Goldendale, Washington Short-Term Rental Market
Goldendale, WA STRs averaged $221/night at 45.7% occupancy in April 2026, serving Columbia River Gorge astronomy and cultural tourism.
Quick Answer: Goldendale, Washington is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 59%. average monthly revenue is $4,611. average daily rate is $299. the top operator is Vacasa with 292 listings. market score is 53/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Washington State Area regional market, which includes Goldendale. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Goldendale.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Goldendale, Washington is a small Klickitat County town on the Columbia River Gorge, drawing visitors primarily for dark-sky astronomy at Goldendale Observatory State Park and cultural tourism at the Maryhill Museum of Art, Maryhill Stonehenge WWI Memorial, and Maryhill Winery. The town of approximately 3,525 residents is roughly two hours from Portland and Vancouver, serving as a gateway for Gorge scenic-byway travelers, stargazers, wine-country day-trippers, and weekend visitors from the greater Portland metro.
As of April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $221.39 and occupancy of 45.65%, generating a RevPAR of $101.07. Year-over-year trends showed slight softening: occupancy declined 1.8%, ADR rose 2.4%, and revenue declined 2.7%. In 2025, the annual average was 48.4% occupancy, $258/night ADR, and $3,468/month revenue, compared to 49.3% occupancy and $254/night in 2024.
Entire-place listings dominate at approximately 8,353 units, with 552 private-room listings and only 4 shared-room listings. Bedroom distribution is relatively even across 1-bedroom (3,013 listings), 2-bedroom (2,173), and 3-bedroom (2,164) configurations, with larger units comprising 972 four-bedroom and 576 five-bedroom listings. Channel distribution is balanced: 4,093 listings appear on both Airbnb and Vrbo, 4,236 on Airbnb only, and 580 on Vrbo only.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38% | $228 | $2,478 |
| Feb | 45% | $217 | $2,373 |
| Mar | 45% | $194 | $2,340 |
| Apr | 49% | $199 | $2,518 |
| May | 52% | $223 | $2,856 |
| Jun | 60% | $256 | $3,867 |
| Jul | 67% | $261 | $4,745 |
| Aug | 67% | $260 | $4,710 |
| Sep | 52% | $234 | $3,314 |
| Oct | 45% | $209 | $2,675 |
| Nov | 42% | $211 | $2,335 |
| Dec | 45% | $249 | $3,015 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Goldendale
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 292 | 12,331 | ★ 4.51 |
| 2 | Evolve | 287 | 14,409 | ★ 4.75 |
| 3 | Suncadia Resort | 145 | 348 | ★ 4.26 |
| 4 | Bloomer Estates Vacation Rentals | 99 | 6,805 | ★ 4.83 |
| 5 | All Seasons Vacation Rentals | 81 | 8,802 | ★ 4.91 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Goldendale?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 3,013 |
| 2 bed | 2,173 |
| 3 bed | 2,164 |
| 4 bed | 972 |
| 5 bed | 576 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $309 |
| Luxury | $544 |
| Professionally Managed | $437 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,188 |
| Entire Place | $4,776 |
| House | $5,066 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 47.5% |
| vrbo | 6.5% |
| both | 45.9% |
Investment Analysis
Goldendale’s April 2026 average monthly revenue of $2,626 annualizes to approximately $31,517. With a Zillow typical home value of $313,630, this implies a gross annual yield of approximately 10.1% before expenses, one of the more attractive raw yields among lower-cost Washington STR markets.
The investability score of 76.7 reflects the favorable entry-cost-to-revenue ratio. Property values here are well below comparable outdoor-recreation markets in the Cascade foothills or Puget Sound, while STR revenue remains competitive due to the niche astronomy and cultural tourism demand.
Revenue varies by property type: house listings averaged $2,835/month, entire-place units averaged $2,717/month, and apartment-style rentals averaged $1,963/month. The luxury ADR tier at $404.29/night is 83% above the market-wide average of $221.39. Professionally managed properties averaged $315.60/night, a 43% premium over market ADR, one of the larger professional-management premiums in this batch, suggesting that effective pricing and marketing yield outsized returns in a niche, low-competition market.
