Clear Lake, Iowa Short-Term Rental Market
Clear Lake, IA STRs averaged $137/night at 51.4% occupancy in April 2026, with revenue growth of 8.5% year-over-year.
Quick Answer: Clear Lake, Iowa is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 61%. average monthly revenue is $3,283. average daily rate is $200. the top operator is Evolve with 93 listings. market score is 76/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Iowa Area regional market, which includes Clear Lake. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Clear Lake.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Clear Lake, IA is a long-established lake resort town in north-central Iowa built around its 3,600-acre namesake lake and the Surf Ballroom, the National Historic Landmark and site of Buddy Holly’s final concert. The STR market spans approximately 6,196 active listings and posted 51.37% occupancy, a $137.01 average daily rate, and RevPAR of $70.38 in April 2026. Year-over-year performance through April 2026 showed accelerating recovery: occupancy grew 7.13%, ADR rose 2.82%, and revenue increased 8.48%.
Entire-place listings account for 5,621 of 6,196 total (90.7%). Private rooms number 579 and shared rooms just 2. By bedroom count: 1-bedrooms lead at 1,959, followed by 2-bedrooms (1,706), 3-bedrooms (1,427), 4-bedrooms (705), and 5-bedrooms (399). Airbnb-exclusive listings number 3,641; VRBO-exclusive 475; and 2,086 appear on both platforms.
The market scores 76.23 overall, with rental demand at 78.53 and investability at 84.39. The regulation score of 62.29 reflects Iowa’s unique preemption law, which eliminates local STR permitting requirements. Revenue growth scores 70.72, consistent with the recent upward trend in the data.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41% | $112 | $1,337 |
| Feb | 45% | $109 | $1,306 |
| Mar | 50% | $110 | $1,495 |
| Apr | 50% | $116 | $1,527 |
| May | 54% | $138 | $1,862 |
| Jun | 61% | $175 | $2,803 |
| Jul | 64% | $180 | $3,161 |
| Aug | 57% | $169 | $2,721 |
| Sep | 50% | $143 | $1,946 |
| Oct | 50% | $133 | $1,893 |
| Nov | 48% | $123 | $1,630 |
| Dec | 46% | $120 | $1,579 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Clear Lake
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 93 | 2,760 | ★ 4.64 |
| 2 | Okoboji Vacation Co. | 59 | 975 | ★ 4.69 |
| 3 | 228 Spaces | 36 | 1,026 | ★ 4.76 |
| 4 | CR Short Stays | 30 | 2,429 | ★ 4.86 |
| 5 | Iowa Cabin Rentals | 23 | 378 | ★ 4.20 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Clear Lake?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,959 |
| 2 bed | 1,706 |
| 3 bed | 1,427 |
| 4 bed | 705 |
| 5 bed | 399 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $210 |
| Luxury | $384 |
| Professionally Managed | $246 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,604 |
| Entire Place | $3,454 |
| House | $3,734 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 58.7% |
| vrbo | 7.7% |
| both | 33.6% |
Investment Analysis
Clear Lake offers a moderate-ADR, mid-occupancy investment case with strong recent momentum. At $137.01 ADR and 51.37% occupancy in April 2026, average monthly revenue was $1,824. Annualized at that rate, gross revenue is approximately $21,890. The 8.48% year-over-year revenue gain in April 2026 is the second-strongest growth rate in this five-market batch, behind only Clayton NC.
No housing snapshot data is available for Clear Lake, preventing a gross yield calculation against acquisition cost. The town’s second-home and seasonal-cabin nature likely means acquisition prices for lakefront properties differ significantly from the broader Cerro Gordo County market.
Tier differences are moderate. Entire-home listings average $144.16 versus $137.01 all-listings. Professionally managed listings average $151.28, a modest $14.27 premium (10.4%). The luxury tier at $258.67 is 1.9x the all-listings average, the largest luxury multiple in this five-market batch relative to the base rate. This suggests that high-end lakefront properties command outsized rate premiums in a market where mid-tier inventory is plentiful.
The annual revenue trend shows growth from $1,517 monthly average in 2017 to a 2021 peak of $2,176, a post-peak correction through 2024 ($2,175), and renewed growth in 2025 ($2,228). The 2026 year-to-date average (through April) of $1,666 reflects the winter and early spring months; summer will lift the annual average materially.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
The average booking lead time in Clear Lake is 40.56 days, approximately five to six weeks in advance. This is consistent with a lake resort destination where summer weeks are planned ahead but not as far in advance as major mountain or coastal destinations.
The average length of stay is 4.39 nights, the longest in this five-market batch. A 4.39-night average in a lake destination makes sense: guests traveling to a lakefront property typically want a long weekend (3-4 nights) or a full week, and the average reflects that mix. Longer average stays reduce turnover frequency and cleaning costs per month. For operators with strong summer July occupancy (64.20%), a 4.39-night stay means approximately 4-5 bookings per month during peak season, versus 7-8 bookings in a 2-night stay market at comparable occupancy.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Clear Lake operates under Iowa’s statewide STR preemption framework, making it one of the least regulated STR markets by law in the Midwest. Iowa House File 2641, passed in 2020, prohibits cities and counties from banning STRs, requiring STR-specific permits or licenses, or charging STR-specific fees. STRs must be treated as residential land use. As a result, Clear Lake’s earlier 2017 vacation-rental permitting ordinance (Chapter 153), which had required a permit for stays under one month, is void and no longer enforceable.
Operators in Clear Lake do NOT need a city STR permit. No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies. No annual night cap has been documented.
Tax obligations remain: operators must register with the Iowa Department of Revenue and collect and remit the 5% Iowa state hotel and motel (lodging) tax plus the City of Clear Lake’s 7% local hotel and motel tax, for approximately 12% total lodging tax on stays under 31 days. Airbnb collects some Iowa lodging taxes on hosts’ behalf, but operators remain responsible for verifying full compliance. General building, safety, nuisance, and zoning rules still apply and must be enforced equally to all comparable residential properties. Enforcement specific to STRs is rated minimal.
Market Comparison
Clear Lake’s April 2026 occupancy of 51.37% is near the US STR median of approximately 55%. Its ADR of $137.01 is below the national median of roughly $220, positioning this as an accessible-price lake destination rather than a premium market. The 8.48% year-over-year revenue growth through April 2026 is strong relative to national trends.
The regulation score of 62.29 is the lowest of the five markets in this batch, reflecting Iowa’s state preemption that eliminates local registration requirements — paradoxically, the lowest regulation score corresponds to the most operator-friendly regulatory environment. The investability score of 84.39 supports this interpretation.
On the operator side, Evolve leads with 93 listings and 2,760 reviews (4.64 rating). Okoboji Vacation Co. ranks second with 59 listings and 975 reviews (4.69 rating), representing a regional Iowa lake-country specialist. 228 Spaces holds third with 36 listings and 1,026 reviews (4.76 rating). CR Short Stays ranks fourth with only 30 listings but a standout 2,429 reviews and the highest rating in the top five at 4.86. The top-5 operators manage 241 listings combined, approximately 3.9% of the 6,196-listing market — the lowest operator concentration of the five markets in this batch. Independent operators are well-positioned to compete here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Clear Lake, Iowa
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