Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Short-Term Rental Market
Lake Geneva caps STRs at 180 days; Geneva Lake area earned $482 ADR, 43.5% occupancy, $5,744 monthly in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Lake Geneva, Wisconsin is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Lake Geneva/Alpine Valley market area is 43%. average monthly revenue in the Lake Geneva/Alpine Valley market area is $5,744. average daily rate in the Lake Geneva/Alpine Valley market area is $482. the top operator in the Lake Geneva/Alpine Valley market area is Geneva Lakes Vacations with 141 listings. market score is 69/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Lake Geneva/Alpine Valley regional market, which includes Lake Geneva. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Lake Geneva.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
This profile covers Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, using September 2026 data. Performance figures describe the Geneva Lake area STR market, which Lake Geneva shares with nearby Williams Bay, about 5 miles away, rather than the city alone. In September 2026 the average daily rate across all listings was $482, occupancy was 43.5%, and average monthly revenue per listing was $5,744. Entire places averaged $490 per night.
Year over year, occupancy rose 12.1%, ADR rose 8.9%, and revenue rose 15.8%. The longer record shows a market that has recovered from a soft stretch. Average monthly revenue per listing was $4,160 in 2023, $4,584 in 2024 and $4,869 in 2025. The first nine months of 2026 average $5,772 per month, with occupancy of 46.7% and ADR of $447, compared with 43.3% occupancy and a $404 ADR across 2025.
Demand comes mostly from within the region. Lake Geneva sits less than an hour from Chicago and Milwaukee, and visitors are weekenders, couples and group or corporate retreats drawn by the lake, resorts, dining and seasonal events. Walworth County ranks about sixth of 72 Wisconsin counties for tourism impact, and direct visitor spending in the Lake Geneva area reached about $527 million in 2024. The city has a population of 8,277.
Bedroom, booking channel and listing type counts, along with operator rankings, are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Lake Geneva, so this profile omits them.
Investors should weigh regulation alongside these numbers. The city requires an annual license, the state requires a tourist rooming house license, and rentals are limited to 180 days a year. Those limits shape how much of the revenue figures an individual owner can actually capture.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 29% |
| Feb | 32% |
| Mar | 35% |
| Apr | 34% |
| May | 46% |
| Jun | 59% |
| Jul | 68% |
| Aug | 59% |
| Sep | 42% |
| Oct | 36% |
| Nov | 32% |
| Dec | 38% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Lake Geneva are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Lake Geneva/Alpine Valley market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Lake Geneva/Alpine Valley market as a whole, which includes Lake Geneva, so these counts are not Lake Geneva-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geneva Lakes Vacations | 141 | 6,018 | ★ 4.83 |
| 2 | Grand Welcome | 47 | 1,240 | ★ 4.84 |
| 3 | Evolve | 32 | 1,545 | ★ 4.86 |
| 4 | Vacation Rental Property Partners | 21 | 475 | ★ 4.85 |
| 5 | Portside Rentals | 9 | 92 | ★ 4.86 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Lake Geneva?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Lake Geneva 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 | 24.5% |
| vrbo | 9.8% |
| both | 65.8% |
Home Value Trends (Lake Geneva)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Lake Geneva 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 Lake Geneva — 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 Lake Geneva, and the rules are strict. Operators need two licenses: a City of Lake Geneva Short-Term Rental Annual License, which costs $400 and renews annually (the deadline is April 30, with a late fee of about $250), and a State of Wisconsin Tourist Rooming House License, at roughly $110 a year plus about $300 for the inspection of new properties.
Wisconsin Statute 66.1014 prevents the city from banning STRs, and the city permits them in all zoning districts where residential dwellings are allowed. Owner occupancy and primary residence are not required. The ordinance defines an STR as a dwelling rented for more than 6 but fewer than 29 consecutive days, and caps use at 180 days per year. Other operating rules include a 2-night minimum stay, two off-street parking spaces plus one more per bedroom over two, and a designated local operator within 25 miles of the property.
The lodging tax is 8%, raised from 5%, on top of Wisconsin’s 5% state sales tax. Enforcement is rated strict. The city adopted the Rentalscape monitoring platform in early 2025 to find unlicensed or noncompliant listings, and operating without valid licenses can draw fines of up to $1,000 per day.
Recent changes include a revised ordinance adopted in late 2024. The city license fee fell from $2,000 in 2018 to $750 and then to $400 after a legal challenge. Investors should confirm current requirements with the city before buying.
Market Comparison
The Geneva Lake area STR market shows a clear split between rates and occupancy. September 2026 occupancy was 43.5% while the ADR was $482, and monthly revenue of $5,744 reflects that mix.
Only the peak summer months run near or above 59% occupancy. July reaches 67.6% and June and August reach 59.2% and 59.0%, while nine months run below 46%. The 2026 year to date occupancy is 46.7% with a $447 ADR.
Growth is a strength. September 2026 revenue rose 15.8% year over year, with ADR up 8.9% and occupancy up 12.1%. Lake Geneva also has a 180-day annual use limit, so owners cannot treat the rate strength as unlimited upside.
Operator rankings are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Lake Geneva, so this profile omits them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
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