Hayward, Wisconsin Short-Term Rental Market
Hayward WI STRs averaged $190/night at 40.1% occupancy in April 2026 with a July peak of $254 ADR and 70.3% occupancy.
Quick Answer: Hayward, Wisconsin is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 40%. average monthly revenue is $1,967. average daily rate is $190. the top operator is Evolve with 553 listings. market score is 80/100 (grade B).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Hayward, Wisconsin is a Northwoods destination town of roughly 2,555 residents in Sawyer County, centered on the Hayward Lakes area and the Chequamegon National Forest. The short-term rental market here is large relative to the town’s permanent population, driven by regional visitors from Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Chicago drawn to lake recreation, muskie fishing, snowmobiling, and marquee events including the American Birkebeiner ski marathon and the Lumberjack World Championships. Sawyer County tourism generated roughly $151 million in economic impact in 2024.
The latest data month is April 2026, a shoulder period in Hayward’s seasonal cycle. Total tracked listings number approximately 14,852, composed of 5,664 Airbnb-only listings, 2,129 VRBO-only, and 7,059 on both platforms, the highest cross-platform dual-listing share of any area in this batch. Entire-place units account for 14,056 of those listings, underscoring Hayward’s character as a vacation-cottage market. Private rooms total 792. By bedroom count, two-bedrooms lead with 4,277 listings, closely followed by three-bedrooms at 4,069. Four-bedrooms account for 2,156 and five-plus for 1,339, indicating a substantial supply of larger lake homes. One-bedroom units total 2,983.
April occupancy was 40.1% and ADR was $190, yielding RevPAR of $76.35. Year-over-year, occupancy rose 1.6%, ADR climbed 6.7%, and revenue increased just 0.3%, reflecting the timing of the measurement in a low month. The overall market score is 80.0, with investability at 91.9 and revenue growth at 91.9, both among the highest scores in the dataset.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36% | $192 | $1,941 |
| Feb | 41% | $199 | $1,945 |
| Mar | 35% | $172 | $1,827 |
| Apr | 41% | $168 | $1,752 |
| May | 50% | $199 | $2,082 |
| Jun | 62% | $247 | $3,627 |
| Jul | 70% | $254 | $4,555 |
| Aug | 62% | $250 | $4,230 |
| Sep | 47% | $220 | $2,811 |
| Oct | 43% | $196 | $2,421 |
| Nov | 38% | $176 | $1,919 |
| Dec | 41% | $190 | $1,982 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Hayward
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 553 | 19,950 | ★ 4.74 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 421 | 11,122 | ★ 4.62 |
| 3 | Hiller Vacation Homes | 95 | 1,825 | ★ 4.46 |
| 4 | Northwoods Property Managment | 63 | 445 | ★ 4.71 |
| 5 | Wild Eagle Lodge | 59 | 18 | ★ 4.50 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Hayward?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,983 |
| 2 bed | 4,277 |
| 3 bed | 4,069 |
| 4 bed | 2,156 |
| 5 bed | 1,339 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $199 |
| Luxury | $425 |
| Professionally Managed | $207 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,426 |
| Entire Place | $2,034 |
| House | $2,097 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 38.1% |
| vrbo | 14.3% |
| both | 47.5% |
Investment Analysis
Hayward’s investability score of 91.9 out of 100 reflects the market’s strong vacation-rental fundamentals. STRs are legal and actively permitted, the property price point is moderate relative to coastal markets, and demand is driven by a stable regional visitor base with decades of established travel patterns.
At the April 2026 data snapshot, average monthly revenue across all listing types was $1,967, but this figure captures a shoulder month. Entire-place units averaged $2,034 and houses $2,097 in the same period. The seasonal peak (July) reached average monthly revenue of $4,555 in historical data. The 2025 calendar year averaged $3,015 per month across the full year, which represents a more reliable baseline for investment modeling.
Using the typical home value of $367,237 and the 2025 annual average monthly revenue of $3,015, annualized revenue of approximately $36,180 implies a gross revenue-to-price ratio of roughly 9.9% before operating costs, management fees, and vacancies. Professionally managed listings averaged $207 per night in April and luxury-tier listings reached $425 per night. ADR growth of 6.7% year-over-year in April 2026 signals active rate compression upward. The median list price of $396,567 provides a second entry-cost reference. Investors entering at the typical home value with professional management and strong summer occupancy can realistically capture a gross yield near 10% on an annualized basis.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
The average booking lead time in April 2026 was 47.3 days, meaning guests reserved Hayward STR properties roughly six to seven weeks before arrival. This is a longer planning horizon than most urban markets and reflects the advance booking typical of vacation-destination travel, particularly for summer lake visits. Operators can capture this demand with dynamic pricing adjustments applied well before peak periods.
Average length of stay was 3.94 days, just under four nights. This is a short-stay pattern by lake-cottage standards, suggesting many visitors come for long weekends rather than full weeks. The combination of 47-day lead time and 4-day stays has practical implications: operators should set minimum-stay requirements of 3 to 4 nights for peak summer to maximize revenue per booking and reduce turnover labor. Longer minimum stays in July and August (5 to 7 nights is common in comparable lake markets) can increase monthly revenue even if total nights booked are slightly lower.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are legal in Hayward and the surrounding Sawyer County under Wisconsin’s statewide preemption law (Wis. Stat. 66.1019), which bars municipalities from prohibiting rentals of seven or more consecutive days. No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies statewide.
Operators must hold a Wisconsin Tourist Rooming House License issued by the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). The license costs approximately $110 per year plus a one-time pre-inspection fee of roughly $300. A Wisconsin sales tax seller’s permit is also required. Properties inside Hayward city limits need a city business license.
Sawyer County adopted a new Tourist Rooming House ordinance in October 2024, adding county-level permitting, an occupancy cap of two persons per bedroom plus two additional occupants, required on-site signage, a local contact requirement, and more structured enforcement including fines and potential license suspension or revocation. Enforcement is classified as moderate overall, reflecting a rental-friendly framework with increasing oversight.
On taxes, operators collect Wisconsin’s 5.5% combined sales tax (5% state plus 0.5% county) and the City of Hayward’s 4% room tax on transient lodging. No statutory cap on annual rental nights was found, though Wisconsin law allows municipalities to optionally impose a 180-day annual cap if they choose.
Market Comparison
Hayward’s April 2026 occupancy of 40.1% is well below the US STR median of approximately 55%, which is expected for a shoulder month in a strongly seasonal resort market. The July peak of 70.3% significantly exceeds the national median, consistent with Hayward’s function as a high-demand summer destination. The ADR of $190 in April is below the US median of roughly $220, but the July ADR of $254 exceeds that benchmark comfortably.
The top operator by listing count is Evolve with 553 listings, 19,950 reviews, and a 4.74 average rating, making it the dominant professional manager in the market. Vacasa holds second with 421 listings and 11,122 reviews at a 4.62 rating. Evolve and Vacasa together account for approximately 974 listings, or roughly 6.6% of the approximately 14,852 total tracked listings. Hiller Vacation Homes, a regional operator, manages 95 listings with a 4.46 rating and 1,825 reviews. Northwoods Property Management operates 63 listings at a 4.71 rating. Wild Eagle Lodge holds 59 listings at a 4.50 rating. The presence of strong regional operators (Hiller, Northwoods) alongside national platforms (Evolve, Vacasa) reflects Hayward’s mature STR ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hayward, Wisconsin
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