If you are looking at Ten Mile as a short-term rental play, the big question is simple: can a lake market this small actually perform? That is a fair concern, especially if you want a property that works for both personal use and income potential. The good news is that Ten Mile has several strong signals in its favor, from recreation-driven demand to existing lodging infrastructure and a waterfront zoning framework that recognizes lodging uses. Here is what you should know before you buy, underwrite, or list a property in this part of Meigs County. Let’s dive in.
Why Ten Mile stands out
Ten Mile is not a generic rural market. It is a lake-oriented micro-market tied closely to Watts Bar Reservoir, which TVA describes as a 72.4-mile reservoir with 722 miles of shoreline and more than 39,090 acres of water surface. TVA also notes that the reservoir is popular for boating, fishing, swimming, camping, and other outdoor recreation.
That matters because short-term rental demand here is tied to recreation first. Meigs County tourism brands the county as the Shoreline County, notes nearly 75 miles of shoreline, and specifically points visitors toward Ten Mile lodging options. The county also references vacation rental platforms as part of the area’s lodging mix, which shows that visitor stays are already part of the local travel economy.
Lake access supports visitor demand
One of the clearest reasons Ten Mile has short-term rental potential is the concentration of water access nearby. The county tourism site lists places such as Big Springs, Euchee Boat Ramp, Fooshee Pass Day Use, Hornsby Hollow Boat Ramp, and Watts Bar Dam Beach & Recreation Area in Ten Mile or just beyond it.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers boating guide also lists Blue Springs Resort, Bayside Marina & Resort, and Euchee Boat Dock in Ten Mile with amenities that include fuel, restaurant access, overnight lodging, and boat slips or berths. For you as a buyer or investor, that points to a market built around lake days, boating trips, and group stays rather than everyday commuter demand.
Tourism is already meaningful in Meigs County
A small market does not need huge visitor numbers to support short-term rentals. It needs steady reasons for people to come and spend. Meigs County tourism data shows visitors generated $11.75 million in spending in 2024, which was up 11.06% from 2023.
That does not guarantee success for every property. Still, it does confirm that tourism is a real part of the local economy, not just a hopeful idea. In a market like Ten Mile, that type of spending growth is an important backdrop when you are evaluating rental potential.
What the booking data suggests
Public short-term rental data shows Ten Mile is seasonal and relatively small, but still active. AirDNA reports 55 properties, 45% occupancy, a $275 average daily rate, and about $27,100 in average annual revenue. AirROI estimates 35 active listings, 36.6% occupancy, a $272 ADR, about $29,441 in average annual revenue, and a 49-day average booking lead time.
The numbers do not match exactly, and that is common in micro-markets where platforms define boundaries and inventory differently. The more useful takeaway is the range. Based on these sources, Ten Mile appears to be a market with occupancy roughly in the mid-30s to mid-40s and nightly rates in the high $200s.
How to read those numbers realistically
If you are underwriting a purchase, avoid treating one data point as a promise. A better approach is to use the public data as a benchmark range, then compare the specific property to similar homes in the same lake corridor.
That means looking at whether the home is true lakefront, whether it has easy water access, how many guests it can host, and which amenities it offers. In Ten Mile, those details can make a major difference in performance.
Who likely books in Ten Mile
The guest profile in Ten Mile looks much more leisure-focused than business-focused. AirDNA reports that 100% of the current market is entire-home inventory. It also shows that 2-bedroom, 3-bedroom, and 4-bedroom listings make up most of the supply.
AirROI adds more detail. It says 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom properties account for 68.6% of active inventory, 68.6% of properties can host 6 or more guests, 45.7% can host 8 or more guests, and the average capacity is 6.2 guests.
That points to a market shaped by families, multi-generational trips, friend groups, anglers, and boaters. A representative Ten Mile listing is a 5-bedroom, 3.5-bath lakefront cabin that sleeps up to 16 guests and includes a dock, hot tub, fire pit, and kayaks. In other words, the local market appears to reward whole-home stays built around gathering space and outdoor amenities.
Seasonality matters in Ten Mile
Like most lake markets, Ten Mile is not a flat year-round booking environment. AirROI identifies July as the peak-revenue month and February as the softest month. That tracks with what you would expect in a waterfront destination.
Still, summer is not the whole story. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says Watts Bar is stocked annually with striped bass, black crappie, walleye, and Florida largemouth bass. It also notes that crappie and bass are especially active in spring, striped bass are available year-round, and walleye and sauger remain important into fall.
The area also has a winter wildlife draw through the Meigs Chamber’s Sandhill Crane Festival, which celebrates the thousands of cranes that return each winter. For you, that means the strongest booking window is likely summer, but spring fishing, fall fishing, and winter birding may help support shoulder-season demand.
