Gladwin, Michigan Short-Term Rental Market
Gladwin, MI STRs averaged $161/night at 49.2% occupancy in April 2026, with 9,100+ active listings across the lake region.
Quick Answer: Gladwin, 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 368 listings. market score is 80/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Michigan Area regional market, which includes Gladwin. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Gladwin.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Gladwin, Michigan anchors a chain-of-lakes recreational corridor in mid-Michigan, drawing drive-market visitors primarily from metro Detroit, Flint, Saginaw, and Bay City for boating, fishing, snowmobiling, and ORV riding. As of April 2026, the market averaged $161 per night with 49.2% occupancy and a RevPAR of $79.35. Total active inventory stands at approximately 9,126 listings.
Entire-place rentals dominate at 8,471 units (92.8% of listings), with private rooms accounting for 651 and just 4 shared-room listings. Bedroom distribution is broad: 2-bedroom units lead at 2,625 listings, followed by 3-bedroom (2,498), 1-bedroom (2,246), 4-bedroom (1,101), and 5-bedroom (631).
Airbnb hosts 4,198 properties in the market and VRBO carries 1,143, with 3,785 listings cross-listed on both platforms. Year-over-year as of April 2026, occupancy was nearly flat at -0.20 percentage points, ADR rose 3.09%, and revenue declined 2.22%. The 2025 annual average occupancy was 50.4% at $195 ADR, generating $2,745 monthly revenue per listing on average. The market scores notably high on investability at 97.3 out of 100 and total score at 79.9, driven by strong revenue growth scoring (80.6) and moderate rental demand (63.5).
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 Gladwin 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 Gladwin, so these counts are not Gladwin-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 368 | 11,383 | ★ 4.68 |
| 2 | Freshwater Vacation Rentals | 61 | 2,562 | ★ 4.85 |
| 3 | LiveSuites | 59 | 1,199 | ★ 4.67 |
| 4 | Short Term Rentals | 31 | 2,489 | ★ 4.68 |
| 5 | Simple Lyfe Stays | 29 | 2,354 | ★ 4.85 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Gladwin?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Gladwin 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 | 46% |
| vrbo | 12.5% |
| both | 41.5% |
Home Value Trends (Gladwin)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Gladwin 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 Gladwin — 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
The City of Gladwin itself has no dedicated short-term-rental ordinance, permit, or licensing scheme on record. STRs within city limits are treated under general zoning and operators are advised to contact the city Zoning Administrator ([email protected]) to confirm permitted use in their specific district. Michigan has no statewide STR registration requirement; rules are set locally.
However, the practical regulatory landscape is more complex for investors because most vacation-rental demand near Gladwin is concentrated in the surrounding lake townships in unincorporated Gladwin County, not the city proper. Those townships regulate separately. Secord Township enacted Short-Term Rental Ordinance 9:25, effective January 2, 2025, requiring operators to obtain a permit before advertising or operating an STR. Investors purchasing lake properties outside Gladwin city limits must verify the specific township ordinance.
On taxes, Michigan applies a 6% state sales and use tax to rentals of 30 days or less. No separate county accommodation or excise tax was identified. Enforcement within the city is currently rated minimal, but the township-level trend is toward tighter regulation, with Secord Township’s 2025 ordinance being a leading indicator. Investors should review township board meeting agendas for any pending STR ordinances before purchase.
Market Comparison
Gladwin’s April 2026 occupancy of 49.2% sits near the US STR median of approximately 55%, above what many seasonal rural markets achieve in non-peak months. The ADR of $161 is below the US median of roughly $220, reflecting the lower-cost character of mid-Michigan lake markets versus coastal or mountain destinations. The result is a market where the gross yield story (approximately 11.8% at typical home values) compensates for the moderate per-night rate.
The market’s investability score of 97.3 out of 100 is exceptional, driven by the low home value relative to revenue performance. The total market score of 79.9 places Gladwin in the top tier of rural lake markets by composite scoring.
Evolve leads the managed market by a wide margin with 368 listings, 11,383 reviews, and a 4.68 average rating. Freshwater Vacation Rentals operates 61 listings with a standout 4.85 rating across 2,562 reviews, and LiveSuites holds 59 listings at a 4.67 rating. These three operators together represent 488 of approximately 9,126 active listings, roughly 5.3% market share, indicating a highly fragmented market with the majority of inventory owner-operated. That fragmentation creates opportunity for professionally managed properties to differentiate on review quality and pricing discipline.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gladwin, Michigan
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