Dawsonville, Georgia Short-Term Rental Market
Dawsonville, GA STRs averaged $219 per night at 56.4% occupancy in April 2026, in a compact North Georgia mountain market of 1,267 active listings.
Quick Answer: Dawsonville, Georgia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 64%. average monthly revenue is $5,266. average daily rate is $299. the top operator is Suyun Home with 26 listings. market score is 48/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Lake Lanier regional market, which includes Dawsonville. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Dawsonville.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Dawsonville, Georgia sits in the North Georgia mountains in Dawson County, approximately one hour north of Atlanta via GA-400. It is a leisure and outdoor tourism market anchored by Amicalola Falls State Park (home to a 729-foot waterfall and the southern approach to the Appalachian Trail) and the North Georgia Premium Outlets. The area also draws visitors for motorsports heritage, fall agritourism, and a growing winery and distillery scene.
As of April 2026, the Dawsonville STR market posted an average daily rate of $219 and an occupancy rate of 56.4%, generating $123 in revenue per available room. The market total score is 48.14 out of 100, with investability at 75.21 and seasonality at 66.76.
The supply base is 1,267 active listings, significantly smaller than many comparable North Georgia mountain markets. By bedroom count: 417 one-bedroom, 220 two-bedroom, 308 three-bedroom, 171 four-bedroom, and 151 five-bedroom listings. Entire-place rentals account for 1,028 of the 1,267 total listings by type, with 239 private-room listings and no shared-room options recorded.
Channel distribution is Airbnb-dominant: 646 listings are Airbnb-only, 532 appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, and 89 list exclusively on VRBO.
Year-over-year through April 2026, occupancy rose 2.83 percentage points, though ADR declined 2.08%. Revenue grew 4.23% year-over-year, driven by the occupancy gain. The 2025 full-year average occupancy was 54.40% with an ADR of $228 and monthly revenue of $3,540, essentially flat with 2024 (54.40% occupancy, $230 ADR, $3,537 in revenue). The market has been stable at this level since 2023, after declining from its post-pandemic peaks of 62.72% occupancy in 2021.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41% | $167 | $2,128 |
| Feb | 53% | $166 | $2,190 |
| Mar | 57% | $197 | $2,999 |
| Apr | 56% | $205 | $3,051 |
| May | 59% | $246 | $3,731 |
| Jun | 65% | $286 | $4,862 |
| Jul | 67% | $289 | $5,084 |
| Aug | 56% | $259 | $3,982 |
| Sep | 53% | $238 | $3,349 |
| Oct | 55% | $225 | $3,412 |
| Nov | 52% | $221 | $3,098 |
| Dec | 50% | $213 | $3,110 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Dawsonville
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suyun Home | 26 | 331 | ★ 4.65 |
| 2 | Evolve | 25 | 626 | ★ 4.82 |
| 3 | Landing | 19 | 1 | ★ 2.60 |
| 4 | Anna Home | 16 | 136 | ★ 4.63 |
| 5 | ATLHomestay | 14 | 65 | ★ 4.93 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Dawsonville?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 417 |
| 2 bed | 220 |
| 3 bed | 308 |
| 4 bed | 171 |
| 5 bed | 151 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $328 |
| Luxury | $658 |
| Professionally Managed | $224 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,676 |
| Entire Place | $5,828 |
| House | $5,811 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 51% |
| vrbo | 7% |
| both | 42% |
Investment Analysis
Dawsonville, GA is a compact North Georgia mountain market with above-average ADR by Georgia suburban standards. At an average daily rate of $219 and average monthly revenue of $3,377 in April 2026, annualized gross revenue projects to approximately $40,529. No housing value data was available in this snapshot, so a gross yield calculation cannot be performed.
Performance by property type shows entire-place listings ($3,746 per month) above the all-listings average of $3,377. Houses average $3,709 per month, nearly in line with entire-place. Apartment-type listings average $1,911 per month, substantially lower.
The ADR tier data presents an unusual pattern in Dawsonville. Luxury-tier listings average $468 per night, more than twice the market average of $219. Entire-home listings average $244 per night, a meaningful $25 above the market average. However, the professionally managed tier averages only $172 per night, which is $47 below the all-listings average. This is the inverse of most STR markets, where professional management commands a premium. The data suggests the PM-tier classification in this market captures a segment of smaller or lower-cost operators rather than premium management brands.
