Culver, Indiana Short-Term Rental Market
Culver, IN STRs averaged $157/night at 54.5% occupancy in April 2026, driven by Lake Maxinkuckee demand.
Quick Answer: Culver, Indiana is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 55%. average monthly revenue is $2,181. average daily rate is $157. the top operator is Evolve with 171 listings. market score is 78/100 (grade B).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Culver is a small lakeside resort town on Lake Maxinkuckee, Indiana’s second-largest natural lake at 1,864 acres, with a year-round population of approximately 1,183 that swells significantly during the summer season. The short-term rental market is driven almost entirely by lake recreation (boating, sailing, fishing, kayaking) and the Culver Academies boarding school, which draws visiting residents to family events and summer programs. Midwest leisure visitors from Indianapolis, Chicago, and South Bend form the core demand base.
In April 2026, the average daily rate was $156.82 and occupancy reached 54.5%, producing a RevPAR of $85.49. Year-over-year, occupancy rose 4.95 percentage points and revenue grew 3.83%, with ADR up 3.16%. The listing inventory is dominated by entire-place rentals at 7,129 units, with 692 private-room listings and 2 shared-room units. Channel distribution skews toward Airbnb, with 4,182 Airbnb-only listings, 497 VRBO-only, and 3,144 on both platforms.
The bedroom mix favors smaller to mid-size properties: 1-bedroom units lead at 2,454 listings, followed by 2-bedroom (2,186) and 3-bedroom (1,828). Larger configurations include 787 four-bedroom and 554 five-bedroom-or-larger units, reflecting the lake cottage and vacation-home character of the inventory.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39% | $129 | $1,541 |
| Feb | 48% | $129 | $1,541 |
| Mar | 51% | $135 | $1,849 |
| Apr | 51% | $143 | $1,893 |
| May | 53% | $167 | $2,192 |
| Jun | 62% | $212 | $3,351 |
| Jul | 67% | $221 | $3,995 |
| Aug | 59% | $212 | $3,451 |
| Sep | 50% | $183 | $2,482 |
| Oct | 51% | $165 | $2,400 |
| Nov | 47% | $153 | $2,017 |
| Dec | 45% | $147 | $1,887 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Culver
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 171 | 6,322 | ★ 4.70 |
| 2 | Beachwalk Vacation Rentals | 139 | 4,331 | ★ 4.72 |
| 3 | General Manager of Hills O' Brown Vacation Rentals | 71 | 2,216 | ★ 4.70 |
| 4 | Imperial Access Rental | 48 | 138 | ★ 4.68 |
| 5 | MTM Premier Property Management | 40 | 1,054 | ★ 4.78 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Culver?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,454 |
| 2 bed | 2,186 |
| 3 bed | 1,828 |
| 4 bed | 787 |
| 5 bed | 554 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $165 |
| Luxury | $314 |
| Professionally Managed | $198 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,712 |
| Entire Place | $2,291 |
| House | $2,376 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 53.5% |
| vrbo | 6.4% |
| both | 40.2% |
Investment Analysis
Culver’s investment case rests on strong summer demand from a well-established Midwestern lake-resort market that has operated for well over a century. The April 2026 average monthly revenue of $2,181 annualizes to approximately $26,168 at the April run rate, though July peak revenue of $3,995 per listing illustrates the substantial summer upside. No housing snapshot data is available in this dataset to compute an entry-cost yield ratio.
Tier comparisons reveal meaningful differentiation. The luxury tier commanded $313.82 per night versus $156.82 for all listings, a premium of nearly $157 per night. Professionally managed listings averaged $197.85, a $41 premium over the blended rate, suggesting that active management yields a measurable rate improvement. Entire-home listings averaged $165.42 and house-specific listings averaged $2,376 per month in April. The investability score of 96.75 out of 100 reflects strong fundamentals. Occupancy has trended upward from 52.45% in 2024 to 52.49% in 2025 and 54.52% in April 2026, indicating demand is recovering after the post-pandemic normalization period. The revenue growth sub-score of 62.46 and rental demand sub-score of 79.53 confirm solid but not exceptional growth momentum.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Analyze My Property →Booking Insights
The average booking lead time in Culver was 39.54 days in April 2026, shorter than many comparable lake markets, meaning guests typically reserve roughly five to six weeks in advance. The average length of stay was 4.12 nights, the highest among the markets in this batch, consistent with a vacation destination where guests plan multi-night lake trips rather than quick weekend getaways.
The 4-night average stay meaningfully reduces turnover frequency and cleaning costs per booking. Operators can structure pricing to incentivize weekly stays (7 nights) during peak summer months, when demand is strong enough to support minimum-stay requirements. The shorter 40-day lead window relative to other lake markets suggests some last-minute summer demand, which operators can capture through open-availability pricing strategies in the 30-day window before peak dates.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are legal in Culver. Indiana state law (HB 1035, codified at IC 36-1-24) prohibits municipalities from outright banning STRs and caps any local STR permit fee at $150. No Culver-specific STR ordinance (permit, registration, owner-occupancy, or annual night cap) was confirmed as of June 2026. The town’s visitor center actively promotes over 90 Airbnb and VRBO listings in the area, indicating STRs are tolerated throughout residential and lakefront neighborhoods. Enforcement severity is rated minimal.
On taxes, stays under 30 days are subject to Indiana’s 7% state sales tax plus Marshall County’s 5% County Innkeeper’s Tax, effective May 1, 2021, for a combined lodging tax of approximately 12% on the total rental amount including cleaning and guest fees. Airbnb and VRBO may collect some of these taxes automatically, but hosts are responsible for registration and remittance with the Indiana Department of Revenue. Investors should verify current requirements directly with Town Hall at (574) 842-3140 before operating.
Market Comparison
Against national STR benchmarks (U.S. median occupancy approximately 55%, median ADR approximately $220), Culver’s April 2026 occupancy of 54.5% is close to the national median while the $156.82 ADR trails the national average, reflecting the Indiana Midwest regional price point rather than a coastal or mountain premium market. The market’s 2025 annual average occupancy of 52.49% is slightly below the national median.
Evolve leads the Culver operator landscape with 171 listings and 6,322 reviews at a 4.70 average rating. Beachwalk Vacation Rentals holds 139 listings at a 4.72 rating, and General Manager of Hills O’ Brown Vacation Rentals manages 71 listings at 4.70. Imperial Access Rental (48 listings, 4.68) and MTM Premier Property Management (40 listings, 4.78) round out the top five. The presence of strong local operators (Beachwalk, Hills O’ Brown) alongside Evolve indicates a competitive professional management market where local operators hold meaningful market share and local knowledge.
Frequently Asked Questions About Culver, Indiana
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