Housing data is limited for Goldendale: the median list price is $438,833 based on a small inventory of 35 homes for sale. Median sale price and days-to-pending data are not available in this dataset, so market-pace conclusions should be verified locally. The revenue-growth score of 48.5 indicates the market has not shown sustained revenue growth in recent years, and investors should model conservatively on growth assumptions.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
Run a Free Address Analysis
Skip the market averages. Get revenue projections, comp analysis, and ROI for your specific property address. Free, instant, no signup required.
Analyze My Property →Home Value Trends (Goldendale)
Booking Insights
Goldendale guests book an average of 41.7 days in advance and stay an average of 3.26 nights per booking. The 42-day lead time is consistent with a regional drive-to market where visitors plan trips roughly 6 weeks out, primarily from the Portland-Vancouver metro area.
The 3.26-night average stay indicates a blend of weekend (2-night) and extended-weekend (3-4 night) bookings, with some longer astronomy or cultural-tour visits lengthening the average. For operators, setting minimum stay requirements of 2 nights on peak summer weekends and 3 nights on July Fourth and other holiday windows can improve RevPAR without materially reducing booking volume given the 3.26-night market average. Off-peak pricing flexibility is important: the January-to-March trough window benefits from flexible minimum stays to capture any demand from Portland-area travelers seeking a low-cost winter getaway.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Goldendale has no short-term-rental-specific ordinance within city limits. Hosts inside city limits are expected to hold a general City of Goldendale business license and to collect and remit Washington lodging taxes, but no STR license, night cap, or owner-occupancy mandate applies within the city itself. This is a low-barrier environment for urban-zone operators.
The city’s special hotel and motel transient occupancy tax is 4% under Goldendale Municipal Code Chapter 3.22. The first 2% is credited against the state sales tax (no added guest cost), while the remaining approximately 2% is a genuine add-on, bringing the marginal city-specific lodging tax burden to roughly 2% above standard state and local sales tax rates. Platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo typically collect and remit Washington lodging taxes on behalf of hosts.
The surrounding Klickitat County presents a more complex picture. The county has been drafting a county-wide STR ordinance since at least 2023, after identifying approximately 500 unpermitted STRs countywide, but no comprehensive permit scheme for existing dwellings had been finalized as of the most recent available records. One firm county rule applies in unincorporated areas: the accessory-dwelling-unit code prohibits using either a principal dwelling or an ADU as a short-term rental (defined as rentals under 60 consecutive days) and requires owner occupancy of at least one unit for 6 months per year. Prospective hosts in unincorporated Klickitat County should verify the status of any newly adopted county ordinance before listing.
Market Comparison
Goldendale’s April 2026 occupancy of 45.65% is below the US STR median of approximately 55%, reflecting its niche positioning as a secondary Columbia Gorge destination rather than a high-traffic resort market. Its ADR of $221.39 is near the US median of roughly $220, showing that rates hold up despite lower occupancy. The investability score of 76.7 and the attractive implied gross yield of approximately 10.1% distinguish Goldendale from higher-priced markets where entry costs compress returns.
The operator landscape is split between large national managers and highly rated regional specialists. Vacasa leads with 292 listings and 12,331 reviews at a 4.51 rating. Evolve closely follows with 287 listings, 14,409 reviews, and a 4.75 rating. Suncadia Resort holds 145 listings at a 4.26 rating. Bloomer Estates Vacation Rentals operates 99 listings with a 4.83 rating across 6,805 reviews. All Seasons Vacation Rentals rounds out the top five with 81 listings and the highest satisfaction rating in the group at 4.91 across 8,802 reviews. The strong ratings of the regional operators suggest that locally rooted management delivers a guest experience advantage in this niche market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Goldendale, Washington
What is the average nightly rate for STRs in Goldendale, WA?
What is the typical occupancy rate for vacation rentals in Goldendale?
How much revenue can a Goldendale, WA short-term rental generate?
Are short-term rentals legal in Goldendale, WA?
What is the gross rental yield for a Goldendale investment property?
What taxes apply to Goldendale short-term rentals?
Who are the top property managers in Goldendale, WA?
Analyze Goldendale Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Goldendale.
Free Goldendale STR Calculator →
