Clarkesville, Georgia Short-Term Rental Market
Clarkesville, GA area STRs averaged $264/night at 40.6% occupancy in April 2026 across approximately 9,983 active listings in northeast Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains.
Quick Answer: Clarkesville, Georgia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 54%. average monthly revenue is $4,483. average daily rate is $309. the top operator is Evolve with 473 listings. market score is 88/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the North GA Mtns regional market, which includes Clarkesville. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Clarkesville.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Clarkesville, Georgia market area covers northeast Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountain region, including Habersham County and the surrounding mountain communities that draw recreation and heritage travelers from metro Atlanta and the broader Southeast. The market encompasses approximately 9,983 active short-term rental listings, with an average daily rate of $263.75 and April 2026 occupancy of 40.6%, producing RevPAR of $107.02 and monthly revenue of $3,098 per listing.
Year over year, both occupancy (+2.0 percentage points) and ADR (+2.9%) grew, resulting in revenue growth of 2.9%. The market has shown steady recovery since the 2021-2022 peak, with annual average revenue climbing from $3,447 in 2023 to $3,673 in 2024 and $3,809 in 2025.
The listing mix is almost entirely entire-place: 9,861 of the 9,983 active listings (98.8%) are entire-place rentals. Private rooms number just 121 and shared rooms 1, reflecting the market’s cabin-and-vacation-home character. By bedroom count, three-bedroom properties are the largest segment at 3,296 listings, followed by two-bedrooms (2,458), four-bedrooms (1,779), one-bedrooms (1,527), and five-bedroom-plus (918). A striking feature of this market is the dual-channel dominance: 7,068 listings (70.8%) appear on both Airbnb and VRBO simultaneously, with only 2,020 Airbnb-only and 895 VRBO-only properties, reflecting operators’ strategy to maximize reach across both platforms.
The overall market score of 87.72 and investability score of 91.81 make this one of the higher-scoring markets in the southeast, supported by the mountain cabin segment’s premium pricing and improving revenue trend.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33% | $239 | $2,415 |
| Feb | 39% | $239 | $2,389 |
| Mar | 48% | $240 | $3,216 |
| Apr | 44% | $235 | $2,869 |
| May | 45% | $242 | $2,792 |
| Jun | 58% | $263 | $3,919 |
| Jul | 64% | $257 | $4,473 |
| Aug | 47% | $237 | $3,149 |
| Sep | 47% | $243 | $3,087 |
| Oct | 61% | $262 | $4,476 |
| Nov | 55% | $262 | $3,973 |
| Dec | 51% | $264 | $3,937 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Clarkesville
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 473 | 28,174 | ★ 4.76 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 461 | 32,602 | ★ 4.58 |
| 3 | Escape To Blue Ridge | 373 | 4,433 | ★ 4.78 |
| 4 | Southern Comfort Cabin Rentals | 297 | 5,298 | ★ 4.72 |
| 5 | Georgia CFY | 186 | 4,599 | ★ 4.57 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Clarkesville?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,527 |
| 2 bed | 2,458 |
| 3 bed | 3,296 |
| 4 bed | 1,779 |
| 5 bed | 918 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $310 |
| Luxury | $492 |
| Professionally Managed | $342 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,572 |
| Entire Place | $4,511 |
| House | $4,650 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 20.2% |
| vrbo | 9% |
| both | 70.8% |
Investment Analysis
Clarkesville’s market area presents a strong revenue profile for cabin-oriented investment properties. Monthly revenue averaged $3,098 across all listing types in April 2026, and the annualized estimate using that monthly rate produces approximately $37,176 in gross annual revenue per listing. The seasonal peaks in July ($4,471/month) and October ($4,474/month) are the primary revenue drivers, but notably this market maintains high ADR even in soft months, with January’s average ADR of $239 being only $25 below the April 2026 value of $264.
Tier data shows meaningful upside for luxury properties: luxury-tier listings average $397.19 per night versus $263.75 for all listings, a $133.44 premium. Professionally managed properties average $284.30 per night, a $20.55 premium over the market average. At April 2026’s 40.6% occupancy, that PM premium translates to roughly $250 in additional monthly revenue versus self-managing at average rates.
Housing price data is not available in the current snapshot for this market area, so gross yield cannot be calculated here. Investors should note that the market area encompasses a multi-jurisdiction mountain region; property values vary considerably between county land and Clarkesville city parcels.
