Covington, Georgia Short-Term Rental Market
Covington, GA STRs averaged $175/night at 50.4% occupancy in April 2026, serving 2.8 million annual visitors to 'The Hollywood of the South'.
Quick Answer: Covington, Georgia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Georgia Area market area is 55%. average monthly revenue in the Georgia Area market area is $3,064. average daily rate in the Georgia Area market area is $202. the top operator in the Georgia Area market area is Evolve with 315 listings. market score is 77/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Georgia Area regional market, which includes Covington. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Covington.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Covington, Georgia is a film-tourism destination roughly 30 miles east of Atlanta, marketed as ‘The Hollywood of the South.’ Its Greek Revival and Victorian downtown square has appeared in more than 100 films and TV productions including The Vampire Diaries, Sweet Magnolias, and In the Heat of the Night. The city reported approximately 2.8 million visits to its Historic Downtown Entertainment District in 2021, with visitor spending reaching approximately $118 million in Covington and $130 million county-wide by 2023.
As of April 2026, the Covington STR market tracked approximately 9,466 active listings across the broader market area. The average daily rate was $175 and occupancy was 50.4%, producing a RevPAR of $88. Average monthly revenue per listing was $2,416. Year-over-year, occupancy declined 8.6 percentage points and revenue fell 4.8%, while ADR gained 3.6%. The occupancy decline is meaningful and suggests the market absorbed new supply faster than demand grew.
Listing type is heavily concentrated in entire-place rentals (8,379 of 9,466 listings, or 88%), with private rooms at 1,086 and shared rooms negligible at 5. By bedroom count, 1-bedroom units lead at 2,841, followed by 3-bedroom (2,710), 2-bedroom (2,194), 4-bedroom (1,174), and 5-bedroom-plus (547). The larger bedroom mix suggests the market serves group and extended-stay visitors as well as couples. Airbnb dominates channel distribution at 5,047 Airbnb-only listings, 3,784 dual-listed, and 639 VRBO-only.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 43% |
| Feb | 53% |
| Mar | 56% |
| Apr | 54% |
| May | 54% |
| Jun | 59% |
| Jul | 60% |
| Aug | 51% |
| Sep | 51% |
| Oct | 54% |
| Nov | 52% |
| Dec | 48% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Covington are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Georgia Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Georgia Area market as a whole, which includes Covington, so these counts are not Covington-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 315 | 10,767 | ★ 4.66 |
| 2 | Orlando | 94 | 4,398 | ★ 4.70 |
| 3 | Patriot Family Homes | 70 | 3,671 | ★ 4.31 |
| 4 | Pine Mountain Chalet | 51 | 456 | ★ 4.13 |
| 5 | River Town Rentals | 46 | 937 | ★ 4.70 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Covington?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Covington 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 | 53.3% |
| vrbo | 6.7% |
| both | 40% |
Home Value Trends (Covington)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Covington 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 Covington — 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
Covington regulates short-term rentals under city code Sec. 16.08.010 and zoning Sec. 16.20.635, administered by the Department of Planning and Development. STRs are permitted, and every operator must hold both a Short Term Vacation Rental Permit ($150 non-refundable application fee) and an Occupational Tax License. The permit expires annually and must be renewed each year; the renewal fee is $100 non-refundable. Renewal notices go out mid-October, and penalties for late payment apply.
Applicants must supply proof of ownership, STR-specific insurance, a written exemplar rental agreement posted in the unit, a federal tax ID, a Georgia sales/use tax number, and a designated 24-hour local agent who must respond on-site within two hours of a complaint from the city.
There is no owner-occupancy or primary residence requirement, and no annual night cap was found in the regulations.
In 2026, the Covington Planning Commission adopted amendments to Zoning Ordinance Sec. 16.20.635.E restricting STRs in residential zoning districts to lodging (residential) use only. Commercial, assembly, or event-related uses at licensed STRs in residential zones are prohibited under the 2026 amendment.
The occupancy tax rate is 8% (the city’s hotel-motel excise tax under Chapter 3.16), in addition to Georgia state sales tax of 4%, remitted by the 20th of each month. No statewide Georgia STR law governs; local rules apply.
Code violations are heard in municipal court with non-waivable fines of $500 (first offense), $750 (second within 12 months), and $1,000 (third within 12 months). Enforcement is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
Covington’s April 2026 ADR of $175 is slightly below the U.S. STR median of approximately $220, consistent with its position as a smaller market adjacent to Atlanta rather than a top-tier destination. Occupancy at 50.4% is below the national median of approximately 55%, and the 8.6 percentage-point year-over-year occupancy decline warrants attention.
The market’s investability score of 95.7 is an outlier relative to most markets in this dataset, driven by the combination of a $294,155 typical home value and a visitor base of approximately 2.8 million. The overall market score of 77.0 is solid, though revenue growth (44.2) is among the weaker sub-scores, indicating the market’s revenue per listing has not grown rapidly despite rising ADR.
Evolve leads the professional management segment with 315 listings and 10,767 reviews at a 4.7-star average. Orlando follows with 94 listings and 4,398 reviews at a 4.7-star rating. Patriot Family Homes holds 70 listings with 3,671 reviews at a 4.3-star rating. Together these three operators represent approximately 479 managed listings, or roughly 5% of the estimated 9,466 total active listings. The low professional management penetration leaves substantial room for professional operators to gain share.
The median days to pending of 48 for housing in this market is notably slower than Covington KY (11 days), suggesting a less competitive local housing market and potentially better acquisition conditions for investors.
Frequently Asked Questions About Covington, Georgia
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