Ellijay, Georgia Short-Term Rental Market
Ellijay, GA STRs averaged $264/night at 40.6% occupancy in April 2026 across roughly 9,950 active listings.
Quick Answer: Ellijay, Georgia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the North GA Mtns market area is 54%. average monthly revenue in the North GA Mtns market area is $4,483. average daily rate in the North GA Mtns market area is $309. the top operator in the North GA Mtns market area is Evolve with 470 listings. market score is 88/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the North GA Mtns regional market, which includes Ellijay. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Ellijay.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Ellijay sits in Gilmer County in the North Georgia mountains, about 90 miles north of Atlanta, and is one of the South’s most active cabin rental markets. Across approximately 9,951 tracked listings in April 2026, operators posted an average daily rate of $263.67 and an occupancy rate of 40.6%, yielding a RevPAR of $106.96. Average monthly revenue per listing reached $3,097 that month.
The market trends modestly positive on a year-over-year basis: occupancy improved 2.0 percentage points, ADR rose 2.9%, and revenue grew 2.9% compared to the same month a year earlier. The 2025 full-year annual average came in at 46.9% occupancy, $283 ADR, and $3,807 monthly revenue, continuing a gradual recovery from the 2022 post-pandemic pullback.
The listing mix is almost entirely entire-place rentals: 9,838 of the roughly 9,956 tracked listings (about 98.8%) are entire-place bookings, with just 117 private rooms and 1 shared room. By bedroom count, 3-bedroom cabins dominate with 3,276 listings, followed by 2-bedroom (2,458), 4-bedroom (1,776), 1-bedroom (1,526), and 5-bedroom (915). Distribution skews toward multi-channel operators: 7,045 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 2,014 are Airbnb-only, and 897 are VRBO-only. The market’s total investability score of 91.82 out of 100 is among the higher readings in the region.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 33% |
| Feb | 39% |
| Mar | 48% |
| Apr | 44% |
| May | 44% |
| Jun | 58% |
| Jul | 64% |
| Aug | 47% |
| Sep | 47% |
| Oct | 61% |
| Nov | 55% |
| Dec | 51% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Ellijay are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in North GA Mtns market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the North GA Mtns market as a whole, which includes Ellijay, so these counts are not Ellijay-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 470 | 28,108 | ★ 4.76 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 457 | 32,402 | ★ 4.58 |
| 3 | Escape To Blue Ridge | 371 | 4,391 | ★ 4.78 |
| 4 | Southern Comfort Cabin Rentals | 292 | 5,288 | ★ 4.71 |
| 5 | Georgia CFY | 187 | 4,592 | ★ 4.57 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Ellijay?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Ellijay 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 | 20.2% |
| vrbo | 9% |
| both | 70.8% |
Home Value Trends (Ellijay)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Ellijay 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 Ellijay — 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
Ellijay STR regulation operates at two levels: the City of Ellijay and Gilmer County, and operators must comply with the jurisdiction where their parcel sits.
Inside city limits, the City of Ellijay adopted its STR ordinance in February 2022 (Code of Ordinances Chapter 60). STRs are primarily restricted to the Central Business District; residential zones allow them only by conditional use approval, which neighboring owners may contest. A city permit and business license are both required.
In unincorporated Gilmer County, Gilmer County adopted Chapter 45 in April 2025. All unincorporated STRs were required to register by July 1, 2025. Full enforcement of penalties for unlicensed operation began January 1, 2026. Licenses renew annually by December 31. Operators must designate a local responsible contact, post the license at the property, and observe quiet hours (10 pm to 8 am Sunday through Friday; 11 pm to 8 am Friday and Saturday). A 24/7 complaint hotline (762-543-5187) supports enforcement.
Occupancy tax: the City of Ellijay applies an 8% hotel-motel tax on short-term rental revenue, plus 4% state sales tax and applicable county sales tax, remitted monthly by the 20th.
No owner-occupancy requirement and no primary-residence requirement apply in either jurisdiction. No state-mandated cap on total rental nights applies. Enforcement severity is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
Ellijay’s April 2026 ADR of $263.67 is above the US STR median of approximately $220 per night, reflecting the premium that cabin inventory commands in a destination mountain market. At 40.6% occupancy, the market is below the US STR median of roughly 55%, which is common for April in mountain cabin markets where spring is a shoulder season. Summer and fall months close that gap substantially, with July and October both exceeding 60%.
The market is heavily served by professional property managers. Evolve leads with 470 listings (4.76 rating, 28,108 reviews), followed closely by Vacasa with 457 listings (4.58 rating, 32,402 reviews) and Escape To Blue Ridge with 371 listings (4.78 rating, 4,391 reviews). Southern Comfort Cabin Rentals holds 292 listings (4.71 rating) and Georgia CFY has 187 listings (4.57 rating). These five operators together account for roughly 1,777 listings, approximately 17.9% of the estimated 9,951-listing market. The dominance of regional and national managers indicates a competitive, professionally organized market where individual operators must invest in quality and pricing discipline to compete.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ellijay, Georgia
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