Suttons Bay, Michigan Short-Term Rental Market
Suttons Bay village has closed new STR permits at a cap of 45; area STRs ran $461 ADR, 68.9% occupancy.
Quick Answer: Suttons Bay, Michigan is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Traverse City market area is 50%. average monthly revenue in the Traverse City market area is $5,258. average daily rate in the Traverse City market area is $382. the top operator in the Traverse City market area is Vacasa with 206 listings. market score is 59/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Traverse City regional market, which includes Suttons Bay. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Suttons Bay.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Suttons Bay is a waterfront village of 580 residents on the eastern shore of Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula, about 15 miles north of Traverse City. The village allows short-term rentals only under a capped permit system, and it is not issuing new permits. That matters more than any market statistic, so read the regulatory section before you read the numbers below.
The village’s short-term rental data is reported for a shared market of nine northwest Michigan towns: Suttons Bay, Lake Leelanau, Leland, Northport, Elk Rapids, Beulah, Frankfort, Cedar, and Lake City. Eight sit on the Leelanau, Benzie, and Antrim shorelines. Lake City is inland in Missaukee County. Every performance figure describes the Traverse area STR market, not the village alone.
In August 2026, the latest month of data, the area averaged $461 per night at 68.9% occupancy. Average monthly revenue per listing was $8,569. Compared with August 2025, ADR rose 5.8%, revenue rose 3.7%, and occupancy fell 2.1%. The market averaged 47.9% occupancy, $310 ADR, and $4,146 in monthly revenue in 2025. Through the first eight months of 2026 the averages are 50.9% occupancy, $332 ADR, and $4,666 in monthly revenue.
Visitors are mainly leisure travelers. They come for the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail, the two village beaches on Grand Traverse Bay, the TART and Leelanau trails, and the walkable downtown. Peak season runs from late spring through fall. No official annual visitor count exists for the village.
Listing counts, channel mix, listing-type mix, and bedroom mix are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Suttons Bay, so this profile omits them.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 32% |
| Feb | 39% |
| Mar | 35% |
| Apr | 40% |
| May | 52% |
| Jun | 64% |
| Jul | 79% |
| Aug | 70% |
| Sep | 49% |
| Oct | 45% |
| Nov | 29% |
| Dec | 39% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Suttons Bay are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Traverse City market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Traverse City market as a whole, which includes Suttons Bay, so these counts are not Suttons Bay-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 206 | 5,978 | ★ 4.46 |
| 2 | Elevated Homes & Hospitality | 116 | 4,924 | ★ 4.76 |
| 3 | True North Property Management | 109 | 3,627 | ★ 4.54 |
| 4 | The Mitten Group Property Management | 108 | 9,528 | ★ 4.79 |
| 5 | Evolve | 94 | 4,171 | ★ 4.76 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Suttons Bay?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Suttons Bay 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 | 28.2% |
| vrbo | 15.5% |
| both | 56.2% |
Home Value Trends (Suttons Bay)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Suttons Bay 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 Suttons Bay — 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 Village of Suttons Bay but tightly capped. A short-term rental is any rental of a dwelling for fewer than 30 consecutive days, and it requires a non-transferable village permit that renews annually. The village capped total permits at 45 in a 2022 ordinance amendment. About 53 were already issued, so it issues no new permits and reduces the count through attrition. When a home sells, its permit ends. The village does not publish a permit fee in the data this profile uses.
Renting only a room while living on site falls under bed-and-breakfast zoning instead. Enforcement is rated strict. Operating without a permit is an ordinance violation, and the village runs a 24-hour complaint line.
Suttons Bay Township is separate. It allows up to 150 permits a year, first come, in Residential Districts only, at a $200 annual fee. Renewals are accepted from October 1 to February 28, and permits are non-transferable. The township also sets occupant limits and neighbor-notification rules. Michigan levies a 6% use tax on rentals under 30 days. The profile did not confirm a Leelanau County lodging tax. Verify whether a property lies in the village or the township, since the rules differ sharply.
Market Comparison
Against the commonly cited US STR medians of about 55% occupancy and $220 ADR, the Traverse area STR market runs high on rate and mixed on fill. August 2026 ADR of $461 is about 109% above the $220 reference. Occupancy of 68.9% is 13.9 percentage points above the 55% reference. The 2025 annual average of 47.9% was about 7 points below it.
The pattern fits a seasonal lake and wine destination. July occupancy reaches 79.2%, while November falls to 29.1%. Rate has lifted revenue in 2026. Annual ADR was $309 in 2024 and $310 in 2025, and the 2026 average is $332 through August.
Top property manager data is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Suttons Bay, so this profile omits it. That keeps operator names and listing counts from the wider nine-town market from being presented as the village’s own. The village’s tight permit cap also limits how many operators can run village rentals at all.
Frequently Asked Questions About Suttons Bay, Michigan
Are short-term rentals legal in Suttons Bay, Michigan?
Can I buy a home in Suttons Bay village and rent it short term?
How much do Airbnbs earn in the Suttons Bay area?
What taxes apply to Suttons Bay rentals?
What is the busiest month for STRs in the area?
How far ahead do guests book, and how long do they stay?
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