Williamsburg, Michigan Short-Term Rental Market
Williamsburg bars STRs in residential zones; northwest Michigan STRs averaged $461 ADR, 68.9% occupancy, $8,569 monthly revenue in August 2026.
Quick Answer: Williamsburg, 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 Williamsburg. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Williamsburg.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Short-term rentals are not an allowed use in the residential zoning districts of Whitewater Township, which covers Williamsburg, so legality comes before any performance figure. The market numbers on this page describe northwest Michigan, not Williamsburg alone. Apivex reports Williamsburg, Traverse City, Grawn, Interlochen, Rapid City and Thompsonville as one shared series. Operators in Williamsburg residential zones cannot assume they can earn these figures.
In August 2026 the northwest Michigan STR market averaged $460.67 per night at 68.9% occupancy, with average monthly revenue of $8,569 per listing. Year over year, ADR rose 5.8% and monthly revenue rose 3.7%, while occupancy fell 2.1%. Annual averages show the same pattern. ADR averaged $310 in 2025 against $222 in 2017, and occupancy averaged 48.0% in 2025 against 41.0% in 2017.
Williamsburg is a small unincorporated community in Grand Traverse County with a population of 2,688, about 10 to 11 miles east of Traverse City. It has no separate visitor count. The Greater Grand Traverse region drew roughly 7.3 million visitors in 2022. Williamsburg’s own draw is the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel. Nearby are the Old Mission Peninsula wineries, Grand Traverse Resort, cherry-country agritourism and beaches. Visitors are leisure travelers, gaming and resort guests, wine-and-food tourists, and fall color and cherry festival crowds.
Listing counts, bedroom mix, channel mix and top operator rankings are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Williamsburg, 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 Williamsburg 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 Williamsburg, so these counts are not Williamsburg-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 Williamsburg?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Williamsburg 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 (Williamsburg)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Williamsburg 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 Williamsburg — 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
Williamsburg is unincorporated, so short-term rental rules come from Whitewater Township in Grand Traverse County and the State of Michigan. As of the latest available records, from September 2025, short-term rentals are not an allowed use in the township’s residential zoning districts. The profile advises treating Williamsburg as an area where STRs are effectively not permitted in residential zones.
The township studied a draft ordinance that would have permitted STRs. It would have capped occupancy at two adults per bedroom plus two more guests on lots under 5 acres, or four more on larger lots. It would have banned events and required a 24-hour local contact and smoke alarms and fire extinguishers. In September 2025 the Planning Commission voted 6 to 0 to recommend denial to the Township Board. No township permit program, fee schedule or registration currently exists. Master-plan surveys showed about two-thirds support for STRs, with a vocal third opposed on rural character and enforcement grounds.
Michigan levies a 6% state use tax on transient lodging for stays under 30 days. A separate 5% local assessment collected by Traverse City Tourism applies within its Traverse City assessment district and generally to providers managing more than 10 units. Whether it reaches a given Williamsburg property should be verified with Traverse City Tourism. Prospective operators should confirm current status with Whitewater Township before buying or listing.
Market Comparison
Against the US reference figures of about 55% median occupancy and about $220 median ADR, the northwest Michigan series ran above both in August 2026. Occupancy of 68.9% is about 13.9 points above the 55% reference. The $460.67 rate is about 2.1 times $220. August is near the peak, so the annual picture is different. In 2025 occupancy averaged 48.0%, below the 55% reference, at a $310 ADR.
Within Michigan the same series covers Traverse City, which is the main tourism center of the region, so Williamsburg cannot be separated from it in this data. The profile describes the Williamsburg area as sitting inside one of the Midwest’s top inland tourism regions.
Top property manager rankings are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Williamsburg, so this profile omits operator shares.
Frequently Asked Questions About Williamsburg, Michigan
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