Eatonton, Georgia Short-Term Rental Market
Eatonton STRs on Lake Oconee averaged $175/night at 50.4% occupancy in April 2026, with the most consistent year-round occupancy of any market in this analysis.
Quick Answer: Eatonton, 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 316 listings. market score is 76/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Georgia Area regional market, which includes Eatonton. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Eatonton.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Eatonton is the seat of Putnam County and the primary gateway to the Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair resort region of central Georgia, roughly 80 miles southeast of Atlanta. The short-term rental market spans the lakefront and surrounding area, with 8,386 entire-place listings making up the bulk of the roughly 9,478 active units tracked (88%). Private rooms account for 1,088 listings and shared rooms for just 4.
In April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $175 and occupancy of 50.4%, producing a RevPAR of $88. Average monthly revenue per listing came in at $2,414. Year-over-year, ADR grew 3.6% but occupancy fell 8.6%, resulting in a net revenue decline of 4.9% versus April 2025. The occupancy softness is the primary headwind.
The bedroom mix skews toward smaller and mid-size properties. One-bedroom units lead at 2,840 listings, followed closely by three-bedroom (2,717) and two-bedroom (2,193) units. Four-bedroom listings account for 1,174 and five-bedroom for 549. Airbnb hosts 5,043 listings and VRBO 632, with 3,803 cross-listing on both platforms.
The market’s overall score of 76 out of 100 is driven by an exceptionally high investability score of 95 and a seasonality score of 85, which reflects the market’s unusually flat occupancy distribution across months. Rental demand scores 71 and regulation 66. The lowest dimension is revenue growth at 44, consistent with the flat revenue trajectory observed since 2022.
Annual averages for 2025 show occupancy of 52.8%, ADR of $169, and average monthly revenue of $2,531 per listing. Revenue has grown incrementally since 2022 ($2,302/month) through 2025 ($2,531/month), a gain of about 10% over three years.
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 Eatonton 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 Eatonton, so these counts are not Eatonton-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 316 | 10,818 | ★ 4.66 |
| 2 | Orlando | 95 | 4,424 | ★ 4.70 |
| 3 | Patriot Family Homes | 71 | 3,674 | ★ 4.30 |
| 4 | Pine Mountain Chalet | 51 | 459 | ★ 4.13 |
| 5 | River Town Rentals | 47 | 948 | ★ 4.69 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Eatonton?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Eatonton 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 | 53.2% |
| vrbo | 6.7% |
| both | 40.1% |
Home Value Trends (Eatonton)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Eatonton 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 Eatonton — 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
Short-term rentals are legal and regulated under Putnam County jurisdiction, which governs the Lake Oconee and Eatonton area. Under a Short Term Vacation Rental ordinance that took effect September 1, 2023, a short-term rental is defined as any rental of a single-family dwelling for 30 consecutive days or less.
Before renting, operators must obtain two items from Putnam County: a Short Term Vacation Rental certificate and a county Occupation Tax Certificate. Applications and renewals are handled online through the county’s GeoPermits portal. The license renews annually. The specific certificate fee was not confirmed in the available sources and should be verified with Putnam County Planning and Development.
One exemption applies: a property rented for a single period of no more than 14 days in one calendar year does not require an STR certificate.
On taxes, Georgia law authorizes counties to levy a hotel-motel excise tax of up to 8%. The exact local rate applicable in Putnam County was not confirmed from a primary source in the available data. Operators should verify the current tax rate directly with the county before filing.
No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement was found. No annual nights cap was found. Enforcement is rated moderate and complaint-driven rather than proactively enforced. The county maintains a public STR complaint process and can act against non-compliant properties.
Market Comparison
Eatonton’s April 2026 occupancy of 50.4% is below the US STR median of approximately 55% but close enough to reflect a steady market rather than a distressed one. The ADR of $175 is below the national median of approximately $220, consistent with a mid-tier lake destination rather than a premium coastal or mountain resort.
The standout characteristic is consistency. Most leisure STR markets see winter occupancy drop to 30 to 40% in trough months; Eatonton’s January floor of 43.1% is above what most similarly priced markets achieve in their worst month. This stability is why the investability score of 95 is so high despite the modest ADR.
Evolve is the dominant operator with 316 listings and a 4.66 average rating across 10,818 reviews. Orlando ranks second with 95 listings and a 4.70 rating across 4,424 reviews. Patriot Family Homes manages 71 listings with a 4.30 rating. Together the top three operators account for 482 listings, roughly 5% of total market inventory, indicating that independent operators control the vast majority of supply.
The market’s total score of 76 is solid, with the high investability (95) and seasonality (84) scores being the primary strengths. The low revenue growth score (44) is the key caveat: the market’s revenue trajectory has been flat since 2022, and operators entering this market should underwrite for stability rather than growth.
Frequently Asked Questions About Eatonton, Georgia
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