Year-over-year trends are mixed: occupancy rose 2.83 points while ADR fell 2.08%, with net revenue growth of 4.23%. The market has been stable at around $3,500 to $3,540 in average monthly revenue for 2024 and 2025. The investability score of 75.21 is moderate, reflecting a stable but slowly growing market rather than a high-appreciation one. Revenue growth scores 52.55, consistent with this picture.
The active Dawson County permit requirement (initial fee $350, renewal $300) is straightforward and applies to most of the market, which is in unincorporated Dawson County.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Dawsonville, GA STR bookings carry an average lead time of 34 days, the shortest in this batch, meaning guests are booking roughly five weeks ahead. This is consistent with the Atlanta-metro day-trip and weekend-escape profile: guests decide on North Georgia trips in the near term rather than planning months out.
The short lead window means operators must set rates correctly in the 3 to 5 week window before target dates. Last-minute pricing adjustments in the final 2 weeks can capture unbooked inventory without training guests to wait for discounts, but the primary pricing decision window is weeks 4 to 6 before arrival.
Average length of stay is 5.21 nights, the longest in this batch and notably high for a North Georgia market. A five-night average suggests a significant share of guests are booking week-long or near-week stays rather than simple weekends. This likely reflects extended Atlanta-metro remote-work escapes and full-week mountain vacation stays, particularly in summer. A longer LOS reduces turnover frequency and can improve operational efficiency for properties where cleaning and setup is time-intensive.
For operators in Dawsonville, minimum-stay requirements of 4 to 5 nights during summer peak months align with observed behavior and can improve revenue per stay while reducing turnover costs.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are explicitly permitted in the Dawsonville area under Dawson County’s Short-Term Rental and Bed and Breakfast (STRBB) ordinance. Any property rented for fewer than 30 days, with a minimum stay of 2 days, must obtain a Dawson County STRBB Permit through the Planning and Development Department before operating or listing.
As of October 1, 2025, the new application fee is $350 and the annual renewal fee is $300. Permits are valid for 12 months. Applications must be notarized and demonstrate compliance with life-safety and sanitation standards under Section 30-510 of the county code. Recent revisions have simplified renewals, dropping the previously required labeled floor plan and septic-tank letter for renewal applications.
Operators must designate a local short-term rental agent, who may be the owner, another adult over 21, or a management company, with authority to access and manage the property during guest stays.
No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies. No hard annual night cap has been identified.
On taxes, the applicable hotel-motel excise tax rate is 8% in unincorporated Dawson County. Properties inside Dawsonville city limits are subject to the city’s separate zoning and licensing and a lower hotel-motel tax rate of 6%. State sales tax also applies and is typically collected by the platforms.
Enforcement is characterized as permit- and complaint-driven, with safety compliance inspections. The regulation score for this market is 58.00 out of 100.
Market Comparison
Dawsonville, GA occupancy of 56.4% in April 2026 is slightly above the US median of approximately 55%. Its ADR of $219 is nearly exactly at the national median of approximately $220, making it a median-ADR North Georgia mountain market. RevPAR of $123 puts it near the midpoint for mountain escape markets in the Southeast.
The market’s total score of 48.14 is the lowest among the five markets in this batch. Investability at 75.21 is the primary positive dimension. The market is small at 1,267 total listings, creating a less liquid environment for investors but also limiting competition from large professional operators.
Professional management is notably fragmented in Dawsonville. The top five operators are all small regional or local brands. Suyun Home leads with 26 listings and 331 reviews at a 4.65 rating. Evolve holds 25 listings and 626 reviews at a 4.82 rating. Landing ranks third with 19 listings but only 1 review and a 2.60 average rating. Anna Home manages 16 listings with 136 reviews at a 4.63 rating. ATLHomestay rounds out the top five with 14 listings, 65 reviews, and the highest rating at 4.93.
The top five operators represent just 100 listings, approximately 7.9% of the 1,267-listing market. This is the most independent-operator-dominated market in this batch, where large national PM brands have minimal presence. The absence of significant PM operator share is consistent with the data showing the professionally managed ADR tier ($172) running below the market average ($219), an unusual dynamic that suggests the PM classification here captures different operator types than in larger resort markets.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dawsonville, Georgia
What is the average nightly rate for Airbnb rentals in Dawsonville, GA?
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What is the hotel-motel tax rate for short-term rentals in Dawsonville, GA?
How much monthly revenue does an Airbnb in Dawsonville, GA generate?
When is peak season for STRs in Dawsonville, GA?
How far in advance do guests book STRs in Dawsonville, GA?
Who are the top property managers in Dawsonville, GA?
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