Central Lake, Michigan Short-Term Rental Market
Central Lake, MI short-term rentals peak at 75% occupancy and $6,100/month in July, reflecting an intensely seasonal northern Michigan lake market.
Quick Answer: Central Lake, Michigan is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 27%. average monthly revenue is $1,798. average daily rate is $240. the top operator is Northern Michigan Escapes with 198 listings. market score is 70/100 (grade C).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Central Lake is a village of approximately 960 residents in Antrim County, northern Michigan, situated at the head of the Chain of Lakes — a 70-plus-mile interconnected system of lakes and rivers that includes Torch Lake, rated by National Geographic among the world’s most beautiful lakes. The STR market here is overwhelmingly summer-seasonal, driven by boating, swimming, paddling, and lake-house recreation by drive-in visitors from Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana.
Approximately 4,252 active listings operate in the market, nearly all entire-place rentals (4,159 listings, or 97.8% of the total). Private rooms account for just 93 listings. The channel split reflects the vacation-rental profile: Airbnb accounts for 1,240 single-channel listings, VRBO holds 753, and 2,259 properties list on both platforms, giving VRBO meaningful exposure compared to urban markets. The bedroom mix skews toward mid-size properties: 3-bedroom listings lead at 1,160, followed by 2-bedrooms (1,103), 1-bedrooms (902), 4-bedrooms (679), and 5-bedroom-plus properties (404).
In April 2026 — a shoulder month — the market averaged $240 per night at 26.6% occupancy, producing a RevPAR of $64. Year-over-year, April occupancy declined 12.0 percentage points while ADR rose 5.5%, resulting in a net revenue change of -1.7% for the month. The market’s revenue growth score is 89.6 out of 100, and its investability score is 98.1, reflecting strong long-run income trajectory despite April-specific softness.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35% | $321 | $3,134 |
| Feb | 43% | $324 | $3,410 |
| Mar | 25% | $266 | $2,151 |
| Apr | 28% | $212 | $1,597 |
| May | 45% | $247 | $1,961 |
| Jun | 59% | $304 | $3,846 |
| Jul | 75% | $325 | $6,123 |
| Aug | 67% | $319 | $5,561 |
| Sep | 41% | $270 | $3,059 |
| Oct | 39% | $239 | $2,621 |
| Nov | 24% | $214 | $1,680 |
| Dec | 46% | $290 | $2,465 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Central Lake
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Michigan Escapes | 198 | 9,939 | ★ 4.69 |
| 2 | Evolve | 138 | 6,120 | ★ 4.71 |
| 3 | Graham Management | 73 | 1,279 | ★ 4.74 |
| 4 | Pure Vacation Management | 61 | 339 | ★ 4.73 |
| 5 | Vacasa | 48 | 925 | ★ 4.27 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Central Lake?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 902 |
| 2 bed | 1,103 |
| 3 bed | 1,160 |
| 4 bed | 679 |
| 5 bed | 404 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $243 |
| Luxury | $371 |
| Professionally Managed | $271 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,251 |
| Entire Place | $1,819 |
| House | $2,104 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 29.2% |
| vrbo | 17.7% |
| both | 53.1% |
Investment Analysis
Central Lake is a high-ADR, high-seasonality market. The 2025 annual average ADR was $322 per night with average monthly revenue of $3,792, up from $2,266 in 2017 — a 67% increase over eight years. Revenue has grown every year from 2019 through 2025, reaching the highest annual average in the dataset.
The ADR tier spread is substantial. The market-wide average was $240 in April 2026. Professionally managed listings averaged $271 (a 13% premium). Luxury-tier properties averaged $371, or 55% above the market average. Entire-home listings averaged $243. Houses produced the highest monthly revenue at $2,104, compared to $1,819 for entire-place listings broadly, while apartments averaged $1,251.
