Thompsonville, Michigan Short-Term Rental Market
Traverse City area STR market averages $382 ADR, 50.2% occupancy and $5,258 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Thompsonville, 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 179 listings. market score is 60/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Traverse City regional market, which includes Thompsonville. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Thompsonville.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Thompsonville is a village of 451 residents in Benzie County, northwest Lower Michigan, about 28 miles southwest of Traverse City. Short-term rental performance here is tracked at the level of the Traverse City area STR market, a shared regional series that also covers Interlochen, Grawn, Traverse City, Williamsburg, and Rapid City. Every performance figure on this page describes the Traverse City area STR market, not Thompsonville alone. The data runs through September 2026.
In September 2026 the average daily rate across all listings was $382 and occupancy was 50.2%. Average monthly revenue per listing was $5,258. Compared with September 2025, occupancy is up 8.1%, ADR is up 8.5%, and revenue is up 12.3%, so growth is coming from both price and bookings rather than from one alone.
Entire place rentals dominate the mix of what guests book, and the revenue gap by property type is clear. Houses averaged $5,770 per month, entire places averaged $5,344, and apartments averaged $4,563. The entire place ADR was $389, slightly above the all listings average.
The regional series is tracked at a shared level rather than uniquely for Thompsonville, so this profile omits bedroom, channel, and listing type counts and the names of top operators.
Demand in the area is anchored by Crystal Mountain Resort, a four season destination with 260+ lodging units, 59 downhill ski trails, 25 km of cross country trails, two 18 hole golf courses, an alpine slide, and a spa. Summer guests also use the area as a base for Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the Frankfort and Crystal Lake corridor. Guests skew toward Midwest residents from Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Chicago, booking weekend and week long trips.
On a full year basis, the seasonal months sum to $41,640 in annual revenue per listing for the regional market.
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 Thompsonville 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 Thompsonville, so these counts are not Thompsonville-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 179 | 5,712 | ★ 4.46 |
| 2 | Elevated Homes & Hospitality | 125 | 4,924 | ★ 4.78 |
| 3 | The Mitten Group Property Management | 109 | 9,508 | ★ 4.79 |
| 4 | True North Property Management | 107 | 3,603 | ★ 4.56 |
| 5 | Evolve | 94 | 4,157 | ★ 4.76 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Thompsonville?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Thompsonville 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 (Thompsonville)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Thompsonville 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 Thompsonville — 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 permitted in Thompsonville. No permit is required, and there is no annual cap on rental nights, no owner occupancy requirement, and no primary residence requirement at the local or state level. Enforcement severity is rated low.
The Village of Thompsonville, Weldon Township, and Colfax Township jointly administer the Greater Thompsonville Area Zoning Ordinance, effective May 15, 2015. It does not name short-term rentals as a regulated land use, and none of the three jurisdictions has adopted a dedicated STR ordinance. Operators must still comply with general zoning, building, and nuisance rules. Benzie County leaves STR rules to individual townships, and only Lake Township, the Village of Beulah, and the City of Frankfort have adopted dedicated STR ordinances.
Michigan has no statewide STR licensing regime as of May 2026. HB 4722 passed the House in 2021 but died in the Senate, and the 2024 package of HB 5437 to 5446, which proposed licensing and a 6 percent excise tax, was introduced but not enacted.
The tax rate is 6%. Operators must collect and remit the 6 percent Michigan use tax on stays under 30 days. Airbnb collects and remits it automatically, while operators on Vrbo and direct booking channels must file with the Michigan Department of Treasury. Benzie County does not impose a county accommodations tax.
Before buying, confirm private deed restrictions and HOA covenants, since Crystal Mountain residential pods may carry rental rules, along with building, septic, and noise requirements. Weldon Township can be reached at 231-378-2477. Rules can change, so verify directly with local officials.
Market Comparison
The Traverse City area STR market posted 50.2% occupancy and a $382 ADR in September 2026, so results depend on rate as much as on volume.
That pattern fits a resort and lakeshore destination with a short peak season. July occupancy of 79.2% is far above November at 29.1% and January at 31.6%. Annual averages stay moderate because summer strength offsets the long off season.
Occupancy is up 8.1%, ADR is up 8.5%, and revenue is up 12.3% year over year. Occupancy in 2026 so far, at 50.8%, has recovered from 46.8% in 2024 but remains below the 54.4% reached in 2020 and 2021.
The regional series is tracked at a shared level rather than uniquely for Thompsonville, so this profile omits bedroom, channel, and listing type counts and the names of top operators. Investors comparing Thompsonville with other markets should weigh the premium rate and low winter occupancy together.
Frequently Asked Questions About Thompsonville, Michigan
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