Harbor Springs, Michigan Short-Term Rental Market
Harbor Springs, MI STRs averaged $239/night in April 2026 with 26.6% occupancy, a shoulder-season snapshot in a market that peaks at 75% occupancy in July.
Quick Answer: Harbor Springs, 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 Harbor Springs. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Harbor Springs.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Harbor Springs is an affluent resort town on Little Traverse Bay in Emmet County, Michigan, with a year-round population of approximately 1,274 residents. The STR market serves a strongly seasonal leisure demand base: summer boating and beach access, fall color drives on the M-119 Tunnel of Trees, and winter skiing at Nub’s Nob and The Highlands. In April 2026, an off-peak month, listings averaged $239 per night at 26.6% occupancy, generating average monthly revenue of $1,790. RevPAR stood at $64. The 2025 full-year annual average occupancy was 44.2%, ADR was $322, and monthly revenue averaged $3,793, more representative baselines for annual planning.
Year over year in April 2026, occupancy declined 12.1 percentage points, ADR rose 5.5%, and revenue fell 2.1%. The occupancy dip in an already-low shoulder month reflects the seasonal concentration of this market rather than a structural demand shift.
The supply is almost entirely entire-place listings: 4,147 of the 4,240 total listings are entire-place units, with 93 private rooms. Bedroom mix favors 3-bedroom (1,156) and 2-bedroom (1,101) units, followed by 1-bedroom (898), 4-bedroom (678), and 5-bedroom (403) configurations. Both Airbnb and VRBO are active here: 2,250 listings appear on both platforms, 1,239 are Airbnb-exclusive, and 751 are VRBO-exclusive. Market scores show a standout investability of 98.1 out of 100 and revenue growth of 89.7, against a total score of 69.7.
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 Harbor Springs 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 Harbor Springs, so these counts are not Harbor Springs-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Michigan Escapes | 198 | 9,917 | ★ 4.69 |
| 2 | Evolve | 136 | 6,096 | ★ 4.71 |
| 3 | Graham Management | 73 | 1,277 | ★ 4.74 |
| 4 | Pure Vacation Management | 61 | 339 | ★ 4.73 |
| 5 | Vacation Properties of Northern Michigan | 45 | 2,209 | ★ 4.89 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Harbor Springs?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Harbor Springs 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 (Harbor Springs)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Harbor Springs 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 Harbor Springs — 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
Harbor Springs requires a Short-Term Rental License for each unit operating within city limits, governed by Ordinance No. 437 (adopted May 2023) and amended by Ordinance No. 439 (adopted May 20, 2024). An STR is defined as a residential property rented for 30 days or fewer.
A hard annual cap limits the total number of outstanding STR licenses to 63 per calendar year. Owners with multiple rental units must file a separate license application for each unit. The city is described as particularly attentive to noise and parking enforcement. Specific license fee amounts were not confirmed from primary sources; operators should contact the City Assessor or Zoning Administrator at (231) 526-2104 for current fees and license availability.
Operators must also obtain a general business license. Michigan’s state use tax of 6% applies to accommodations. No separate Harbor Springs local lodging or occupancy tax was identified. Owner-occupancy and primary-residence requirements were not confirmed and should be verified with the city. The enforcement classification is moderate. The 63-license cap is the most operationally significant constraint for investors: if the cap is met for the current calendar year, new applicants join a waitlist.
Market Comparison
Against national STR benchmarks of approximately 55% median occupancy and $220 median ADR, Harbor Springs’s April 2026 occupancy of 26.6% is well below the national median, reflecting a deep off-peak period. The 2025 full-year average occupancy of 44.2% is also below the national median, consistent with a highly seasonal resort market. However, the 2025 annual average ADR of $322 is above the national median of approximately $220.
The professional management landscape is led by Northern Michigan Escapes with 198 listings, 9,917 reviews, and an average rating of 4.687. Evolve holds 136 listings with 6,096 reviews at a 4.711 rating. Graham Management manages 73 listings at 4.740. Pure Vacation Management holds 61 listings at 4.726 and Vacation Properties of Northern Michigan manages 45 listings with the highest rating in the top five at 4.887. Together the top five operators account for 513 listings, representing approximately 12% of the 4,240 total supply. The relatively higher market share of the top operators (12% vs. the 14% in larger markets) reflects the smaller overall market size and the presence of regionally specialized management firms rather than national chains.
Frequently Asked Questions About Harbor Springs, Michigan
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