What properties may fit best
Based on the available data, the strongest fit in Ten Mile is usually a whole-home property with multiple bedrooms and lake-oriented features. Public listing patterns often highlight docks, hot tubs, kayaks, fire pits, and large indoor or outdoor gathering areas.
That does not mean a smaller property cannot work. It means the market appears to favor homes that match how people visit the area. If your property can host families or groups and gives guests a clear lake experience, it is likely more aligned with local demand than a standard inland house without outdoor appeal.
Features that may better match Ten Mile demand
When comparing properties, these characteristics appear especially relevant:
- Lakefront or near-water location
- Dock access or dock-friendly setup
- Two or more bedrooms, with strong group capacity
- Outdoor gathering space
- Recreation-focused amenities such as kayaks, fire pits, or hot tubs
- Easy access to ramps, marinas, or shoreline recreation
The closer a property fits the area’s leisure travel pattern, the easier it may be to compete.
What to check before you buy
Revenue potential is only part of the story. You also need to confirm whether the property can legally and practically operate the way you want.
Tennessee defines a short-term rental unit as a residential dwelling rented for less than 30 continuous days. State guidance also says local occupancy tax applies to transient stays of 30 days or less, and marketplace bookings are collected and remitted by the short-term rental marketplace to the Tennessee Department of Revenue at the local rate. Separately, the Meigs County Clerk says the office collects the overnight lodging tax.
Meigs County zoning deserves close review
Meigs County has an active planning and zoning function. The county says its Compliance Coordinator is responsible for interpreting and enforcing zoning, subdivision, mobile home, and floodplain regulations and for issuing compliance permits.
For unincorporated Meigs County, the zoning resolution includes a Waterfront, Recreational, Educational district. Permitted uses in that district include marina-related activity, resort cottage or cabin rental and lease, and bed-and-breakfast operations. Conditional uses include resorts, hotels and motels, campgrounds, and boat slip construction, subject to TVA and U.S. Army Corps review.
This does not mean every waterfront property is automatically approved for short-term rental use. It does mean the county’s waterfront framework is oriented toward recreation and lodging uses, which is an important signal when you are evaluating the area.
Private restrictions can still limit use
Even when local rules appear favorable, parcel-level restrictions still matter. Tennessee law allows HOAs, co-ops, lessors, deed restrictions, and easements to prohibit or limit short-term rental use.
That is why due diligence should include more than the listing sheet. You should review the plat, deed restrictions, HOA documents if applicable, and local zoning or permit requirements before you move forward.
A smart way to estimate revenue
In a market this specific, broad averages only get you so far. The most practical way to estimate revenue is to start with public platform benchmarks, then build a property-specific comp set.
A useful workflow looks like this:
- Identify 8 to 15 active comps in the same lake corridor.
- Match bedroom count, guest capacity, and water access as closely as possible.
- Separate true lakefront homes from inland homes.
- Compare nightly rate, minimum stay, cleaning fee, review score, and amenity package.
- Stress test conservative, base-case, and peak-season scenarios.
- Subtract operating costs such as cleaning, management, utilities, insurance, maintenance, taxes, and reserves.
This process gives you a much more realistic picture than relying on one market average.
Why local guidance matters
Ten Mile is the kind of market where local nuance can shape the outcome. Two homes with similar square footage may perform very differently if one has better water access, stronger outdoor amenities, or fewer use restrictions.
That is where local real estate guidance can help. If you want to buy a second home, sell a lake property, or explore short-term rental potential in Ten Mile, working with someone who understands waterfront positioning, marketing, and vacation-rental use can save you time and costly missteps.
If you are thinking about buying, selling, or evaluating a lake property in Ten Mile, Christina Branham can help you look at the opportunity through both a real estate and marketing lens.
FAQs
What makes Ten Mile attractive for short-term rentals?
- Ten Mile is closely tied to Watts Bar Reservoir and has strong access to boating, fishing, swimming, marinas, and shoreline recreation, which supports leisure-focused visitor demand.
What do Ten Mile short-term rental numbers look like?
- Public platform data suggests Ten Mile is a small, seasonal market with occupancy generally in the mid-30s to mid-40s, average daily rates in the high $200s, and average annual revenue around the upper $20,000s.
What type of short-term rental property fits Ten Mile best?
- The market appears best suited to entire-home properties with multiple bedrooms, group-friendly layouts, and lake-oriented amenities such as docks, fire pits, kayaks, hot tubs, and outdoor gathering space.
What season is strongest for Ten Mile vacation rentals?
- Summer is likely the strongest overall season, especially July, while spring and fall fishing activity and winter birding events may help create additional demand windows.
What local rules should Ten Mile property owners review before starting a short-term rental?
- You should review Meigs County zoning, compliance permit requirements, overnight lodging tax obligations, and any deed restrictions, easements, lease terms, or HOA rules that may limit short-term rental use.
