Pocono Lake, Pennsylvania Short-Term Rental Market
Pocono Lake sits in the Pocono Mountains region STR market, which averaged $428/night and 46.5% occupancy in June 2026.
Quick Answer: Pocono Lake, Pennsylvania is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Pocono Mtns market area is 47%. average monthly revenue in the Pocono Mtns market area is $5,233. average daily rate in the Pocono Mtns market area is $428. the top operator in the Pocono Mtns market area is Evolve with 516 listings. market score is 86/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the Pocono Mtns regional market, which includes Pocono Lake. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Pocono Lake.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Pocono Lake is a small unincorporated lake community within the Pocono Mountains, one of the Northeast’s largest four-season leisure destinations, served primarily by Tobyhanna Township in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. The broader Pocono Mountains region (Monroe, Pike, Wayne, and Carbon counties) draws an estimated 27 to 30 million visitors a year, who spent a record $7.2 billion in 2024 and supported more than 38,000 jobs; about 92% of trips are for leisure, with roughly 65% day-trippers and 35% overnight, and the region draws heavily from the New York City and Philadelphia metro areas within a two to three hour drive. No standalone visitor count is published for Pocono Lake itself.
Because StaySTRA’s short-term rental performance data for this submarket is tracked at the Pocono Mountains region level rather than the individual town level, this profile frames performance numbers as describing the Pocono Mountains region STR market rather than Pocono Lake specifically. In June 2026, that regional market averaged 46.53% occupancy and a $427.70 average daily rate, with average monthly revenue of $5,232.54 per active listing. Revenue grew a strong 9.26% year over year even though occupancy (+0.41 points) and ADR (+1.21%) each moved only modestly, pointing to a meaningfully stronger booking mix rather than simple rate growth.
Listing count, bedroom mix, and channel split data for this submarket are also tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Pocono Lake, so this profile omits those specific breakdowns.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 35% |
| Feb | 41% |
| Mar | 28% |
| Apr | 37% |
| May | 38% |
| Jun | 48% |
| Jul | 61% |
| Aug | 63% |
| Sep | 33% |
| Oct | 38% |
| Nov | 37% |
| Dec | 42% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Pocono Lake are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Pocono Mtns market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Pocono Mtns market as a whole, which includes Pocono Lake, so these counts are not Pocono Lake-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 516 | 21,759 | ★ 4.56 |
| 2 | Pocono Rental Management | 123 | 5,740 | ★ 4.64 |
| 3 | LiveFree Hospitality | 96 | 7,069 | ★ 4.78 |
| 4 | Vacasa | 85 | 2,357 | ★ 4.39 |
| 5 | Techvestor | 75 | 6,155 | ★ 4.69 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Pocono Lake?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Pocono Lake 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 | 30.4% |
| vrbo | 7.3% |
| both | 62.3% |
Home Value Trends (Pocono Lake)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Pocono Lake 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 Pocono Lake — 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
Pocono Lake is served primarily by Tobyhanna Township, which adopted a dedicated short-term rental ordinance (Ordinance No. 569) on June 28, 2022, amended in October 2022 and again in February 2024. Any dwelling rented for fewer than 30 days is defined as an STR and requires an annual township permit, with a reported first-time fee of about $600 and a roughly $500 renewal. Permits are valid one year, must be renewed before expiration, and are non-transferable on sale.
Applicants must submit a septic system evaluation with proof the tank was pumped within the past three years (for properties not on central sewer) and carry $500,000 in general liability insurance. Occupancy is capped at two persons per bedroom plus two, a limit set in the February 2024 revision, which also brought fines in line with state guidelines. The permit number must appear in online listings and be posted at the property.
There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement and no annual night cap. A combined 9% lodging tax applies (6% Pennsylvania state hotel occupancy tax plus 3% Monroe County hotel excise tax). Enforcement is documentation-heavy (septic, insurance, inspections) but not described as aggressive. Importantly, many Pocono Lake homes sit within private lake communities whose HOA or POA rules can independently restrict or prohibit short-term rentals regardless of township approval, so reviewing community covenants is essential before purchasing.
Market Comparison
The Pocono Mountains region STR market’s 46.53% occupancy in June 2026 runs below the roughly 55% occupancy typical of the broader U.S. short-term rental market, while its $427.70 ADR sits above the national median of roughly $220, meaning this market leans on rate rather than fill rate relative to a typical U.S. market, similar to the pattern seen in Plymouth, New Hampshire.
Property manager data for this submarket is tracked at a shared regional level covering at least a dozen nearby Pocono towns rather than uniquely for Pocono Lake, so this profile omits naming specific operators here.
Pocono Lake’s own housing costs run notably below its Pocono Pines neighbor a few miles away, which shares the identical regional STR performance series but carries a meaningfully higher typical home value ($288,010 versus $454,156), making Pocono Lake the lower-entry-cost option between the two for an investor targeting this same regional demand pool.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pocono Lake, Pennsylvania
Why does this profile describe Pocono Mountains region performance instead of Pocono Lake specifically?
What is the average nightly rate for a short-term rental in the Pocono Lake area?
How much does a short-term rental permit cost in Pocono Lake?
Can an HOA block a short-term rental in Pocono Lake even with a township permit?
How does Pocono Lake compare to nearby Pocono Pines for STR investment?
What is the strongest month for short-term rentals in the Pocono Lake area?
What is the typical home value in Pocono Lake?
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