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 in the Michigan North Coastal market area is 60%. average monthly revenue in the Michigan North Coastal market area is $5,178. average daily rate in the Michigan North Coastal market area is $382. the top operator in the Michigan North Coastal market area is Northern Michigan Escapes with 198 listings. market score is 70/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Michigan North Coastal regional market, which includes Central Lake. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Central Lake.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA 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 |
|---|---|
| Jan | 35% |
| Feb | 43% |
| Mar | 25% |
| Apr | 28% |
| May | 45% |
| Jun | 60% |
| Jul | 75% |
| Aug | 67% |
| Sep | 41% |
| Oct | 39% |
| Nov | 24% |
| Dec | 46% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Central Lake are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Michigan North Coastal market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Michigan North Coastal market as a whole, which includes Central Lake, so these counts are not Central Lake-only figures.
| # | 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 nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Central Lake 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 | 29.2% |
| vrbo | 17.7% |
| both | 53.1% |
Home Value Trends (Central Lake)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Central Lake 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 Central Lake — 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
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 →
