Green Cove Springs, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Green Cove Springs STRs averaged $164/night at 47.3% occupancy in April 2026 across 2,911 entire-place listings.
Quick Answer: Green Cove Springs, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 55%. average monthly revenue is $2,944. average daily rate is $198. the top operator is Evolve with 119 listings. market score is 62/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Florida North Area regional market, which includes Green Cove Springs. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Green Cove Springs.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Green Cove Springs is a small historic riverfront community in Clay County, Florida, roughly 30 miles south of Jacksonville. The short-term rental market here is modestly sized but active, with 2,911 entire-place listings and 221 private-room listings recorded in the latest snapshot. Airbnb accounts for 1,511 channel-attributed listings and VRBO for 363, with 1,258 properties active on both platforms.
As of April 2026, the market-wide average daily rate stood at $163.69 and average occupancy at 47.3%, yielding a RevPAR of $77.34. Year-over-year, occupancy slipped 2.1 percentage points while ADR rose 2.0%, resulting in a modest revenue decline of 0.8% versus the prior April.
The bedroom mix skews toward smaller units: 1-bedroom listings number 1,038 (the largest single segment), followed by 3-bedroom (887), 2-bedroom (857), 4-bedroom (238), and 5-bedroom-plus (93). Entire-place listings dominate at 93% of the market, reflecting demand for standalone river cottages, bungalows, and single-family vacation homes rather than shared accommodations. The market’s total score from the latest snapshot is 62.1 out of 100, with investability rated highest at 84.8 and seasonality at 85.0, offset by more moderate rental demand (57.5) and revenue growth (51.5) scores.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43% | $125 | $1,574 |
| Feb | 54% | $133 | $1,702 |
| Mar | 57% | $145 | $2,248 |
| Apr | 49% | $144 | $1,946 |
| May | 50% | $152 | $1,998 |
| Jun | 58% | $179 | $2,705 |
| Jul | 62% | $181 | $3,077 |
| Aug | 46% | $161 | $2,119 |
| Sep | 42% | $141 | $1,620 |
| Oct | 46% | $136 | $1,717 |
| Nov | 47% | $138 | $1,713 |
| Dec | 44% | $134 | $1,710 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Green Cove Springs
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 119 | 4,632 | ★ 4.76 |
| 2 | Steinhatchee River Rentals | 32 | 842 | ★ 4.86 |
| 3 | The American Dream Vacation Rentals | 22 | 217 | ★ 4.84 |
| 4 | Vacasa | 22 | 570 | ★ 4.82 |
| 5 | Bird Rack Realty | 19 | 337 | ★ 4.73 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Green Cove Springs?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,038 |
| 2 bed | 857 |
| 3 bed | 887 |
| 4 bed | 238 |
| 5 bed | 93 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $204 |
| Luxury | $333 |
| Professionally Managed | $280 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,984 |
| Entire Place | $3,041 |
| House | $3,245 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 48.2% |
| vrbo | 11.6% |
| both | 40.2% |
Investment Analysis
Green Cove Springs presents a mid-range entry point for STR investors, with Zillow’s typical home value at $341,361 and a median sale price of $313,333 as of April 2026. At an average monthly revenue of $2,182 across all listings, the implied gross annualized revenue is approximately $26,188, representing a gross yield of roughly 7.7% against typical home values. Median days to pending sits at 77, indicating a slower acquisition environment that gives buyers negotiating time.
Tier differentiation is meaningful here. Professionally managed listings average $233/night ADR versus $164 for the overall market, a premium of 42%. Luxury-tier properties command $298/night. Entire-place listings generate average monthly revenue of $2,257 versus $2,005 for apartments, and house-type listings reach $2,389. This spread suggests that well-positioned single-family homes in the hands of professional operators outperform the market substantially.
The investability score of 84.8 is the market’s strongest metric, and the regulation score of 63.3 reflects a manageable but real compliance burden: operators need a city certificate, state DBPR license, county business tax receipt, and must remit 5% Tourist Development Tax plus Florida sales tax. Revenue trend over the past two years has been largely flat in nominal terms (2024 average $2,216 per month, 2025 average $2,256), signaling stability rather than rapid growth.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
As of April 2026, the average booking lead time in Green Cove Springs is 37.9 days, meaning guests typically book just over five weeks in advance. This is a relatively short planning window, which suggests the market draws heavily from the Jacksonville metropolitan area where weekend decisions are made closer to the trip date.
The average length of stay is 3.99 nights, close to four nights, which places the market between a weekend-getaway profile (two nights) and a full-week destination. This near-four-night average creates moderate turnover frequency, roughly seven to eight turnovers per month at full occupancy.
For pricing strategy, the short lead time means dynamic pricing tools that respond to close-in demand signals are particularly valuable here. Operators who hold firm on rates in the final two weeks before a weekend may capture late-booking premiums, especially in June and July when occupancy peaks above 58%. The four-night average stay also makes minimum-stay policies of three to four nights workable without materially reducing booking conversion.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are legal in Green Cove Springs and are governed by Chapter 117, Article XI of the city code, which requires operators to obtain a city Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate. The certificate process involves an application, initial inspection, designation of a local responsible party available around the clock, posting of required information inside the unit, and meeting minimum safety standards. Certificates renew annually.
In addition to the city certificate, Florida state law requires a DBPR Vacation Rental license, and operators must register with Clay County for a local business tax receipt. The Clay County Tax Collector requires registration to collect and remit the 5% Tourist Development (occupancy) Tax on stays of six months or less. Florida’s 6% state sales tax plus Clay County’s discretionary surtax applies on top, putting total transient tax at roughly 12.5% in aggregate.
Florida state preemption bars the city from prohibiting STRs or capping rental duration or frequency, so there is no maximum-nights limit and no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement. Enforcement is rated moderate. The city formalized this ordinance framework in 2023 via Resolution R-21-2023. The permit cost from the city certificate application was not published in the available data.
Net compliance posture: manageable multi-layer registration with ongoing inspection obligations, no operational caps, and no owner-presence requirement.
Market Comparison
Nationally, the median STR occupancy rate hovers around 55% and the median ADR around $220. Green Cove Springs at 47.3% occupancy and $164 ADR sits below both benchmarks, which is consistent with its profile as a secondary regional market rather than a headline vacation destination. Its investability score of 84.8 is notably strong for a market of this size, reflecting the relatively accessible acquisition prices versus peer coastal Florida markets.
Among operators, Evolve leads the Green Cove Springs market with 119 listings, 4,632 reviews, and a 4.76 average rating. Steinhatchee River Rentals holds second place with 32 listings and a 4.86 rating. The American Dream Vacation Rentals and Vacasa each manage 22 listings, and Bird Rack Realty rounds out the top five at 19 listings. The top 5 operators collectively manage 214 listings, representing approximately 7.4% of the 2,911 entire-place listings in the market. Professional management penetration is relatively low, which creates opportunity for operators willing to bring management services to a self-managed market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Green Cove Springs, Florida
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