Haines City, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Haines City STRs averaged $223/night at 60.3% occupancy in April 2026, with revenue up 12.6% year over year.
Quick Answer: Haines City, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 60%. average monthly revenue is $3,905. average daily rate is $242. the top operator is Evolve with 179 listings. market score is 87/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the Lakeland/Winter Haven regional market, which includes Haines City. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Haines City.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Haines City is a Polk County city in Central Florida’s I-4 corridor, positioned roughly 10 miles from LEGOLAND Florida Resort in Winter Haven and 30-40 minutes from the Orlando theme park complex. This proximity to major attractions makes it a cost-effective base for visitors who prefer lower lodging costs relative to Orlando while maintaining easy access to Disney, Universal, and LEGOLAND. Polk County as a whole attracted approximately 5.5 million visitors between April 2024 and March 2025, generating over $1.5 billion in visitor spending.
The market supports approximately 8,438 active STR listings, of which 7,371 (87%) are entire-place units and 1,060 are private rooms. The channel split shows strong dual-platform presence: 4,158 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 3,392 are Airbnb-exclusive, and 888 are VRBO-exclusive. The bedroom mix reflects the vacation-rental character of the market, with large properties dominating: 3,135 listings have five or more bedrooms, 1,585 have four bedrooms, 1,290 have three bedrooms, and 1,620 are one-bedroom units.
As of April 2026, the market averaged $223.46 per night with 60.3% occupancy, producing a RevPAR of $134.73 and average monthly revenue of $3,567. Year-over-year trends are positive: occupancy rose 0.8 percentage points, ADR increased 0.7%, and revenue surged 12.6%. The overall market score is 87.2 out of 100, with investability (89.3) and revenue growth (92.2) as notable strengths.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50% | $208 | $2,774 |
| Feb | 69% | $213 | $3,388 |
| Mar | 71% | $234 | $4,023 |
| Apr | 56% | $219 | $2,975 |
| May | 52% | $211 | $2,801 |
| Jun | 63% | $247 | $3,794 |
| Jul | 66% | $246 | $4,074 |
| Aug | 57% | $221 | $3,267 |
| Sep | 42% | $191 | $2,207 |
| Oct | 55% | $203 | $2,710 |
| Nov | 53% | $210 | $2,662 |
| Dec | 54% | $233 | $3,104 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Haines City
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 179 | 4,635 | ★ 4.57 |
| 2 | RedAwning | 164 | 793 | ★ 4.24 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 126 | 2,251 | ★ 4.42 |
| 4 | Top Villas | 111 | 493 | ★ 4.47 |
| 5 | Master Vacation Homes | 99 | 3,309 | ★ 4.73 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Haines City?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,620 |
| 2 bed | 798 |
| 3 bed | 1,290 |
| 4 bed | 1,585 |
| 5 bed | 3,135 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $255 |
| Luxury | $492 |
| Professionally Managed | $315 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,115 |
| Entire Place | $4,126 |
| House | $4,072 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 40.2% |
| vrbo | 10.5% |
| both | 49.3% |
Investment Analysis
Haines City offers a compelling entry-cost-to-revenue ratio. The typical home value was $296,920 as of April 2026, with a median sale price of $266,750 and a median list price of $320,000. With 378 homes for sale and a sale-to-list ratio of 0.834, the resale market is softer than average (median days to pending was 65 days), giving buyers negotiating leverage.
At the market average of $3,567 monthly revenue, an investor targeting typical market performance would generate approximately $42,804 annually. Against a $297,000 purchase price, that represents a gross revenue yield of approximately 14.4% before operating costs. This is a high-yield figure for a suburban Florida market and reflects the sustained demand from theme-park proximity.
Revenue by listing type shows further upside for properly positioned properties. Entire-place listings averaged $3,795 per month and houses averaged $3,670, both above the all-listings average. The large-home segment is particularly strong given the five-bedroom-and-above inventory that caters to groups attending Orlando attractions.
The ADR tier breakdown confirms the professional management premium: standard listings averaged $223.46, entire-home listings averaged $237.48, professionally managed properties averaged $286.75, and luxury-tier listings reached $416.44 per night. The 28% premium for professionally managed units over the all-listings average suggests meaningful upside for operators who invest in quality management.
The 12.6% year-over-year revenue gain in April 2026 is the strongest signal in this data set. Revenue has been relatively stable since 2023 ($3,201 in 2023, $3,225 in 2024, $3,229 in 2025) and the April 2026 reading of $3,567 suggests improving momentum.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Haines City guests book an average of 55.3 days in advance and stay an average of 4.95 nights. The 55-day lead time gives operators a solid pricing window: rates can be held firm for bookings made approximately two months out before shifting to incentive pricing for short-lead availability.
The nearly five-night average stay reflects the destination nature of the market. Visitors traveling from out of state to visit LEGOLAND and the Orlando theme parks typically commit to multi-day itineraries. Longer stays lower per-booking cleaning and administrative costs, improving net margins for operators. During the spring break and summer peak periods, setting a minimum stay of four to five nights helps capture the full-trip visitor while reducing turnover. In the softer months of September through November, relaxing minimums to two or three nights helps fill weekday gaps.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals in Haines City operate under a multi-layer regulatory framework.
At the state level, Florida requires a DBPR vacation rental or lodging license for any operator renting more than three times per year for stays under 30 days, along with a Florida Department of Revenue tax certificate.
At the county level, Polk County operators must obtain a Short-Term Rental Registration and collect and remit the Polk County Tourist Development Tax of 5% on stays of six months or less (in addition to Florida state sales tax and any applicable discretionary surtax). Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit the Tourist Development Tax on behalf of most hosts; operators using other channels must handle remittance directly.
At the city level, Haines City maintains a Short Term Rental overlay zone in its zoning code (Section 5.6.2.5). A property must be located in a zoning district that permits STR use. The Haines City Planning Division (863-421-3600) confirms parcel eligibility; the Code Compliance Office (863-421-9937) handles enforcement. No published annual night cap, owner-occupancy requirement, or primary-residence requirement was found. Published permit costs at the city level are not available online; investors should contact the city directly for current fee schedules. Enforcement severity is classified as moderate.
Market Comparison
The national STR median occupancy is approximately 55% and median ADR approximately $220. Haines City’s April 2026 occupancy of 60.3% and ADR of $223.46 are modestly above the national medians, placing it in the solid mid-tier of U.S. STR markets. The standout metric is the 12.6% year-over-year revenue growth, which exceeds most established market trends.
The market’s overall investment score of 87.2 out of 100 and investability score of 89.3 place it in the top quartile nationally. Revenue growth at 92.2 is a particular strength. The regulation score of 54.8 reflects the multi-layer licensing requirement (state, county, city) that adds compliance steps for new operators.
Evolve leads professional operators with 179 listings, 4,635 reviews, and a 4.57 average rating. RedAwning ranks second with 164 listings (4.24 rating), and Vacasa holds third with 126 listings (4.42 rating). Master Vacation Homes, though ranked fifth, holds the highest guest rating among the top operators at 4.73 across 99 listings. The top five managers collectively operate approximately 679 listings, representing roughly 8.1% of total market inventory, indicating a predominantly owner-operated market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Haines City, Florida
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