Benton, Tennessee Short-Term Rental Market
Benton, TN STRs averaged $164/night at 49.6% occupancy in April 2026, driven by Ocoee River recreation demand.
Quick Answer: Benton, Tennessee is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 50%. average monthly revenue is $2,238. average daily rate is $164. the top operator is Evolve with 409 listings. market score is 73/100 (grade B).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Benton serves as the gateway to the Ocoee and Hiwassee rivers in Polk County, Tennessee, drawing approximately 250,000 outdoor recreation visitors annually to one of the most-rafted river corridors in the country. The STR market reflects that seasonal, activity-driven demand pattern.
As of April 2026, the average daily rate across all listings stood at $164, with occupancy at 49.6% and RevPAR at $81.54. Year-over-year, occupancy grew 0.87%, ADR rose 0.59%, and revenue increased 2.34%, signaling modest but positive momentum after a normalization period from the 2020-2021 peak.
The listing supply is concentrated in entire-place accommodations. Of the 12,488 total listing-nights tracked across listing types, entire-place units account for 11,859 (roughly 95%), with private rooms at 612 and shared rooms at 17. This makes Benton a near-pure entire-place market, consistent with outdoor recreation destinations where guests want full-property access.
The bedroom mix skews toward smaller units. One-bedroom listings represent the largest single segment (4,059 listing-nights), followed by two-bedrooms (3,360) and three-bedrooms (3,024). Four-bedroom (1,215) and five-bedroom (801) listings serve larger groups and typically command a premium.
Channel distribution shows Airbnb dominance. Airbnb accounts for 5,684 listing appearances, VRBO for 1,176, and dual-listed properties for 5,628, suggesting cross-platform visibility is common among active operators.
The market’s composite score of 73.3 out of 100 is anchored by an exceptionally high investability score of 92.8, reflecting favorable entry costs relative to revenue potential. Regulation scores (67.7) and rental demand scores (67.8) indicate manageable regulatory conditions and consistent but not exceptional demand depth. Revenue growth scores (58.1) reflect the post-peak plateau visible in the year-over-year data.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35% | $132 | $1,477 |
| Feb | 45% | $130 | $1,462 |
| Mar | 53% | $147 | $2,013 |
| Apr | 49% | $152 | $2,015 |
| May | 52% | $167 | $2,207 |
| Jun | 60% | $202 | $3,134 |
| Jul | 61% | $204 | $3,445 |
| Aug | 51% | $189 | $2,654 |
| Sep | 46% | $171 | $2,178 |
| Oct | 53% | $164 | $2,460 |
| Nov | 47% | $159 | $2,040 |
| Dec | 45% | $157 | $2,042 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Benton
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 409 | 13,977 | ★ 4.73 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 108 | 2,373 | ★ 4.56 |
| 3 | Byers & Harvey | 74 | 2,324 | ★ 4.86 |
| 4 | RedAwning | 63 | 846 | ★ 4.67 |
| 5 | RETREAT VACATIONS | 62 | 3,036 | ★ 4.82 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Benton?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 4,059 |
| 2 bed | 3,360 |
| 3 bed | 3,024 |
| 4 bed | 1,215 |
| 5 bed | 801 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $168 |
| Luxury | $278 |
| Professionally Managed | $202 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,817 |
| Entire Place | $2,289 |
| House | $2,401 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 45.5% |
| vrbo | 9.4% |
| both | 45.1% |
Investment Analysis
The investability score for Benton stands at 92.8 out of 100, the highest sub-score in the market profile, driven primarily by the low entry cost relative to rental revenue.
The Zillow typical home value for the area is $263,674, with a current median list price of $337,233 across 21 active for-sale listings. Using the April 2026 revenue of $2,238 per listing per month, annualized gross revenue comes to approximately $26,856. That implies a gross yield of roughly 10.2% on the typical home value, before operating costs, management fees, and taxes. Even applying a 40-50% expense ratio (cleaning, platform fees, maintenance, insurance, management), net yields in the range of 5-6% are achievable at median entry prices.
