Muskegon, Michigan Short-Term Rental Market
Muskegon caps rentals at 4% per zone, and September 2026 ADR was $443 with 44.0% occupancy and $5,319 revenue.
Quick Answer: Muskegon, 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 261 listings. market score is 77/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Michigan West Coastal regional market, which includes Muskegon. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Muskegon.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Performance figures on this page describe the Michigan Lake Michigan shoreline STR market, a region that includes Muskegon, Spring Lake, Holland, Mears, Douglas, Fennville, Ludington, Coloma, Benton Harbor and Bridgman. These towns share one tracked metric series, so the numbers below reflect the whole shoreline region rather than Muskegon alone. In September 2026 the shoreline STR market posted an average daily rate of $443, occupancy of 44.0% and average monthly revenue of $5,319 per listing. Compared with September 2025, occupancy rose 9.4%, ADR rose 10.5% and revenue rose 17.2%, a strong year over year gain on all three measures. Year to date through September 2026, occupancy averaged 50.2%, ADR averaged $383 and monthly revenue averaged $5,299. For comparison, full year 2025 came in at 46.1% occupancy, a $345 ADR and $4,450 in monthly revenue. Houses earned the most in September 2026 at $5,772 per month, followed by entire places at $5,396 and apartments at $3,689. Muskegon itself has a population of 37,287 and is West Michigan’s largest Lake Michigan shoreline community, with roughly 26 to 27 miles of sand beaches, three state parks and two paddle-sport rivers. Tourism is Muskegon County’s fourth-largest industry, generating $409.4 million in visitor spending in 2024, up 5.4% from $388.3 million in 2023. The city’s annual visitor count is not published, since the visitors bureau reports spending rather than head-count. Bedroom, channel and listing-type counts are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Muskegon, so this profile omits them. The regulatory cap described later matters as much as the revenue figures when evaluating a purchase.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 30% |
| Feb | 36% |
| Mar | 41% |
| Apr | 40% |
| May | 49% |
| Jun | 63% |
| Jul | 78% |
| Aug | 68% |
| Sep | 42% |
| Oct | 38% |
| Nov | 30% |
| Dec | 35% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Muskegon 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 Muskegon, so these counts are not Muskegon-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaqua Realtors | 261 | 5,161 | ★ 4.72 |
| 2 | Evolve | 182 | 8,064 | ★ 4.66 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 175 | 7,412 | ★ 4.57 |
| 4 | Unsalted Vacations | 129 | 2,715 | ★ 4.73 |
| 5 | Bluefish Vacation Rentals | 112 | 2,880 | ★ 4.75 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Muskegon?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Muskegon 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 | 15.4% |
| both | 56.2% |
Home Value Trends (Muskegon)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Muskegon 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 Muskegon — 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
Short-term rentals are legal in the City of Muskegon but actively regulated, and enforcement severity is rated moderate. The defining feature is a Short-Term Rental Overlay District that divides the city’s residential districts into 11 zones aligned with U.S. Census tracts. Licensed STRs in each zone are capped at 4% of that zone’s total housing units, and once a zone reaches its cap, no new licenses are issued there. The Downtown Development Authority area and the Lakeside Business Improvement District and Corridor Improvement Authority are exempt from the cap. Owners must obtain a city STR registration or permit. The fee is $500 and renews annually, with renewals in the spring. A short-term rental is defined as a non-hosted rental of more than 24 hours and less than 28 days. Hosted rentals, where the owner is on premises, are not classified as STRs but must still register with the city. There is no owner-occupancy requirement, no primary-residence requirement and no published annual night cap. Operators must collect and remit Muskegon County’s 5% accommodation tax, which combines with Michigan’s 6% state sales and use tax for roughly 11% total to guests. In October 2024 the City Commission passed a compromise ordinance that created the 11-zone overlay and allows a one-time license transfer on sale. At that time the city had roughly 128 registered short-term rentals. Confirm current zone-cap availability with the Building Inspections Department before purchasing.
Market Comparison
Measured against its own recent history, the Michigan Lake Michigan shoreline market shows a clear pattern. September 2026 occupancy of 44.0% sits below the 2026 year to date average of 50.2%, while the $443 ADR is well above the $383 year to date average. The market trades volume for rate. Even in the weakest seasonal months, ADR stays in the $249 to $266 range from January through April. Peak months lift occupancy, with July at 77.7% and August at 68.4%. Year over year growth is also strong, with occupancy up 9.4%, ADR up 10.5% and revenue up 17.2%. Full year occupancy has ranged from 36.3% in 2017 to 52.6% in 2020 and 2021, and 2026 is at 50.2% through September. Property manager and operator rankings are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Muskegon, so this profile omits them. The takeaway for investors is that this region rewards high-rate summer performance, and results depend on holding a license in a zone that has not reached its cap.
Frequently Asked Questions About Muskegon, Michigan
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