Swan Lake, New York Short-Term Rental Market
Swan Lake (Town of Bethel) STRs averaged $263/night at 43.0% occupancy in April 2026, with no local permit requirement.
Quick Answer: Swan Lake, New York is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 43%. average monthly revenue is $3,012. average daily rate is $263. the top operator is Evolve with 284 listings. market score is 75/100 (grade B).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Swan Lake is a small hamlet in the Town of Bethel, Sullivan County, approximately 90 miles northwest of New York City. The area is part of the broader Sullivan County Catskills STR market, which shares data with neighboring hamlets. The hamlet itself has a residential population of approximately 161, but the surrounding region anchored by Bethel Woods Center for the Arts and the original 1969 Woodstock Festival site draws substantial weekend and seasonal visitation.
As of April 2026, the Sullivan County data area encompassing Swan Lake has approximately 13,917 active listings. Entire-place rentals dominate at 12,455 listings (89%), with 1,452 private rooms and 37 shared rooms. The April 2026 average daily rate was $262.67, up 4.8% year-over-year, while occupancy came in at 43.0%, down 3.3 percentage points from the prior year. Revenue per listing averaged $3,012 in April 2026, up 2.9% year-over-year. RevPAR stands at $113.05.
Channel mix: 7,684 listings on Airbnb only, 5,605 on both Airbnb and VRBO, and 655 on VRBO only. Bedroom mix: 1-bedroom units lead with 4,458 listings, followed by 3-bedrooms (3,345), 2-bedrooms (2,805), 4-bedrooms (1,921), and 5-bedroom-plus units (1,388). The market’s total score of 75.46 out of 100 reflects solid investability (85.82), a well-distributed seasonal profile (77.54 seasonality score), and a favorable regulatory environment (73.19 regulation score).
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38% | $267 | $2,975 |
| Feb | 46% | $273 | $3,092 |
| Mar | 39% | $230 | $2,645 |
| Apr | 48% | $226 | $2,733 |
| May | 51% | $245 | $2,854 |
| Jun | 53% | $269 | $3,564 |
| Jul | 60% | $280 | $4,387 |
| Aug | 62% | $288 | $4,694 |
| Sep | 48% | $256 | $3,295 |
| Oct | 52% | $269 | $3,851 |
| Nov | 44% | $256 | $3,151 |
| Dec | 46% | $270 | $3,271 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Swan Lake
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 284 | 10,524 | ★ 4.64 |
| 2 | Red Cottage | 151 | 3,895 | ★ 4.88 |
| 3 | Home Sweet Hudson | 65 | 3,085 | ★ 4.74 |
| 4 | The Upstate Place Team | 47 | 2,096 | ★ 4.89 |
| 5 | AvantStay | 38 | 901 | ★ 4.57 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Swan Lake?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 4,458 |
| 2 bed | 2,805 |
| 3 bed | 3,345 |
| 4 bed | 1,921 |
| 5 bed | 1,388 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $285 |
| Luxury | $529 |
| Professionally Managed | $397 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,270 |
| Entire Place | $3,223 |
| House | $3,260 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 55.1% |
| vrbo | 4.7% |
| both | 40.2% |
Investment Analysis
Swan Lake and the Town of Bethel present one of the more accessible STR regulatory environments in New York State, with no local permit requirement as of May 2026. The investability score is 85.82 out of 100. Typical home value data was not published for this area in the April 2026 snapshot, so a gross yield calculation cannot be provided. For-sale inventory in the immediate area is limited to 14 active listings.
Revenue performance by listing type mirrors the broader Sullivan County market. Houses generate $3,260 per month versus $2,270 for apartments, a 44% premium. Entire-place listings average $3,223. On ADR tiers, entire-home properties average $284.86 per night versus $262.67 for the overall market. Professionally managed listings command $396.54 per night. The luxury tier averages $528.50 per night.
The year-over-year revenue trend is positive at +2.9%, one of the stronger readings in this batch. The 2025 annual average occupancy was 47.1% with ADR of $296 and average monthly revenue of $3,848. The revenue growth score of 74.20 and the sustained post-pandemic revenue base (2023: $3,578, 2024: $3,751, 2025: $3,848) indicate steady appreciation rather than a post-surge correction.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Swan Lake STR guests book an average of 38.2 days in advance, consistent with the broader Sullivan County market and the NYC metro weekend-escape traveler profile. The average length of stay is 3.62 nights, confirming a dominant 3-4 night weekend stay pattern rather than week-long vacations.
At sub-4-night average stays, operators face frequent turnovers of 7-8 per month at high occupancy. The Bethel Woods concert schedule introduces event-driven booking spikes during the June-August season, when last-minute rates can command a premium for desirable weekends. Operators should monitor the Bethel Woods events calendar and hold rates firm on concert-adjacent weekends, applying discounts only on non-event dates with unfilled inventory inside the 2-week window. The 38-day advance booking window aligns well with a dynamic pricing strategy that adjusts rates monthly in the 5-6 week horizon.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Swan Lake sits within the Town of Bethel, which has no enacted local STR permit law as of May 2026. A proposed ordinance was publicly heard in April 2023 but was not adopted. The town building department lists no STR permit requirement, and three independent sources confirm the absence of a local STR law.
STR operators in Swan Lake are subject to two mandatory obligations at the county and state level. First, Sullivan County imposes a 5% Hotel and Motel Room Occupancy Tax on all short-term rentals under 90 nights. Operators must register with the Sullivan County Treasurer, file quarterly returns (due March 20, June 20, September 20, December 20), state the tax separately on all rental bills, and display their Certificate of Authority. Airbnb collects and remits this 5% county tax automatically for platform bookings. Second, New York State imposes a 4% statewide sales tax on STR occupancy, which Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit as of March 25, 2025. Combined total tax burden is approximately 9%.
New York State RPL 447-C (effective April 21, 2025) requires Sullivan County to establish an STR registry or opt out by December 31, 2025. County implementation status was pending as of mid-2025. There is no owner-occupancy requirement, no cap on rental nights per year, and no minimum stay requirement at the local level. Enforcement is rated minimal.
Market Comparison
Swan Lake’s April 2026 occupancy of 43.0% is below the approximate U.S. STR median of 55%, reflecting a shoulder month in a seasonally variable market. Its ADR of $263 is above the national median of roughly $220. The RevPAR of $113.05 is consistent with a mid-premium rural weekend destination.
The operator landscape is identical to the broader Sullivan County data area. Evolve leads with 284 listings and 10,524 reviews (average rating 4.64), representing approximately 2.0% of total supply. Red Cottage holds second with 151 listings and 3,895 reviews (4.88 stars). Home Sweet Hudson ranks third with 65 listings (4.74 stars), followed by The Upstate Place Team (47 listings, 4.89 stars) and AvantStay (38 listings, 4.57 stars). The top 5 operators together account for approximately 585 listings, about 4.2% of total supply.
Swan Lake’s distinct competitive advantage relative to other Sullivan County hamlets is its regulatory environment: no local STR permit is required, lowering the barrier to entry and operating overhead. Bethel Woods Center for the Arts drew approximately 2.9 million visitors since opening in 2006 and provides a recurring cultural-events anchor for demand that most rural Catskills markets lack.
Frequently Asked Questions About Swan Lake, New York
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