Ellijay, Georgia Short-Term Rental Market
With permits required, North Georgia Mountains STRs averaged $297 ADR, 45.7% occupancy and $3,745 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Ellijay, Georgia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the North GA Mtns market area is 46%. average monthly revenue in the North GA Mtns market area is $3,745. average daily rate in the North GA Mtns market area is $297. 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
This profile covers the Ellijay area within the North Georgia Mountains STR market. The metric series is shared with other towns in the North Georgia Mountains, so every performance figure below describes the North Georgia Mountains STR market as a whole rather than Ellijay alone. Ellijay sits in Gilmer County and has a population of 2,044. As of September 2026, the North Georgia Mountains STR market averaged a daily rate of $297, occupancy of 45.7%, and monthly revenue of $3,745 per listing. Entire-home listings averaged $298 per night, close to the all-listings figure. Compared with September 2025, occupancy is up 15.0%, ADR is up 2.5%, and revenue is up 16.1%, so the recent gain came mostly from more booked nights rather than higher rates. Yearly averages show the longer arc. Occupancy peaked at 61.7% in 2020 and 61.0% in 2021, then eased to 46.8% in 2025, while ADR climbed from $211 in 2019 to $284 in 2025. The 2026 year to date figures through September show 43.9% occupancy, a $286 ADR, and $3,576 in monthly revenue, which includes the slower winter and spring months. Demand is anchored by leisure travel from Atlanta and the Southeast. The Georgia Apple Festival in October draws more than 50,000 attendees over two weekends, and apple orchards, river tubing, wineries, and hiking in the Chattahoochee National Forest support visits through the year. Bedroom, channel, and listing-type counts and top operators are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Ellijay, so this profile omits them.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 33% |
| Feb | 39% |
| Mar | 48% |
| Apr | 44% |
| May | 45% |
| Jun | 57% |
| Jul | 63% |
| 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
Short-term rentals are permitted in the Ellijay area, but a permit is required and two jurisdictions apply depending on parcel location. Inside City of Ellijay limits, the ordinance adopted in February 2022 restricts STRs primarily to the Central Business District, with limited conditional use exceptions, and most residential zones prohibit them. In unincorporated Gilmer County, STRs are broadly permitted under the Chapter 45 ordinance adopted in April 2025, including rural residential and agricultural zones, subject to host licensing and operational rules. The required credential is a Short-Term Rental Host License plus a business license, and the county and city run separate programs. Licenses renew annually, and the county license renews each calendar year with a December 31 deadline. Unincorporated STRs had to register by July 1, 2025, full enforcement began January 1, 2026, and the county adopted a formal fee structure on December 15, 2025. Operators must designate a local responsible contact, post the license at the property, and observe quiet hours of 10pm to 8am Sunday through Friday and 11pm to 8am Friday and Saturday. The occupancy tax is 8%, plus 4% state sales tax and county sales tax, remitted monthly by the 20th. No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies. Enforcement severity is rated moderate, with fines and possible license revocation for unlicensed operation, tax non-compliance, or zoning violations, and a 24/7 complaint hotline supports enforcement.
Market Comparison
The North Georgia Mountains STR market shows a split result between occupancy and rate. Occupancy of 45.7% is modest, while the ADR of $297 is lifted by luxury listings at $460 and professionally managed listings at $326. Monthly revenue of $3,745 reflects that trade-off: rates carry the market rather than booked nights. Only the peak months of July (63.1%) and October (61.4%) run above 60% occupancy, and June at 57.5% is the next strongest. Year over year, occupancy is up 15.0%, ADR is up 2.5%, and revenue is up 16.1%. Top operators are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Ellijay, so this profile omits them. For investors, the practical read is that the area rewards higher-quality, higher-rate inventory and careful seasonal pricing, and that underwriting on peak-month occupancy would overstate results.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ellijay, Georgia
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