No Zillow housing snapshot was available for Central Lake at the time of data pull, so a precise gross yield cannot be calculated here. Investors should source current property prices independently. Given the annual revenue trajectory of $3,792 per month in 2025, the annualized gross revenue figure is approximately $45,500 for a well-positioned property at the 2025 annual average. The investability score of 98.1 out of 100 is among the highest in the dataset, reflecting the market’s revenue growth trajectory, though the seasonality score of 44.7 reflects the concentration of income in summer months.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
Run a Free Address Analysis
Skip the market averages. Get revenue projections, comp analysis, and ROI for your specific property address. Free, instant, no signup required.
Analyze My Property →Booking Insights
Central Lake guests book an average of 45.2 days in advance, a longer lead time than most urban markets and consistent with a vacation destination where travelers plan summer lake trips weeks or months ahead. This window gives hosts a 6-plus-week forward view of demand, which is useful for making minimum-stay and pricing decisions before the high-season booking window closes.
The average length of stay is 3.1 nights, shorter than might be expected for a lake destination. This likely reflects weekend-trip patterns that dominate the shoulder and transition months, with longer stays concentrated in peak summer weeks. At 3.1 nights, properties can turn over roughly 8-9 times in a month at full summer occupancy, supporting high revenue per available day despite the relatively short stay.
For pricing strategy, the 45-day lead time suggests publishing peak-season rates at their target level by mid-spring and holding firm through early summer. Minimum-stay policies of 3-4 nights on weekends can filter short-stay requests that drive up turnover costs without meaningfully suppressing revenue in July and August, when demand is strong enough to fill gaps.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Central Lake has no short-term rental ordinance. The Village of Central Lake’s official zoning page states that there are currently no ordinances regarding short-term rentals. This means there is no village STR permit, registration, fee, owner-occupancy requirement, primary-residence requirement, or annual night cap. STRs are permitted and governed only by the village’s general zoning ordinance and standard residential rules.
Michigan does not have a statewide STR licensing law; regulation is left to local governments, and Central Lake has not adopted one as of mid-2026. Enforcement is classified as minimal.
On taxes, Michigan imposes a 6% state use tax on lodging for stays under 30 days, which applies to Airbnb and VRBO rentals. Counties may levy up to a 5% local accommodations excise tax under the 1974 Accommodations Tax Act (PA 263), but no confirmed Antrim County local lodging excise tax was found. Investors should plan on the 6% state rate as the baseline and verify county tax status directly with Antrim County.
Investors should monitor the Village of Central Lake council and Antrim County township boards. Many northern Michigan and Chain-of-Lakes resort communities have debated or enacted STR restrictions in response to tourism pressure and housing availability concerns, and Central Lake’s regulatory environment could change.
Market Comparison
Central Lake’s 2025 annual ADR of $322 is significantly above the U.S. STR median of approximately $220, positioning it as a premium vacation market. Annual occupancy of 44.2% in 2025 is below the national median of roughly 55%, reflecting the market’s extreme seasonality rather than weak demand. During July, the 75.2% occupancy rate is well above national averages for comparable lake markets.
The operator landscape is led by Northern Michigan Escapes, which holds 198 listings with 9,939 reviews and a 4.69 rating — representing approximately 4.7% of total market supply. Evolve follows with 138 listings (4.71 rating, 6,120 reviews), and Graham Management operates 73 listings (4.74 rating, 1,279 reviews). Pure Vacation Management holds 61 listings (4.73 rating) and Vacasa manages 48 listings (4.27 rating). Together the top 5 operators manage 518 listings, or approximately 12.2% of total supply, a notably higher professional-management concentration than urban markets. This reflects the vacation-rental character of the area, where owners frequently hire managers for seasonal operations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Central Lake, Michigan
What is the peak season for Central Lake, MI short-term rentals?
What is the average nightly rate for Central Lake STRs?
Do I need a permit to operate an Airbnb in Central Lake, MI?
What taxes apply to Central Lake short-term rentals?
How much can a Central Lake short-term rental earn annually?
Who are the largest short-term rental operators in Central Lake?
Is Central Lake a good STR investment?
Analyze Central Lake Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Central Lake.
Free Central Lake STR Calculator →
