Sister Bay, Wisconsin Short-Term Rental Market
Sister Bay caps STRs at four bedrooms; Door County averaged $457 nightly, 74.2% occupancy, $9,168 monthly in August 2026.
Quick Answer: Sister Bay, Wisconsin is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Door County market area is 57%. average monthly revenue in the Door County market area is $6,397. average daily rate in the Door County market area is $410. the top operator in the Door County market area is Simple Life Rentals with 109 listings. market score is 63/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Door County regional market, which includes Sister Bay. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Sister Bay.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Sister Bay is the largest community in Northern Door County, with a population of 1,170, and it is regulated more strictly than most STR markets. Operators need three licenses, and the village limits rentals to four bedrooms without approval. Performance data for Sister Bay is reported as one shared series for Door County that covers Sister Bay and Sturgeon Bay, so the figures below describe the Door County STR market. In August 2026 that market averaged $457 per night at 74.2% occupancy. Average revenue per listing was $9,168 for the month. Compared with August 2025, average daily rate rose 6.7% and revenue rose 5.1%, while occupancy fell 3.4%. The market is highly seasonal. Occupancy ran from 27.1% in the average January to 79.9% in the average July. Over the longer record, average daily rate climbed from $216 in 2017 to $337 in 2025. Average occupancy peaked at 57.8% in 2021 and was 47.1% in 2025. Average revenue per listing grew from $2,384 a month in 2017 to $4,432 in 2025, so rate has more than offset lower occupancy. Door County also drew $651.2 million in tourism economic impact in 2024, up 5.1% from the year before, according to the area profile. Visitors are mostly leisure travelers from Wisconsin, Illinois and the Chicago and Milwaukee areas. City-specific visitor counts are not published. Listing mix, channel mix and top-operator data are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Sister Bay, so this profile omits it.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 27% |
| Feb | 35% |
| Mar | 39% |
| Apr | 36% |
| May | 51% |
| Jun | 67% |
| Jul | 80% |
| Aug | 76% |
| Sep | 57% |
| Oct | 54% |
| Nov | 28% |
| Dec | 33% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Sister Bay are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Door County market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Door County market as a whole, which includes Sister Bay, so these counts are not Sister Bay-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simple Life Rentals | 109 | 4,789 | ★ 4.67 |
| 2 | Rent Door County | 62 | 1,953 | ★ 4.71 |
| 3 | Evolve | 40 | 3,287 | ★ 4.77 |
| 4 | DoCo Vacations | 38 | 6,959 | ★ 4.93 |
| 5 | Northern Door Vacations | 22 | 711 | ★ 4.90 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Sister Bay?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Sister Bay 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 | 28.7% |
| vrbo | 20.6% |
| both | 50.7% |
Home Value Trends (Sister Bay)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Sister Bay 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 Sister Bay — 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
Sister Bay actively regulates short-term rentals, defined as stays under 30 days, and the profile rates enforcement as strict. Operators must hold three overlapping licenses: a Wisconsin Tourist Rooming House License, a Door County Tourism Zone Commission license and a Village of Sister Bay STR License. The village license costs $1,500 per year, is not refundable or prorated, and runs on a July 1 to June 30 license year with a new application each year. The village passed a zoning ordinance in June 2023 and three more STR ordinances on March 19, 2024. No more than four bedrooms may be rented without approval from the Plan Commission, and occupancy is capped at 12 people. Owners who live more than 30 miles away must appoint a Resident Agent within 30 miles who is available by phone or email at all times. The village sends property rules and contacts to neighbors within 300 feet. Lodging carries an 8% Door County room tax, plus 5% state sales tax and 0.5% county sales tax. Licenses can be suspended, revoked or not renewed for violations. The area profile reports no annual night cap and no owner-occupancy or primary-residence rule, so a licensed investment rental is allowed. Four property-owner couples sued over the four-bedroom limit. In early August 2025 a Door County circuit judge upheld the village’s right to enforce it, and the owners appealed. The profile does not record the appeal result.
Market Comparison
Against US figures of about 55% occupancy and about $220 average daily rate, the Door County market runs well above both. August 2026 occupancy of 74.2% is about 19 points above the national figure. The $457 average daily rate is more than double the national figure. That comparison is a peak-season snapshot. Across the 2025 calendar year, average occupancy in the Door County series was 47.1%, below the national figure, while the $337 average daily rate stayed above it. The market therefore earns its income from a short high-rate season rather than from year-round demand. Strict village rules, a $1,500 license and a four-bedroom limit also raise the cost to operate in Sister Bay itself. Top-operator data is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Sister Bay, so this profile omits it. Average booking lead time in the Door County market was 109 days in August 2026, which supports early pricing decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sister Bay, Wisconsin
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What taxes apply to Sister Bay short-term rentals?
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