Lakewood, Washington Short-Term Rental Market
Lakewood, WA STRs averaged $149/night at 57.2% occupancy in April 2026, near Joint Base Lewis-McChord with approximately 55,000 personnel.
Quick Answer: Lakewood, Washington is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 73%. average monthly revenue is $3,834. average daily rate is $205. the top operator is Evolve with 103 listings. market score is 61/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Tacoma/Olympia regional market, which includes Lakewood. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Lakewood.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Lakewood, WA short-term rental market covers this Pierce County city adjacent to Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), one of the largest combined military bases in the United States with approximately 55,000 personnel. The JBLM presence generates consistent year-round demand from military personnel, government contractors, and their visiting relatives, distinguishing Lakewood from purely seasonal resort markets. In April 2026, the all-listing average daily rate was $149, with occupancy at 57.2% and revenue per available rental (RevPAR) at $85. Year-over-year through April 2026, occupancy was essentially flat at -0.5% compared with April 2025, ADR rose 3.6%, and monthly revenue was nearly unchanged at -0.1%.
Approximately 3,780 active listings are tracked in the market. Entire-place units account for 3,025, private rooms for 750, and shared rooms for 5. One-bedroom properties dominate at 1,729 listings, followed by two-bedroom (828), three-bedroom (702), four-bedroom (352), and five-or-more-bedroom (166) units. The significant private-room inventory (19.8% of listings) reflects the military and contractor traveler segment that values individual room rentals in shared homes. The channel mix is heavily Airbnb: 2,206 listings are Airbnb-only, 1,416 appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, and 158 are VRBO-only.
The StaySTRA scorecard rates Lakewood at 60.9 out of 100 overall, led by a rental demand score of 82.2 and seasonality score of 75.8. Revenue growth scores 61.8, investability 55.5, and regulation 65.1. The 2025 annual average occupancy was 62.4% and ADR was $161.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55% | $121 | $1,887 |
| Feb | 61% | $128 | $1,935 |
| Mar | 62% | $125 | $2,137 |
| Apr | 62% | $123 | $2,074 |
| May | 67% | $134 | $2,377 |
| Jun | 75% | $155 | $2,944 |
| Jul | 77% | $161 | $3,337 |
| Aug | 75% | $159 | $3,293 |
| Sep | 67% | $143 | $2,606 |
| Oct | 59% | $126 | $2,105 |
| Nov | 58% | $127 | $1,947 |
| Dec | 59% | $131 | $2,130 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Lakewood
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 103 | 4,792 | ★ 4.73 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 65 | 2,028 | ★ 4.63 |
| 3 | Amera Property Management | 25 | 636 | ★ 4.89 |
| 4 | Tip Top Management | 19 | 2,244 | ★ 4.88 |
| 5 | Blizzard Realty | 13 | 224 | ★ 4.76 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Lakewood?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,729 |
| 2 bed | 828 |
| 3 bed | 702 |
| 4 bed | 352 |
| 5 bed | 166 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $234 |
| Luxury | $345 |
| Professionally Managed | $285 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,088 |
| Entire Place | $4,414 |
| House | $4,067 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 58.4% |
| vrbo | 4.2% |
| both | 37.5% |
Investment Analysis
At an April 2026 ADR of $149 and 57.2% occupancy, average monthly revenue for a typical listing was $2,324. At the 2025 annual average of $2,833/month, total annual revenue projects to approximately $34,000 per year. Against a typical home value of $524,351, that implies a gross yield of approximately 6.5% before platform fees, management costs, and expenses.
The Lakewood real estate market is notably active: median days to pending is only 9, meaning homes go under contract in about a week and a half on average. The sale-to-list ratio of 89.3% indicates some negotiating room, but the pace of the market is fast. With 137 units for sale and a median list price of $550,815, buyers face a competitive, fast-moving inventory environment.
Luxury-tier listings averaged $245/night in ADR in April 2026, a 65% premium over the all-listing average of $149. Professionally managed listings averaged $192/night, a 29% premium. Entire-place listings averaged $2,628/month in revenue, house listings averaged $2,421/month, and apartment-style listings averaged $2,110/month.
The steady year-round demand floor provided by JBLM limits the seasonal revenue risk that characterizes resort markets. Even in January, the trough month, average occupancy is 54.9%. The 2024 and 2025 annual averages of $2,738 and $2,833 respectively show modest but consistent revenue growth.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
In April 2026, the average booking lead time for Lakewood rentals was 33.3 days, roughly five weeks in advance. The average length of stay was 4.7 nights, notably longer than most suburban STR markets, consistent with military travel patterns (temporary duty travel, PCS moves, and relatives visiting service members) that tend to run longer than typical leisure weekends.
A 4.7-night average stay means monthly turnover at full occupancy is approximately 6 to 7 changeovers, lower than short-stay markets. This is an operational advantage: fewer cleanings and fewer check-in/check-out logistics per month compared with a 2-night-average destination market.
The 33-day lead time is relatively short. For peak summer weeks (July), pricing should be set at least five to six weeks in advance. The year-round demand floor from JBLM means near-term vacancy management matters even in traditionally slow months; a listing sitting vacant in January (when average occupancy is still 54.9%) may simply be priced above the market rather than facing genuine demand absence.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Lakewood, WA actively regulates short-term rentals. Operating legally requires three concurrent registrations: a Short-Term Rental Permit processed as a Type II administrative land use decision through the Planning and Public Works department, a City of Lakewood Business License (renewed annually), and registration under the city’s Rental Housing Safety Program (RHSP).
Before a property can be rented, it must pass a city and Pierce County Fire District inspection confirming building and fire code compliance; any deficiencies must be corrected before the first rental. The approved STR permit number and business license must be displayed on every listing posted to Airbnb, VRBO, or other platforms. A local contact must be reachable in person or by phone and able to respond to complaints within one hour.
Annual business license renewal requires a signed, notarized affidavit confirming ongoing compliance.
Permitted zones include most residential (R1 through R4) and mixed/commercial-residential zones (MR, MF, ARC, NC, TOC, CBD). STRs are prohibited in commercial zones (C1 through C3), industrial zones (IBP, I1, I2), institutional zones, and open-space recreation zones (OSR1, OSR2).
On taxes: lodging is subject to a 7% city hotel/motel lodging excise tax plus the 10.1% combined retail sales tax, so guests pay approximately 17% in combined taxes. The permit application fee is not published in available data; confirm with the Planning and Public Works department. Enforcement is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
Lakewood’s April 2026 occupancy of 57.2% and 2025 annual average of 62.4% are both above the US STR median of approximately 55%, driven by the JBLM military demand base. The $149 April ADR and $161 annual average are below the US STR median of approximately $220, reflecting the suburban market character and price-sensitive military and contractor traveler segment.
The rental demand score of 82.2 confirms the structural demand consistency. The investability score of 55.5 is moderate, reflecting the combination of regulatory complexity (three permit requirements plus inspection) and the compressed ADR relative to property values.
On the operator side, Evolve leads with 103 listings and 4,792 reviews (4.73 average rating). Vacasa follows with 65 listings (4.63 rating). Regional operators Amera Property Management (25 listings, 4.89 rating) and Tip Top Management (19 listings, 4.88 rating) have high ratings with meaningful review volume, suggesting well-established local management. Blizzard Realty manages 13 listings (4.76 rating). The relatively small operator scale overall reflects the suburban, non-resort character of this market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lakewood, Washington
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