Hartwell, Georgia Short-Term Rental Market
Hartwell, GA STRs averaged $172/night at 58.3% occupancy in April 2026, with revenue up 9.6% year-over-year.
Quick Answer: Hartwell, Georgia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Atlanta market area is 57%. average monthly revenue in the Atlanta market area is $3,149. average daily rate in the Atlanta market area is $209. the top operator in the Atlanta market area is Evolve with 343 listings. market score is 63/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Atlanta regional market, which includes Hartwell. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Hartwell.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Hartwell sits on the shores of Lake Hartwell, a 55,900-acre U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir straddling the Georgia-South Carolina border, making it one of the top-five most-visited Corps lakes in the country with an estimated 9.6 million annual visitors across both states. The STR market here is large relative to the small city population of 4,638, with approximately 25,239 active listings by bedroom count, reflecting the broad lake-area market that extends well beyond Hartwell’s city limits. Entire-place units dominate at 20,097 listings (80% of supply), with private rooms at 5,115 and shared rooms at 70. The bedroom mix skews toward one-bedrooms (11,566 listings), followed by two-bedrooms (5,175), three-bedrooms (4,846), four-bedrooms (2,311), and five-plus-bedrooms (1,341). Channel distribution shows Airbnb dominance with 15,554 single-channel listings and 8,598 cross-listed on both Airbnb and VRBO, while 1,130 are VRBO-only. In April 2026, market-wide occupancy was 58.25%, ADR was $171.98, and RevPAR reached $100.18. Year-over-year, occupancy edged up 0.38 percentage points, ADR rose 3.06%, and revenue increased a strong 9.64%, the best of the five metrics. The market scored 62.8/100 overall, with revenue growth at 64.2/100 and seasonality at 98.1/100.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 51% |
| Feb | 54% |
| Mar | 60% |
| Apr | 56% |
| May | 59% |
| Jun | 62% |
| Jul | 63% |
| Aug | 58% |
| Sep | 54% |
| Oct | 58% |
| Nov | 55% |
| Dec | 54% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Hartwell are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Atlanta market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Atlanta market as a whole, which includes Hartwell, so these counts are not Hartwell-only figures.
| # | 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 Hartwell?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Hartwell 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 | 61.5% |
| vrbo | 4.5% |
| both | 34% |
Home Value Trends (Hartwell)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Hartwell 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 Hartwell — 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 in the Hartwell and Lake Hartwell area. Hart County adopted an STR ordinance effective July 29, 2022, aimed at minimizing adverse effects on residential neighborhoods. Under that framework, owners must designate a responsible person age 21 or older who is legally accountable for guest conduct. A short-term rental license exists and is subject to suspension or revocation for violations. Enforcement is tiered over any rolling 12-month period: first violation up to $500 plus a written warning; second up to $750 plus a 30-to-90-day license suspension; third up to $1,000 plus one-year revocation. On taxes, Georgia’s $5-per-night hotel-motel fee applies, and Airbnb and VRBO collect the 4% state accommodations excise on stays of 89 nights or fewer. The City of Hartwell’s local hotel-motel excise tax rate is 8% (unincorporated Hart County is 5%). No owner-occupancy, primary-residence requirement, or annual night cap was found. License fees and renewal cadence were not published in reviewed sources. Investors should confirm current requirements directly with the City of Hartwell business license and planning office and with the Hart County ordinance text. The city’s Code of Ordinances was recodified via Ordinance No. 2024-08 adopted January 6, 2025; no new STR-specific provisions were confirmed in that recodification.
Market Comparison
Hartwell’s 58.3% April occupancy is slightly above the US STR median of approximately 55%, a solid baseline for a lake market in the South. Its $172 ADR is below the US median of roughly $220, appropriate for a market driven by lake cabins rather than premium coastal or urban inventory. The 9.6% year-over-year revenue growth is a strong differentiator, outperforming most comparable leisure markets. Evolve leads operator activity with 343 listings and 7,207 reviews at a 4.39 rating. Minty Living holds 198 listings with a 4.70 rating and 5,240 reviews. Properties By Preston (123 listings, 3.54 rating) and Landing, Inc. (115 listings, 3.88 rating) round out the mid-tier. FHS Partners manages 100 listings with a strong 4.29 rating and 4,057 reviews. The top five operators together account for roughly 879 listings out of approximately 25,239 total, a highly fragmented market where independent operators dominate.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hartwell, Georgia
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