Mancelona, Michigan Short-Term Rental Market
Mancelona, MI STRs averaged $161/night at 49.2% occupancy in April 2026 across 8,471 entire-place listings.
Quick Answer: Mancelona, Michigan is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 49%. average monthly revenue is $1,956. average daily rate is $161. the top operator is Evolve with 368 listings. market score is 80/100 (grade B).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Mancelona short-term rental market in Antrim County, Michigan covers a broad northern Michigan footprint with 9,126 active listings tracked across channels. Entire-place rentals dominate at 8,471 listings (92.8% of supply), with private rooms adding 651 listings and just 4 shared rooms. The bedroom mix reflects a recreation-driven demand profile: 2-bedroom units lead at 2,625 listings, followed closely by 3-bedroom at 2,498 and 1-bedroom at 2,246. Larger properties hold a meaningful share, with 1,101 4-bedroom and 631 5-bedroom listings.
In April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $161 and occupancy of 49.2%, generating average monthly revenue of $1,956 per listing. RevPAR landed at $79. Year-over-year, occupancy slipped 0.2 percentage points and revenue dipped 2.2%, while ADR nudged up 3.1%. The 2025 full-year average was stronger: occupancy 50.4%, ADR $195, and average monthly revenue $2,745, showing April sits in the shoulder-season trough.
Airbnb leads distribution with 4,198 listings, followed by VRBO at 1,143. Notably, 3,785 listings appear on both platforms, reflecting a mature multi-channel market. The overall market score is 79.85 out of 100, anchored by an exceptionally high investability score of 97.25 and strong revenue growth score of 80.64.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39% | $144 | $1,621 |
| Feb | 44% | $146 | $1,641 |
| Mar | 44% | $136 | $1,697 |
| Apr | 48% | $143 | $1,717 |
| May | 52% | $168 | $1,965 |
| Jun | 62% | $209 | $3,097 |
| Jul | 71% | $218 | $4,113 |
| Aug | 64% | $214 | $3,777 |
| Sep | 46% | $187 | $2,375 |
| Oct | 45% | $164 | $2,116 |
| Nov | 42% | $148 | $1,770 |
| Dec | 45% | $150 | $1,816 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Mancelona
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | 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 Mancelona?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,246 |
| 2 bed | 2,625 |
| 3 bed | 2,498 |
| 4 bed | 1,101 |
| 5 bed | 631 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $173 |
| Luxury | $335 |
| Professionally Managed | $179 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,522 |
| Entire Place | $2,061 |
| House | $2,081 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 46% |
| vrbo | 12.5% |
| both | 41.5% |
Investment Analysis
Mancelona presents a compelling entry cost relative to revenue output. The typical home value is $202,198 (Zillow April 2026), making it one of the more accessible northern Michigan markets for STR investors. With April 2026 average monthly revenue of $1,956, annualized revenue runs approximately $23,477, implying a gross yield of roughly 11.6% before expenses. At 2025’s stronger annual average of $2,745 per month, the annualized figure reaches $32,940, pushing the gross yield to approximately 16.3%.
The ADR spread across tiers reveals meaningful upside for well-positioned properties. The all-listings ADR was $161 in April 2026, while entire-home properties averaged $173 and professionally managed properties averaged $179. Luxury-tier properties commanded $335, more than double the market average, pointing to a premium segment with limited competition.
Revenue by property type in April: houses averaged $2,081, entire-place listings $2,061, and apartments $1,522. YoY revenue is down 2.2%, largely attributable to April sitting in the shoulder season. The 2025 annual average revenue of $2,745 was up from 2024’s $2,585, confirming an upward medium-term trend. Median list price of $266,000 versus the typical home value of $202,198 suggests active price discovery, worth monitoring for acquisition timing. The market investability score of 97.25 out of 100 is the highest sub-score in this dataset.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
April 2026 data shows an average booking lead time of 41 days and an average length of stay of 4.2 nights. These figures carry meaningful operational implications.
A 41-day lead time gives hosts a 5 to 6 week pricing window before most stays lock in. Dynamic pricing adjustments made more than six weeks out can capture rate-sensitive early planners; last-minute discounting inside two weeks targets gap-fill demand. In a market with pronounced seasonality, July and August bookings often arrive early as guests plan summer lake trips in advance, while winter stays tend to book closer to arrival.
At 4.2 nights average, Mancelona skews toward multi-night leisure stays rather than one-night or business travel. This supports a minimum-stay strategy (2 to 3 nights) without significantly compressing demand, particularly during peak summer months. Longer minimum stays in July and August reduce turnover costs and cleaning frequency. During January through March, dropping minimums to 1 or 2 nights can help fill otherwise vacant weeknights.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Mancelona short-term rentals operate under a permissive framework. The Village of Mancelona permits STRs under its general zoning ordinance (updated December 27, 2024) as an allowed use subject to the special conditions in Section 6.1C. There is no dedicated STR licensing program, no permit application, and no permit fee at the village level.
Owner-occupancy and primary-residence requirements do not apply. Antrim County has no county-level STR ordinance. Michigan imposes no statewide STR permit requirement.
The one confirmed tax obligation is Michigan’s 6% state use tax on stays under 30 days. Major platforms collect and remit this automatically. No Antrim County lodging tax has been identified; operators should confirm with the county treasurer before listing.
Enforcement is minimal given the absence of a dedicated program. Regulatory risk is low inside the village. Mancelona Township itself is unzoned. The broader Antrim County landscape is uneven: Torch Lake Township prohibits new STR entrants in residential districts, and Elk Rapids paused its STR program in 2024 to revise its ordinance. The Michigan Short-Term Rental Regulation Act (HB 4722) was under legislative discussion in 2024 but had not passed as of mid-2026. Operators should verify Section 6.1C conditions directly with the Village Zoning Administrator at 231-587-8331 before listing.
Market Comparison
Against national STR benchmarks (median occupancy approximately 55%, median ADR approximately $220), Mancelona runs below average on both dimensions. April 2026 occupancy of 49.2% is 5.8 percentage points below the national median, and ADR of $161 is $59 below the national median. However, Mancelona’s exceptionally low entry cost ($202,198 typical home value versus national STR market medians that often exceed $400,000 in comparable leisure destinations) offsets the lower per-night rate and produces above-average gross yields.
Within the top operator landscape, Evolve leads with 368 listings and 11,383 reviews at a 4.68 average rating, holding the dominant professional management position in the market. Freshwater Vacation Rentals ranks second with 61 listings and 2,562 reviews at an impressive 4.85 rating, suggesting a strong local operator with high guest satisfaction. LiveSuites holds third with 59 listings and 1,199 reviews at 4.67. Together, the top 3 operators account for 488 listings. Given a total listing count north of 9,000, independent hosts constitute the vast majority of supply, which means professionally managed properties have a meaningful quality and consistency advantage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mancelona, Michigan
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