Cadillac, Michigan Short-Term Rental Market
Cadillac, MI STRs averaged $161/night at 49.2% occupancy in April 2026, driven by lakefront and outdoor recreation demand.
Quick Answer: Cadillac, 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 Cadillac. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Cadillac.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Cadillac’s short-term rental market is anchored by two connected lakes within city limits and access to 200-plus miles of trails, drawing an estimated 1 million visitors annually to a city of about 10,500 residents. In April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $161 and occupancy of 49.2%, translating to a RevPAR of $79. Average monthly revenue across all listings was $1,955.
The market supports approximately 9,100 active listings across all bedroom configurations. Two- and three-bedroom properties each account for roughly 2,600 and 2,500 listings respectively, making mid-size units the dominant supply segment. One-bedroom units number around 2,250, four-bedroom units around 1,100, and five-plus-bedroom properties roughly 630.
Whole-place rentals dominate the listing mix with about 8,475 units (93% of supply), while private rooms account for around 651 listings. On the platform side, Airbnb carries approximately 4,192 listings, VRBO around 1,140, and about 3,798 properties appear on both platforms simultaneously, indicating broad dual-channel distribution.
On a year-over-year basis as of April 2026, occupancy dipped slightly by 0.21 percentage points and revenue slipped 2.2%, while ADR rose 3.1%. The market’s investability score of 97.3 out of 100 and revenue-growth score of 80.4 point to strong structural fundamentals despite near-term softness in demand-side metrics.
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 Cadillac 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 Cadillac, so these counts are not Cadillac-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 Cadillac?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Cadillac 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 (Cadillac)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Cadillac 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 Cadillac — 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
Cadillac does not permit short-term rentals citywide. STRs are allowed only in specific commercial and tourist-service zoning districts. By-right permission exists in the Tourist Service districts (TS-1 and TS-2) and the B-1 Auxiliary Business district. In the B-2 Central Business district, STRs require Special Land Use approval from the Planning Commission. Following a 2024 amendment, the B-3 General Business district was added to the list of zones where STRs may be approved by special land use, expanding potential along the downtown Mitchell Street corridor.
All rental units must register with the city for a Registered Rental Certificate and pass inspection. Operating standards include timely management response, a ban on gatherings of non-registered occupants, no lawn parking, and an occupancy cap of two renters per bedroom, with defined grounds for permit revocation. Owner-occupancy and primary-residence requirements are not in place. There is no annual night cap.
Michigan collects a 6% state use (lodging) tax on stays under 30 days, which Airbnb remits automatically on behalf of hosts. No separate Cadillac or Wexford County local lodging tax was identified in the profile data. Permit cost data is not published in the current dataset.
Enforcement is rated moderate. The 2024 expansion of STR-eligible districts and an in-progress comprehensive zoning rewrite suggest the regulatory framework is evolving; investors should verify current zoning eligibility for any specific property before purchase.
Market Comparison
At 49.2% occupancy and $161 ADR in April 2026, Cadillac tracks below national STR benchmarks but operates in a distinct seasonal segment. The U.S. national median STR occupancy is approximately 55% and median ADR approximately $220. Cadillac’s occupancy gap reflects the pronounced seasonality of a northern Michigan outdoor-recreation destination, where winter months pull the annual average down despite a strong July peak of 71.1%.
Evolve leads the Cadillac market with 367 managed listings and 11,455 reviews at a 4.68 average rating, representing roughly 4% of total supply. Freshwater Vacation Rentals holds a strong regional position with 61 listings and a 4.85 average rating, while LiveSuites operates 59 listings at a 4.67 rating. The remaining top operators, Short Term Rentals (31 listings, 4.68 rating) and Simple Lyfe Stays (29 listings, 4.85 rating), are smaller but well-reviewed.
The professional management concentration is relatively low: the top 5 operators control approximately 547 of roughly 9,100 total listings, or about 6% of supply. This suggests most properties are self-managed, which is common in regional lake and trail markets where local operators have strong location knowledge. The market’s total score of 79.7 and investability score of 97.3 place it competitively among Midwest seasonal lake markets.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cadillac, Michigan
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