Manistee, Michigan Short-Term Rental Market
Manistee caps STRs at 165 outside overlays; shoreline market posted $443 ADR, 44.0% occupancy, $5,319 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Manistee, Michigan is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Michigan West Coastal market area is 44%. average monthly revenue in the Michigan West Coastal market area is $5,319. average daily rate in the Michigan West Coastal market area is $443. the top operator in the Michigan West Coastal market area is Jaqua Realtors with 251 listings. market score is 77/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Michigan West Coastal regional market, which includes Manistee. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Manistee.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
This profile covers Manistee, Michigan using performance data for the Michigan Lake Michigan shoreline STR market, a regional series that Manistee shares with Grand Haven, South Haven, Saint Joseph, Union Pier and New Buffalo. Every performance figure below describes that shoreline market as a whole, not Manistee alone. In September 2026 the shoreline STR market averaged an ADR of $443, occupancy of 44.0% and revenue of $5,319 per listing for the month. Compared with September 2025, occupancy rose 9.4%, ADR rose 10.5% and revenue rose 17.2%, so growth came from both demand and rate. By property type, entire places earned $5,396 for the month and houses earned $5,772, while apartments earned $3,689. Bedroom, channel and listing-type counts and top operator names are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Manistee, so this profile omits them. The annual picture also points up. Full year 2025 averaged 46.2% occupancy, a $345 ADR and $4,452 in monthly revenue. The first nine months of 2026 average 50.2% occupancy, a $383 ADR and $5,299 in monthly revenue, which is above every full year in the series, including the 2021 level of $4,107. Occupancy peaked at 52.6% in 2020 and 2021, then settled between 44.9% and 48.7% from 2022 through 2025, so the recent gain is a recovery of demand as well as a rate story. Manistee itself has a population of 6,259. Visitors come for 25 miles of sandy Lake Michigan shoreline, three harbors, charter fishing, paddling and hiking. Cultural visitors tour the historic downtown, the Ramsdell Theatre and the SS City of Milwaukee, a National Historic Landmark, and Little River Casino Resort adds demand through the colder months. Fall foliage and winter snowmobile and cross country ski traffic fill part of the shoulder season.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 30% |
| Feb | 36% |
| Mar | 41% |
| Apr | 40% |
| May | 49% |
| Jun | 64% |
| Jul | 78% |
| Aug | 68% |
| Sep | 42% |
| Oct | 38% |
| Nov | 30% |
| Dec | 35% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Manistee are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Michigan West Coastal market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Michigan West Coastal market as a whole, which includes Manistee, so these counts are not Manistee-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaqua Realtors | 251 | 4,872 | ★ 4.74 |
| 2 | Evolve | 181 | 8,033 | ★ 4.66 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 146 | 6,781 | ★ 4.54 |
| 4 | Unsalted Vacations | 128 | 2,711 | ★ 4.75 |
| 5 | Bluefish Vacation Rentals | 112 | 2,875 | ★ 4.75 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Manistee?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Manistee 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 | 28.4% |
| vrbo | 15.1% |
| both | 56.5% |
Home Value Trends (Manistee)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Manistee 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 Manistee — 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
Manistee permits short term rentals citywide, but it limits them. The City adopted Chapter 868 of its Code of Ordinances in July 2025 (Ordinance 25-02, passed 6 to 1, final vote July 15, 2025), its first formal STR framework. Before that there was no registration, cap or inspection regime. A citywide cap of 165 registered STRs applies outside designated overlay districts. The downtown overlay and the Lake Michigan beach overlay are exempt from the cap. Restrictions apply in R-1 low density residential zones, and STRs are permitted in R-2, R-3, commercial and mixed use zones subject to cap availability. Every STR must register with the City before operating. The annual registration fee is $100 per unit, and a safety inspection is required at initial registration and every three years at $150 per inspection. The ordinance has no owner occupancy or primary residence requirement, so owner operated and investor owned STRs are both eligible. Operators must carry liability insurance, name a local contact reachable within 24 hours, test smoke detectors in each bedroom at least every 90 days and follow the city’s Good Neighbor Guide on noise, parking and trash. Lodging tax is 11% of gross receipts, made up of the 6% Michigan state use tax and the 5% Manistee County accommodations excise tax, with the county tax remitted monthly by the 20th of the following month. Enforcement is moderate and mostly complaint based, with a 24 hour violation hotline. Penalties escalate from fines to suspension or revocation of registration after three violations within two years.
Market Comparison
The Michigan Lake Michigan shoreline market in September 2026 ran at a $443 ADR and 44.0% occupancy. That mix reflects Lake Michigan beach destinations, where high summer nightly rates offset long quiet stretches. The seasonal shape is steep: June through August run at 63.5%, 77.8% and 68.4% occupancy, and January falls to 29.7%. Trend is the positive part. Occupancy is up 9.4% year over year and ADR up 10.5%, and 2026 year to date occupancy is 50.2%. Investors comparing Manistee with other Michigan or Great Lakes towns should note that Manistee’s 165 unit cap outside overlay districts and its registration rules add a compliance step that some unregulated markets lack. Top operators are not named here, since operator data is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Manistee.
Frequently Asked Questions About Manistee, Michigan
Are short term rentals allowed in Manistee, Michigan?
How much does it cost to register an STR in Manistee?
What is the lodging tax on Manistee short term rentals?
What are typical STR rates and occupancy on the Michigan Lake Michigan shoreline?
When is the best time of year to rent an STR in Manistee?
Do I have to live in my Manistee rental?
How much does a home cost in Manistee?
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