Blue Ridge, Georgia Short-Term Rental Market
Blue Ridge, GA STRs averaged $264/night at 40.6% occupancy in April 2026, with all three metrics growing year-over-year across roughly 9,956 listings.
Quick Answer: Blue Ridge, Georgia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 41%. average monthly revenue is $3,097. average daily rate is $264. the top operator is Evolve with 470 listings. market score is 88/100 (grade A).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Blue Ridge is a small mountain city of approximately 1,246 residents in Fannin County, Georgia, in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains. It functions as a major cabin rental destination for drive-market travelers from Atlanta and other Southeast metros. The STR market is large at roughly 9,956 active listings, concentrated almost entirely in entire-place cabins. In April 2026, the average daily rate was $263.67 and occupancy was 40.6%, producing a RevPAR of $106.96 and average monthly revenue of $3,097 per listing.
Year-over-year, ADR grew 2.87%, occupancy grew 2.01%, and revenue grew 2.87% compared to the same month a year prior. This across-the-board growth, even during a typically softer shoulder month, is a positive signal.
Entire-place listings account for 9,838 of active units (98.8% of supply), with private rooms at 117 and shared rooms at just 1. Three-bedroom properties lead the supply at 3,276 listings, followed by two-bedroom (2,458), four-bedroom (1,776), one-bedroom (1,526), and five-bedroom-plus (915). Channel distribution shows strong multi-platform presence: 7,045 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 2,014 exclusively on Airbnb, and 897 exclusively on VRBO.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33% | $239 | $2,413 |
| Feb | 39% | $239 | $2,387 |
| Mar | 48% | $240 | $3,213 |
| Apr | 44% | $235 | $2,867 |
| May | 45% | $238 | $2,748 |
| Jun | 58% | $257 | $3,848 |
| Jul | 64% | $257 | $4,471 |
| Aug | 47% | $237 | $3,147 |
| Sep | 47% | $243 | $3,085 |
| Oct | 61% | $261 | $4,473 |
| Nov | 55% | $262 | $3,970 |
| Dec | 51% | $263 | $3,934 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Blue Ridge
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 470 | 28,108 | ★ 4.76 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 457 | 32,402 | ★ 4.58 |
| 3 | Escape To Blue Ridge | 371 | 4,391 | ★ 4.78 |
| 4 | Southern Comfort Cabin Rentals | 292 | 5,288 | ★ 4.71 |
| 5 | Georgia CFY | 187 | 4,592 | ★ 4.57 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Blue Ridge?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,526 |
| 2 bed | 2,458 |
| 3 bed | 3,276 |
| 4 bed | 1,776 |
| 5 bed | 915 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $264 |
| Luxury | $397 |
| Professionally Managed | $285 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,933 |
| Entire Place | $3,114 |
| House | $3,194 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 20.2% |
| vrbo | 9% |
| both | 70.8% |
Investment Analysis
Blue Ridge scores 87.79 overall, with a standout investability score of 91.82. The regulation score (72.29), seasonality score (75.79), and revenue growth score (72.32) are all solidly above average, and the rental demand score of 68.43 reflects the consistent drive-market draw from metro Atlanta.
At the April 2026 average revenue of $3,097 per listing, the annualized run rate is approximately $37,167. Against a typical home value of $512,473, that implies a gross yield of approximately 7.3% before expenses. Entry costs are meaningfully higher here than in rural lake markets: the median sale price of $542,133 and median list price of $686,000 reflect premium pricing, and the sale-to-list ratio of 0.790 indicates active negotiating below ask. At 65 median days to pending, properties do not move quickly, giving buyers reasonable due diligence time.
The ADR tier differential is modest on the lower end: all-listings at $263.67 and entire-home at $264.37 are nearly identical. Professionally managed listings average $284.80 (an 8.0% premium). The luxury tier averages $397.04, a $133 premium over the baseline and a meaningful revenue driver for large-format cabins with premium amenities.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Blue Ridge guests book an average of 42.51 days in advance (about 6 weeks). The lead time is consistent with drive-market weekend cabin planning, where October foliage weekends and Fourth of July typically book out earliest. For hosts, revenue management should focus on the 6 to 8 week window before peak dates, when committed demand is still being captured.
The average length of stay is 3.33 nights, slightly above a standard weekend. This suggests a meaningful share of 3 and 4 night stays, particularly long weekends around holidays and fall foliage season. Minimum-stay policies of 3 nights on peak weekends are well-supported by this data. Longer stays during slower weekdays can be incentivized to reduce mid-week vacancy gaps.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
The City of Blue Ridge regulates short-term vacation rentals under Article V of Chapter 10 (Ordinance BR2022-05). Operators inside city limits must hold an annual Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate (approximately $150) and an Occupation Tax Certificate. STVRs are permitted only in C-1 (General Commercial), CBD (Central Business District), and R-3 zoning districts. They are prohibited in R-1 and R-2 residential zones, which excludes most single-family residential neighborhoods.
Every property must designate a 24-hour local contact who can respond within one hour, post 911 address signage on-site, and comply with bedroom-based occupancy limits. There is no cap on rental nights per year and no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement. The city lodging tax is 8% of gross rental receipts, filed monthly. Penalties begin at approximately $250 per day and can escalate to certificate revocation.
Properties outside city limits in unincorporated Fannin County fall under a separate ordinance adopted April 9, 2024. That ordinance requires an Accommodation Excise Tax Certificate and applies a 6% county lodging tax on stays of 30 days or less. Investors should verify which jurisdiction the specific parcel falls in before underwriting, as city and county requirements differ. Enforcement severity is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
Nationally, median STR occupancy is approximately 55% and median ADR is approximately $220. Blue Ridge’s April 2026 occupancy of 40.6% is below the national median, but its ADR of $263.67 is 20% above it. The RevPAR of $106.96 reflects the occupancy drag but is supported by above-average rates.
Blue Ridge scores 87.79 overall, with an investability score of 91.82 placing it in the top tier of mountain cabin markets. Annual revenue has trended upward from $3,447/month in 2023 to $3,807 in 2025, a 10.4% recovery from the post-2021 trough.
Among the top operators, Evolve and Vacasa are nearly tied in scale: Evolve holds 470 listings (rating 4.758) and Vacasa 457 listings (rating 4.578, 32,402 reviews). The volume of reviews on Vacasa reflects their longer presence in the market. Escape To Blue Ridge manages 371 listings (4.782) and Southern Comfort Cabin Rentals holds 292 listings (4.711). Georgia CFY rounds out the top five at 187 listings (4.570). The competitive operator landscape means pricing and management quality directly affect a property’s relative performance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Blue Ridge, Georgia
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