Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Short-Term Rental Market
Door County area STRs averaged $457 a night at 74.2% occupancy in August 2026, earning $9,168 a month.
Quick Answer: Sturgeon 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 Sturgeon Bay. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Sturgeon Bay.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Sturgeon Bay sits in Door County, Wisconsin, and its short-term rental performance data is tracked together with neighboring Sister Bay as the Door County area STR market. In August 2026 that market averaged an ADR (average daily rate) of $457 at 74.2% occupancy, with average revenue of $9,168 for the month. Compared with August 2025, occupancy was down 3.4% while ADR rose 6.7% and revenue rose 5.1%.
The Door County area STR market has 1,671 tracked listings in the latest dimension snapshot. Entire places make up 1,618 of them (96.8%) and private rooms make up 53 (3.2%). Three-bedroom homes are the largest bedroom group at 521 listings (31.2%), followed by 2-bedroom homes at 448 (26.8%), 1-bedroom units at 316 (18.9%), 4-bedroom homes at 256 (15.3%), and 5-bedroom homes at 129 (7.7%). By channel, 847 listings (50.7%) appear on both Airbnb and Vrbo, 480 (28.7%) are Airbnb only, and 344 (20.6%) are Vrbo only.
Sturgeon Bay is the Door County seat and the largest city in the county, with a population of 9,861. The county draws about 2.1 million visitors a year, mostly regional drive-market travelers from Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. Demand is concentrated between Memorial Day and Labor Day, with a fall shoulder season.
Annual averages show how the market has moved. Average occupancy peaked at 57.8% in 2021 and was 47.1% in 2025. Over the same period ADR rose from $264 to $337. Average monthly revenue in 2025 was $4,432. January to August 2026 is running at 49.3% occupancy, a $349 ADR, and $4,797 in average monthly revenue.
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 Sturgeon 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 Sturgeon Bay, so these counts are not Sturgeon 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 Sturgeon Bay?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Sturgeon 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 (Sturgeon Bay)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Sturgeon 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 Sturgeon 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
Short-term rentals are legal in Sturgeon Bay but are licensed and taxed. The city regulates them as Tourist Rooming Houses under Municipal Code Chapter 9.05 and the Chapter 20 Zoning Code. Operators must confirm that the zoning district allows a Tourist Rooming House before applying.
A host needs three approvals. The first is a Wisconsin DATCP tourist rooming house license. The second is a lodging permit from the Door County Tourism Zone Commission. The third is a City of Sturgeon Bay license that costs $100 and renews annually, with licenses expiring June 30. Operators must show the Commission permit number in online listings.
Guests pay an 8% Door County room tax, up from 5.5% on January 1, 2022. Operators collect and remit it monthly to the Commission, including months with no revenue.
There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement. There is no stated cap on nights per year. However, an owner, operator, or management company must be reachable within a 90-minute drive of the property. Maximum occupancy depends on septic or holding-tank capacity.
In January and February 2025 the city amended the ordinance (Ordinance No. 1458-0225) to clarify the 90-minute rule after a legal challenge. It also standardized licenses to annual renewals at the same $100 fee. Enforcement is rated moderate and works through licensing, inspection, and tax filing. Confirm current rules with the city before buying.
Market Comparison
The US STR benchmark used here is about 55% occupancy and a $220 ADR. In August 2026 the Door County area STR market ran at 74.2% occupancy, which is 19.2 points above that benchmark. Its $457 ADR is about 2.1 times the benchmark. Annual figures are less strong. The 2025 average occupancy was 47.1%, below the benchmark, while the 2025 average ADR of $337 was still above it.
In plain terms, Door County earns its revenue from price and a short peak, not from year-round occupancy. A host here should compare against the summer months for upside and against the annual average for planning.
The largest operators in the Door County area STR market are:
Simple Life Rentals leads with 109 listings, about 6.5% of the 1,671 tracked listings, with a 4.67 average rating across 4,789 reviews. Rent Door County is second with 62 listings (3.7%) and a 4.71 rating. Evolve has 40 listings with a 4.77 rating. DoCo Vacations has 38 listings and the highest rating of the top five at 4.93 across 6,959 reviews. The top five operators together hold 271 listings, about 16.2% of the market, so most supply is independent hosts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
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How far ahead do guests book, and how long do they stay?
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