Hayesville, North Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Hayesville's western North Carolina mountain STR market posted $240 ADR, 48.3% occupancy and $3,198 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Hayesville, North Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the North Carolina Mtns market area is 48%. average monthly revenue in the North Carolina Mtns market area is $3,198. average daily rate in the North Carolina Mtns market area is $240. the top operator in the North Carolina Mtns market area is Evolve with 723 listings. market score is 70/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the North Carolina Mtns regional market, which includes Hayesville. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Hayesville.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
This profile covers Hayesville, North Carolina, a town of 461 residents in Clay County near the Georgia border, using data through September 2026. Performance figures are tracked at a shared level across the Western North Carolina mountains region, so every number below describes the Western North Carolina mountains STR market rather than Hayesville alone. In September 2026 the average daily rate was $240 and occupancy was 48.3%, producing average monthly revenue of $3,198 per listing. Compared with September 2025, occupancy rose 11.3%, ADR rose 3.4%, and revenue rose 15.2%. Entire homes averaged $242 per night, and houses averaged $3,372 in monthly revenue versus $2,341 for apartments. Summing the typical seasonal months gives annual revenue of about $34,068 per listing. Bedroom, channel, and listing-type counts and top operators are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Hayesville, so this profile omits them. Local demand centers on Lake Chatuge, a roughly 7,200-acre TVA reservoir with 132 miles of shoreline, plus hiking and mountain biking in the Nantahala National Forest, the John C. Campbell Folk School in nearby Brasstown, and the historic downtown square. Visitors are largely regional road-trippers, second-home owners, retirees and seasonal lake-goers, with travel peaking from spring through fall. No annual visitor count has been published for Hayesville or Clay County. Over a longer view, annual occupancy was 60.6% in 2020 and 60.4% in 2021, eased to 47.7% in 2024, and stands at 47.6% for 2026 through September, while ADR climbed from $187 in 2017 to $226 in 2026 year to date. The latest growth is best read as a rebound from a softer base.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 32% |
| Feb | 41% |
| Mar | 47% |
| Apr | 47% |
| May | 49% |
| Jun | 61% |
| Jul | 68% |
| Aug | 56% |
| Sep | 49% |
| Oct | 61% |
| Nov | 49% |
| Dec | 46% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Hayesville are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in North Carolina Mtns market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the North Carolina Mtns market as a whole, which includes Hayesville, so these counts are not Hayesville-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 723 | 35,109 | ★ 4.76 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 454 | 17,037 | ★ 4.47 |
| 3 | Yonder | 119 | 3,777 | ★ 4.71 |
| 4 | Rumbling Bald Resort | 112 | 415 | ★ 4.35 |
| 5 | Bryson City Cabin Rentals | 112 | 1,400 | ★ 4.65 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Hayesville?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Hayesville 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 | 27.2% |
| vrbo | 11.8% |
| both | 61% |
Home Value Trends (Hayesville)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Hayesville 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 Hayesville — 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 and around Hayesville, and enforcement is rated minimal. No permit is required, so there is no permit fee or renewal period to track, and there is no annual night cap. Neither an owner-occupancy nor a primary-residence requirement applies. Clay County is a land-use county rather than a fully zoned one and does not impose STR-specific zoning, so rentals in the unincorporated county are largely unregulated. Within the Town of Hayesville limits and its Extraterritorial Jurisdiction, any use requires a town zoning permit. Clay County levies a 3% occupancy tax on gross rental receipts, which STR operators owe. On September 11, 2023, the Hayesville Town Council introduced an STR ordinance that would have required an annually renewed zoning permit, limited rentals to residential lodging use, capped occupancy at two adults per bedroom, and barred exterior advertising. The council tabled it after public pushback over the 30 day rental threshold, and no adopted successor ordinance had been confirmed as of mid-2026. Rules can change, so investors should confirm the occupancy tax remittance process and any town zoning permit requirement with the Clay County Tax Office and the Town of Hayesville before listing a property.
Market Comparison
No national benchmark is published in this profile, so the Western North Carolina mountains STR market is read against its own history. September 2026 occupancy was 48.3% and the ADR was $240. Revenue per listing of $3,198 a month is supported by that rate. The trend is encouraging, with occupancy up 11.3%, ADR up 3.4%, and revenue up 15.2% from a year earlier. Seasonality is a real difference: July occupancy of 67.5% sits far above January at 32.2%. Top operators are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Hayesville, so this profile omits them. Compared with the whole mountain region, Hayesville offers a small-town setting with 461 residents, a lake that anchors summer demand, and a light regulatory environment, which may appeal to investors who want fewer permit hurdles than are common in larger resort markets.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hayesville, North Carolina
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