Tier performance shows meaningful spread. The luxury tier averages $278 per night in ADR, versus $167 for standard entire-home listings and $164 for all listings. Professionally managed listings average $202 per night, a 23% premium over the all-listings ADR, suggesting operators who invest in professional management capture materially higher nightly rates.
Revenue by property type also differentiates: houses averaged $2,401 per month in April 2026, entire-place listings $2,289, and apartments $1,817. The $584 gap between houses and apartments reflects the market’s preference for standalone properties with outdoor access.
The 2025 annual average ADR of $175 was a slight improvement over 2024’s $174. Revenue averaged $2,463 in 2025 versus $2,428 in 2024, with occupancy holding steady near 49%. The market has stabilized after its 2020-2021 surge rather than declining, a constructive signal for investors assessing downside risk.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Benton’s average booking lead time of 42 days means guests typically finalize reservations about six weeks before check-in. This is a moderate lead time that reflects the market’s mix of trip planners (rafting excursions booked weeks in advance) and shorter-window shoulder-season bookings.
For operators, 42 days provides enough runway to apply a tiered pricing approach: rates set at target during the booking window, with a discount window opening around 14-21 days out for unfilled nights. The average length of stay of 3.96 nights (essentially four nights) aligns with weekend-plus stays typical of river recreation destinations where guests arrive Thursday or Friday and depart Monday.
A near-four-night average stay has positive operational implications. Fewer turnovers per month reduce cleaning costs and wear compared to markets dominated by one-to-two-night stays. At 49.6% occupancy across a 30-day month, the average listing hosts roughly 3-4 bookings per month, each generating approximately $650 per stay at the $164 ADR and 3.96-night average.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are legal throughout Benton and Polk County under Tennessee’s Short-Term Rental Unit Act (Public Chapter 972, enacted May 17, 2018). State law prevents local governments from prohibiting STRs based solely on their classification as short-term rentals, though municipalities retain authority to regulate for public health and safety.
No Polk County-specific STR permit or registration program was identified in public records as of 2025. The primary compliance requirement is a Tennessee business license obtained through the Polk County Clerk, with a registration fee of $15 per property annually. Operators whose gross receipts exceed $100,000 must also register with the Tennessee Department of Revenue for a standard business license.
Tax obligations are the most material compliance item. Tennessee state sales tax of 7% applies to rentals under 90 days, plus a 1% supplemental state hotel tax on whole-house rentals, bringing the combined state rate to approximately 8%. Polk County’s local sales tax adds 2.75%, putting the minimum combined sales and local tax at approximately 9.75% before any local occupancy tax. The specific Polk County local occupancy tax rate was not confirmed from a primary source and should be verified independently before operating.
Platforms such as Airbnb collect and remit state taxes directly on behalf of hosts who list exclusively on those platforms, effective January 1, 2021, removing the remittance burden for most platform-based operators.
No owner-occupancy requirement, primary-residence requirement, or cap on annual rental nights was identified at the state or county level. Enforcement severity is rated minimal given the absence of a county permit program or documented enforcement actions.
Market Comparison
Benton’s April 2026 ADR of $164 is below the national STR median ADR of approximately $220, which is expected for a rural Tennessee river market without the resort infrastructure of larger destinations. Occupancy at 49.6% runs about 5 percentage points below the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%.
RevPAR of $81.54 positions Benton as a moderate-yield market where low entry costs compensate for lower absolute revenue. The composite market score of 73.3 and the investability score of 92.8 reflect this dynamic.
Among professional operators, Evolve leads the Benton market with 409 listings and 13,977 reviews at an average rating of 4.73. Vacasa holds second position at 108 listings and 2,373 reviews with a 4.56 average rating. Byers and Harvey, a regional operator, manages 74 listings with the highest average rating among the top five at 4.86. RETREAT VACATIONS holds 62 listings with 3,036 reviews at a 4.82 average rating.
The top five operators collectively account for approximately 716 listings. Given the total supply of approximately 12,488 active listing-nights tracked across listing types, the professionally managed share remains a minority of total supply, with the majority of listings operated independently.
Frequently Asked Questions About Benton, Tennessee
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