A critical constraint in Clarkesville city proper: the city is predominantly zoned R-1, where STRs are prohibited. STRs are only permitted in the Professional and Community Business Districts, and only after obtaining a Conditional Use Permit through the zoning process. The broader regional market data reflects county and unincorporated areas with more permissive frameworks. Investors targeting Clarkesville city addresses should verify current zoning and CUP availability directly with the City Clerk before committing.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
Run a Free Address Analysis
Skip the market averages. Get revenue projections, comp analysis, and ROI for your specific property address. Free, instant, no signup required.
Analyze My Property →Home Value Trends (Clarkesville)
Booking Insights
Clarkesville area guests book an average of 42.6 days in advance and stay an average of 3.33 nights. The 43-day lead time is longer than many urban markets, reflecting the planned-getaway nature of mountain cabin trips, which visitors typically book 4 to 8 weeks out during peak demand windows.
The 3.33-night average stay is shorter than many comparable mountain cabin markets, where 5 to 7-night stays are more common. This shorter average suggests a meaningful share of long-weekend bookings (Friday to Monday), particularly from the Atlanta metro area that is approximately 90 minutes to the southwest. For operators, roughly 8 to 9 guest cycles per month at full occupancy represents higher turnover than most cabin-oriented markets and should inform cleaning and maintenance staffing.
For pricing strategy, the 43-day window means October foliage demand should be priced and set with minimum-night policies by mid-August. The dual-channel approach (70.8% of listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO simultaneously) indicates operators in this market have broadly adopted a multi-platform strategy, which is supported by the data. Hosts relying on a single platform may be leaving meaningful VRBO demand unaddressed, particularly for the multi-night group cabin stays that VRBO skews toward.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Clarkesville actively regulates short-term rentals and considers them unlawful to operate or advertise without valid licenses. The city is predominantly zoned R-1, where short-term rentals are prohibited. STRs are permitted only in the Professional and Community Business Districts, and only after securing a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) through the zoning process per Appendix D, Section 3 of the City’s Zoning Ordinance. Once a CUP is obtained, operators must also secure a business occupational tax license and a hotel/motel tax authorization certificate, both renewed annually.
Operators must collect the city’s 5% hotel/motel excise tax and are also subject to Georgia’s state lodging fee of $5 per night, plus applicable state and local sales taxes. Operators must keep guest counts within safe occupancy limits, comply with Georgia fire safety code, avoid blocking public rights-of-way, and follow any applicable noise, nuisance, and subdivision rules. Owners must provide the City Clerk with responsible-party contact information and certify no outstanding financial obligations to the city.
The permit fee is not published in the current data snapshot. City council also discussed (but had not firmly adopted as of the profile date) a cap of approximately 5% of total city housing units and a quadrant-based density approach to prevent oversaturation. The current regulatory framework was codified in Zoning Ordinance Sections 732 through 737 in the 2024/2025 ordinance update.
The approximately 9,983 listings in this market area are largely in the broader Habersham County and surrounding mountain region, not Clarkesville city limits. Investors should confirm which jurisdiction governs any specific property and verify current CUP availability and fees directly with the Clarkesville City Clerk before acquiring a city-limit property for STR use. Enforcement is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
Clarkesville’s April 2026 occupancy of 40.6% falls well below the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, but the shoulder-month context is important: the 2025 full-year occupancy average was 46.9%, and peak months (July and October) both exceed 61%. The ADR of $263.75 is substantially above the approximate U.S. median of $220, placing this market in the above-average rate tier despite below-average occupancy.
The market’s overall score of 87.72 and investability score of 91.81 rank it near the top of the markets in this batch, reflecting the combination of strong ADR, a growing revenue trend, favorable regulation scores (72.24) for the broader county area, and improving year-over-year metrics.
Professional management is heavily consolidated for a market of this type. Evolve leads with 473 listings, 28,174 reviews, and a 4.756 rating. Vacasa is close behind with 461 listings, 32,602 reviews, and a 4.580 rating. Escape to Blue Ridge operates 373 listings with a 4.781 rating, and Southern Comfort Cabin Rentals manages 297 listings at 4.716. The top five operators collectively manage 1,790 listings, approximately 17.9% of the roughly 9,983 active listings, one of the highest PM concentration rates of the five markets in this batch and an indicator of a mature, professionally operated market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Clarkesville, Georgia
What is the average daily rate for Airbnb rentals in the Clarkesville, GA area?
When is peak season for Clarkesville area cabin rentals?
Can I run an Airbnb within Clarkesville city limits?
What is the STR tax rate in Clarkesville?
How much can I earn from a cabin rental in the Clarkesville, GA area?
Who are the top property managers in the Clarkesville mountain market?
Why do most Clarkesville area listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO?
Analyze Clarkesville Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Clarkesville.
Free Clarkesville STR Calculator →
