scale. Evolve leads with 119 listings, 4,656 reviews, and a 4.76 average rating. Steinhatchee River Rentals holds 32 listings with a 4.86 rating. The American Dream Vacation Rentals and Vacasa each manage 22 listings, with ratings of 4.84 and 4.82 respectively. Bird Rack Realty rounds out the top five with 19 listings at a 4.73 rating. The top five collectively manage 214 listings, representing approximately 7% of the estimated 3,113-listing market.
The market’s primary differentiator among North Florida STR markets is its direct access to Ichetucknee Springs State Park, one of Florida’s most-visited state parks, which provides a reliable summer demand anchor that most inland Florida markets lack. The investability score of 84.8 and seasonality score of 85.0 both reflect this nature-tourism underpinning.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fort White, Florida
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