Decatur, Georgia Short-Term Rental Market
Decatur-area STRs averaged $172/night at 58.3% occupancy in April 2026 across 25,239 active listings.
Quick Answer: Decatur, Georgia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 57%. average monthly revenue is $3,149. average daily rate is $209. the top operator is Evolve with 343 listings. market score is 63/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Atlanta regional market, which includes Decatur. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Decatur.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Decatur, Georgia market is one of the largest STR markets in the Southeast, encompassing 25,239 active listings as of the latest snapshot. Average daily rate in April 2026 was $172 and occupancy stood at 58.3%. RevPAR reached $100.18. Year-over-year, occupancy was essentially flat at +0.4 percentage points, ADR increased 3.1%, and monthly revenue grew 9.6% — a strong revenue performance driven more by rate and mix improvement than demand expansion.
Entire-place listings dominate the mix at 20,097 of 25,239 total listings (79.6%). Private rooms contribute 5,115 listings and shared rooms account for 70. Bedroom distribution is concentrated at the 1-bedroom tier (11,566 listings), followed by 2-bedroom (5,175), 3-bedroom (4,846), 4-bedroom (2,311), and 5-bedroom (1,341). The 1-bedroom share (45.8% of supply) reflects a large apartment-heavy urban and suburban inventory.
Airbnb dominates channel distribution with 15,554 Airbnb-only listings; an additional 8,598 properties list on both platforms. VRBO-only inventory totals 1,130 listings, a small share of the overall market.
Market scores indicate a well-established, competitive market: seasonality scores 98.1 out of 100, reflecting very consistent year-round demand. Revenue growth scores 64.2 and regulation scores 63.1. Investability and total score both come in at 62.8, reflecting the high-supply, moderately competitive environment.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51% | $142 | $2,037 |
| Feb | 54% | $139 | $1,913 |
| Mar | 60% | $141 | $2,335 |
| Apr | 56% | $139 | $2,146 |
| May | 59% | $145 | $2,271 |
| Jun | 62% | $151 | $2,446 |
| Jul | 63% | $141 | $2,445 |
| Aug | 58% | $135 | $2,180 |
| Sep | 54% | $137 | $2,014 |
| Oct | 58% | $137 | $2,206 |
| Nov | 55% | $135 | $2,025 |
| Dec | 54% | $141 | $2,110 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Decatur
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 343 | 7,207 | ★ 4.39 |
| 2 | Minty Living | 198 | 5,240 | ★ 4.70 |
| 3 | Properties By Preston | 123 | 283 | ★ 3.54 |
| 4 | Landing, Inc. | 115 | 114 | ★ 3.88 |
| 5 | FHS PARTNERS | 100 | 4,057 | ★ 4.29 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Decatur?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 11,566 |
| 2 bed | 5,175 |
| 3 bed | 4,846 |
| 4 bed | 2,311 |
| 5 bed | 1,341 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $239 |
| Luxury | $377 |
| Professionally Managed | $244 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,816 |
| Entire Place | $3,572 |
| House | $3,352 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 61.5% |
| vrbo | 4.5% |
| both | 34% |
Investment Analysis
Decatur-area STR investment sits at an accessible price point relative to the revenue potential. The April 2026 housing snapshot shows a typical home value of $282,893 and a median sale price of $287,300. Median list prices are $294,900 and homes take a median of 48 days to go pending, selling at 97.4% of list price with 1,118 properties for sale.
At an April 2026 average of $2,738 in monthly revenue, annualized revenue projects to approximately $32,852. The market is relatively consistent month-over-month — the peak month (July) averages $2,445 historically and the trough (February) averages $1,913, a narrower seasonal swing than most comparable markets. This stability is reflected in the market’s 98.1 seasonality score.
Tier differentiation is significant. The all-listings ADR in April 2026 was $172. Entire-home listings averaged $196/night (+14% vs. all-listings). Professionally managed properties averaged $203/night (+18%), and the luxury tier reached $336/night (+95%). Revenue by property type shows entire-place listings averaging $3,083/month, houses averaging $2,906/month, and apartments averaging $2,455/month.
Year-over-year revenue growth of 9.6% in April 2026 — against an essentially flat occupancy rate — indicates the market is generating more revenue per booking rather than filling more nights. This is a positive signal for rate strength. Five-year revenue trend shows consistent growth: $1,931 average monthly revenue in 2020 rose to $2,527 in 2025.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Decatur-area STR guests book an average of 28 days in advance as of April 2026, the shortest lead time in this batch of markets. This short booking window reflects the urban and suburban character of the Atlanta metro area, where demand includes spontaneous weekend getaways, last-minute corporate travel, and event-driven bookings with short planning horizons.
A 28-day average lead time calls for a different pricing strategy than rural or resort markets: holding rates firm too far in advance can result in missed last-minute revenue. A dynamic pricing approach that opens calendar availability broadly and applies rate increases as check-in approaches (rather than blocking early demand) is more appropriate for this market profile.
Average length of stay is 4.5 nights, which is longer than a typical weekend-only market and suggests a meaningful share of mid-week and extended-stay guests, likely including corporate travelers, relocation visitors, and longer leisure trips to the Atlanta metro. Properties configured to accommodate 4-to-7 night stays (weekly pricing discounts, full kitchen amenities, reliable WiFi) are well-positioned for this demand segment.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
The City of Decatur, Georgia (a distinct incorporated city within DeKalb County) adopted an STR ordinance requiring all operators within city limits to register annually beginning in 2026. The permit costs $125 per year, and the application process requires a 15-day public notification period (a posted yard sign or written notice) before a license is issued.
Key operating requirements: the property owner or a designated agent must be located within 50 miles of the property and able to respond within one hour. Maximum overnight occupancy is two people per guest room plus two additional per property, with a hard cap of ten total guests. An 8% local hotel/motel excise tax applies (platforms like Airbnb typically collect this automatically).
A critical density restriction applies in residential zoning districts: no new STR permit may be issued if three or more STRs already operate within a 1,000-foot radius of the property. This cap can effectively block new entrants in densely listed neighborhoods. There is no annual night cap and no owner-occupancy or primary-residence mandate per the ordinance.
Note: unincorporated DeKalb County operates a separate STR licensing program (effective May 20, 2026) requiring a $175 annual license via the Deckard portal and an 8% hotel tax for properties outside Decatur city limits. Operators should verify which jurisdiction applies to their specific address. Enforcement in Decatur is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
Decatur-area occupancy of 58.3% in April 2026 is modestly above the US STR median of approximately 55%, a solid performance for a large urban market. ADR at $172 is below the US STR median of approximately $220, which is common for high-supply metro markets where volume competes with rate. RevPAR at $100.18 is competitive for the Southeast and notably above smaller secondary markets.
The operator landscape is highly fragmented given market scale. Evolve leads with 343 listings and 7,207 reviews (rating 4.39 out of 5). Minty Living manages 198 listings with a 4.70 rating and 5,240 reviews. Properties By Preston holds 123 listings (rating 3.54) and Landing, Inc. holds 115 listings (rating 3.88). Together the top two operators account for 541 of 25,239 total listings, representing just 2.1% market concentration — this market is dominated by independent operators with minimal institutional scale.
Revenue growth of 9.6% year-over-year and a steady five-year trend (2020 monthly revenue $1,931 rising to 2025 average $2,527) reflect durable demand rather than speculative growth. The market’s revenue growth score of 64.2 and regulation score of 63.1 indicate moderate barriers with consistent underlying demand.
Frequently Asked Questions About Decatur, Georgia
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