Alpena, Michigan Short-Term Rental Market
Alpena, MI short-term rentals averaged $272 a night at 60.6% occupancy in June 2026, though new registrations are now frozen.
Quick Answer: Alpena, Michigan is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 61%. average monthly revenue is $3,990. average daily rate is $272. the top operator is MiCasa Stays with 96 listings. market score is 72/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Michigan East Coastal regional market, which includes Alpena. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Alpena.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Alpena, MI is the largest city on Michigan’s Lake Huron Sunrise Coast, with 10,154 residents. Listing-level inventory counts, bedroom mix, channel mix, and market-score benchmarks in this data set are currently tracked at a shared regional level rather than measured uniquely for Alpena, so this profile omits those figures rather than present regional numbers as if they were Alpena-specific.
In the most recent month of data (June 2026), the average daily rate across all listings was $271.54 and average occupancy was 60.61%. Average monthly revenue per listing was $3,990, with standalone houses averaging $4,302 a month and entire-place listings averaging $4,059, both well ahead of the $2,387 average for apartment-style listings.
Year over year, occupancy fell 2.9 percentage points and average daily rate dropped 5.5%, though revenue per listing still edged up 0.5%. A March 2026 city ordinance changed the rules for new STR operators, covered in the regulatory summary below.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36% | $144 | $1,529 |
| Feb | 42% | $147 | $1,501 |
| Mar | 43% | $141 | $1,612 |
| Apr | 44% | $147 | $1,534 |
| May | 49% | $189 | $1,840 |
| Jun | 61% | $228 | $3,211 |
| Jul | 74% | $231 | $4,431 |
| Aug | 67% | $229 | $4,111 |
| Sep | 41% | $198 | $2,285 |
| Oct | 39% | $167 | $1,912 |
| Nov | 39% | $154 | $1,667 |
| Dec | 40% | $157 | $1,738 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Alpena
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MiCasa Stays | 96 | 3,722 | ★ 4.70 |
| 2 | Evolve | 63 | 1,959 | ★ 4.54 |
| 3 | Creative Conservation | 24 | 487 | ★ 4.67 |
| 4 | Hunger & Ransom | 22 | 827 | ★ 4.65 |
| 5 | LiveSuites | 16 | 530 | ★ 4.23 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Alpena?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 372 |
| 2 bed | 692 |
| 3 bed | 570 |
| 4 bed | 186 |
| 5 bed | 131 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $275 |
| Luxury | $457 |
| Professionally Managed | $325 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,387 |
| Entire Place | $4,059 |
| House | $4,302 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 40.2% |
| vrbo | 15.9% |
| both | 43.9% |
Investment Analysis
Before evaluating returns, the most important fact for a prospective Alpena investor is regulatory: on March 19, 2026, the City of Alpena adopted Ordinance No. 26-517, a one-year moratorium that blocks any new short-term rental registrations. Only the 56 units already registered as of March 1, 2026 may continue operating and renew. That means the yield and revenue figures below describe the existing, already-registered market, not an opportunity currently open to a new buyer trying to register a new STR in the city.
For context on that existing market, Zillow’s typical home value in Alpena is $194,568, well below most markets in this data set, with a median sale price of $177,333 against a median list price of $216,500 and homes selling at 81.9% of list price with a median 8 days to pending. Against the $3,990 average monthly revenue per listing, about $47,883 annualized, that works out to a gross short-term rental yield of roughly 24.6% of the typical home value for an already-registered property, a very high figure driven by Alpena’s low home prices relative to strong summer rental income.
Revenue held essentially flat year over year (up 0.5%) even as occupancy fell 2.9 percentage points and average daily rate dropped 5.5%, suggesting operators discounted rate to defend bookings. Given the moratorium, that 24.6% yield applies only to the fixed pool of 56 registered STRs; it is not a reproducible opportunity for new entrants unless the city’s pending review changes the registration freeze.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Guests book Alpena short-term rentals an average of 87.8 days in advance, one of the longer lead times in this data set, and the average length of stay is 3.83 nights. That long booking window suggests travelers are planning Thunder Bay diving trips, boat tours, and Lake Huron getaways well ahead of their visit rather than booking on short notice.
At a 3.83-night average stay, a fully booked calendar works out to roughly 95 turnovers a year, a meaningful cleaning and turnover workload concentrated into the short June-through-August peak season. For the 56 currently registered operators, the long lead time offers real room to lock in summer pricing early, though the moratorium on new registrations means that operating base is not likely to grow in the near term. Existing operators effectively compete only against each other for the summer demand pool, rather than against an expanding pool of new listings, at least for the duration of the freeze.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are legal in the City of Alpena, but the regulatory landscape changed sharply in 2026. On March 19, 2026, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 26-517, a one-year moratorium blocking any new STR registrations. Only the 56 units already registered as of March 1, 2026 may continue operating and renew; new registrations are blocked while a subcommittee studies numeric caps, a local business-permit process, and recurring inspections. The city cited a 0.4% rental vacancy rate and a broader housing availability crisis as its motivation, and a 2025 Master Plan survey found majority support among residents for numeric caps (55%), a business-permit process (57%), and recurring inspections (69%).
Outside the moratorium’s freeze on new registrations, the underlying framework requires every STR to enroll in the city’s Rental Registration Program, pass a housing-standards inspection before any occupancy, and match the property’s zoning designation. Owners living outside Alpena County and more than 20 miles from the city must designate a local agent. Buyers of an existing registered rental have 30 days to re-register at no fee, but a property without existing registration cannot be newly registered as an STR while the moratorium is in effect.
On taxes, Michigan levies a 6% state use tax on lodging, and a local accommodation tax may also apply, though no city-specific STR lodging-tax rate was confirmed in this data set. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement. Enforcement is rated moderate. Investors should treat the moratorium as the controlling fact for any Alpena STR purchase decision until the city’s review concludes.
Market Comparison
Alpena’s 60.61% average occupancy in the latest month runs above the roughly 55% median occupancy typically seen across the broader US short-term rental market, and its $271.54 average daily rate sits well above the roughly $220 national median, a combination that reflects a small, high-demand niche market around Thunder Bay tourism rather than a broad-based leisure destination.
Property manager rankings and total listing counts for this market are tracked at a shared regional level rather than distinctly for Alpena, so this profile omits a market-specific operator breakdown rather than present shared data as Alpena-specific.
Frequently Asked Questions About Alpena, Michigan
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