Baldwin, Michigan Short-Term Rental Market
Baldwin, Michigan STR operators averaged $161/night at 49.2% occupancy in April 2026 with a 97.3 investability score.
Quick Answer: Baldwin, Michigan is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Michigan Area market area is 61%. average monthly revenue in the Michigan Area market area is $3,813. average daily rate in the Michigan Area market area is $248. the top operator in the Michigan Area market area is Evolve with 367 listings. market score is 80/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Michigan Area regional market, which includes Baldwin. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Baldwin.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Baldwin sits at the center of Lake County in northern Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, anchored by the Pere Marquette River, one of the country’s premier fly-fishing trout streams, and surrounded by Manistee National Forest. The area draws anglers, canoeists, campers, hunters, and motorcycle enthusiasts, with a visitor base pulling from the Grand Rapids and Detroit metro areas roughly two hours away.
As of April 2026, the short-term rental market recorded an average daily rate of $161, occupancy of 49.2%, and RevPAR of $79. Average monthly revenue per active listing was $1,955. Year-over-year, ADR rose 3.1% while occupancy dipped a marginal 0.2% and revenue slipped 2.2%, indicating a slight softening in demand against steady rate growth.
The market is dominated by entire-place listings, which account for 8,475 of 9,130 tracked units (92.8%). Private rooms make up another 651 listings. By bedroom count, 2-bedroom properties are the most common segment (2,623 units), followed closely by 3-bedroom (2,498) and 1-bedroom (2,252) listings; 4-bedroom and 5-bedroom homes represent smaller but meaningful shares at 1,102 and 630 units respectively. Airbnb is the primary channel with 4,192 single-platform listings, while 3,798 properties are active on both Airbnb and VRBO, reflecting strong dual-channel distribution.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 39% |
| Feb | 44% |
| Mar | 44% |
| Apr | 48% |
| May | 52% |
| Jun | 62% |
| Jul | 71% |
| Aug | 64% |
| Sep | 46% |
| Oct | 45% |
| Nov | 42% |
| Dec | 45% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Baldwin are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Michigan Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Michigan Area market as a whole, which includes Baldwin, so these counts are not Baldwin-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 367 | 11,455 | ★ 4.68 |
| 2 | Freshwater Vacation Rentals | 61 | 2,578 | ★ 4.85 |
| 3 | LiveSuites | 59 | 1,209 | ★ 4.67 |
| 4 | Short Term Rentals | 31 | 2,493 | ★ 4.68 |
| 5 | Simple Lyfe Stays | 29 | 2,365 | ★ 4.85 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Baldwin?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Baldwin 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 | 45.9% |
| vrbo | 12.5% |
| both | 41.6% |
Home Value Trends (Baldwin)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Baldwin 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 Baldwin — 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
Baldwin and the surrounding Webber Township have no identified standalone short-term-rental ordinance, license, or permit requirement. STRs operate under Michigan state law and general local zoning rules. No local registration, permit fee, nightly cap, owner-occupancy requirement, or primary-residence restriction has been identified.
The primary compliance obligation is tax. Michigan applies a 6% state use tax to transient lodging stays under 30 days. Major booking platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO typically collect and remit this tax on behalf of hosts. Lake County does not appear to levy an additional local accommodations or lodging excise tax, so the all-in lodging tax burden is generally the 6% state rate.
Enforcement is rated minimal given the absence of a dedicated local ordinance. However, owners should confirm zoning for their specific parcel with the Village of Baldwin or Webber Township, review any deed restrictions or HOA covenants (which can ban STRs regardless of municipal code), and verify platform tax collection is active. At the state level, Michigan legislators have introduced STR standardization bills in recent sessions, but no statewide framework had been enacted as of mid-2026. Investors should monitor future legislative developments.
Market Comparison
Baldwin’s April 2026 occupancy of 49.2% sits below the US STR median of approximately 55%, which is partly explained by the seasonal nature of the market: April falls in the pre-summer shoulder, and full-year averages run closer to 50-51% (the 2025 annual average was 50.5%). ADR at $161 is below the national median of approximately $220, consistent with a rural Michigan market where property values are lower and the guest base is leisure-driven rather than urban-business.
On the operator side, Evolve leads the Baldwin market with 367 listings and 11,455 reviews (average rating 4.68), making it the dominant regional manager by a wide margin. Freshwater Vacation Rentals, a locally specialized operator, holds 61 listings with a 4.85 average rating across 2,578 reviews. LiveSuites operates 59 listings (4.67 average rating). The top three operators collectively represent approximately 5.3% of total market listings, indicating a fragmented market where independent hosts hold significant share. The high investability score of 97.3 suggests the market is underpriced relative to its demand fundamentals compared to similar outdoor-recreation STR markets nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions About Baldwin, Michigan
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