Flagstaff, Arizona Short-Term Rental Market
Flagstaff STRs averaged $232/night at 50.3% occupancy in April 2026 across 2,584 active listings.
Quick Answer: Flagstaff, Arizona is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 61%. average monthly revenue is $4,299. average daily rate is $259. the top operator is Evolve with 120 listings. market score is 88/100 (grade A).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Flagstaff, Arizona operates one of the Southwest’s largest short-term rental markets, with approximately 2,584 active listings as of the latest snapshot. The market posted a $231.89 average daily rate and 50.3% occupancy in April 2026, yielding a RevPAR of $116.58. Average monthly revenue per listing reached $3,286.
Entire-place listings dominate at 2,455 units (95.0% of total), with private rooms accounting for 128 listings and shared rooms just 1. By bedroom count, 1-bedroom units lead at 748, followed by 3-bedrooms (658), 2-bedrooms (519), 4-bedrooms (419), and 5-bedroom-plus properties (233). Channel distribution shows 1,449 listings on both Airbnb and VRBO, 974 on Airbnb only, and 161 on VRBO only.
Year-over-year through April 2026, occupancy declined 9.6% while ADR edged up 2.1%, resulting in a net revenue decline of 7.0%. This follows a strong 2024 and 2025 performance period when annual average ADR reached $241 and $248 respectively. The market’s overall score of 87.5 out of 100 reflects high seasonality (94.3), strong rental demand (80.4), and moderate investability (68.8).
Flagstaff’s position as gateway to the Grand Canyon and Arizona Snowbowl, combined with its university town base and year-round outdoor recreation draw, sustains consistent visitor volume of approximately 5 million annually.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47% | $210 | $2,825 |
| Feb | 49% | $201 | $2,596 |
| Mar | 63% | $202 | $3,614 |
| Apr | 55% | $187 | $2,914 |
| May | 61% | $210 | $3,362 |
| Jun | 64% | $215 | $3,601 |
| Jul | 70% | $209 | $3,847 |
| Aug | 62% | $194 | $3,268 |
| Sep | 59% | $195 | $3,049 |
| Oct | 60% | $196 | $3,311 |
| Nov | 52% | $196 | $2,719 |
| Dec | 62% | $231 | $3,901 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Flagstaff
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 120 | 9,475 | ★ 4.84 |
| 2 | Porter VRM | 65 | 4,625 | ★ 4.73 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 57 | 1,954 | ★ 4.64 |
| 4 | Homebody Properties | 45 | 3,417 | ★ 4.88 |
| 5 | Mason Gilliland | 40 | 3,579 | ★ 4.88 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Flagstaff?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 748 |
| 2 bed | 519 |
| 3 bed | 658 |
| 4 bed | 419 |
| 5 bed | 233 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $267 |
| Luxury | $439 |
| Professionally Managed | $306 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,965 |
| Entire Place | $4,438 |
| House | $4,711 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 37.7% |
| vrbo | 6.2% |
| both | 56.1% |
Investment Analysis
Flagstaff STR investment math starts with a typical home value of $660,972 (Zillow, April 2026 snapshot), with median sale price at $638,500 and median list price at $772,184. At the current average monthly revenue of $3,286, a portfolio projects to approximately $39,434 in gross annual revenue, implying a gross yield of roughly 6.0% on the typical home value before expenses, management, and vacancy.
Tier differences are significant. The entire-home ADR of $239.29 runs 3.2% above the all-listings average, while professionally managed properties average $278.58 per night, a 20.1% premium over the all-listings ADR. Luxury-tier listings command $428.83 per night, nearly double the market average. House-type listings average $3,528 per month versus $2,201 for apartments, a $1,327 gap favoring single-family homes.
The annual revenue trend shows a market that peaked around 2021 ($3,854 average monthly revenue) and has largely held in the $3,451 to $3,919 range through 2022 to 2025. The April 2026 figure of $3,286 reflects typical off-peak seasonality rather than a structural decline. The 15-day median time-to-pending on housing transactions signals a competitive purchase market, though the sale-to-list ratio of 0.827 gives buyers some negotiating room versus list price.
Investors considering Flagstaff should weigh the city’s moderate regulation score (70.8) and $180 annual licensing requirement against the market’s strong demand fundamentals and the absence of any owner-occupancy mandate.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Flagstaff STRs carried an average booking lead time of 43.9 days in April 2026, meaning guests typically book about six weeks in advance. This is a moderate lead window that supports revenue management: rates can be held firm through roughly the 44-day mark before considering promotional adjustments for unfilled dates.
Average length of stay is 3.12 nights, consistent with a weekend-plus-travel-day pattern typical of drive-market destinations. Flagstaff draws heavily from the Phoenix metro (roughly three hours by car), and the sub-4-night stay average reflects that proximity. Shorter stays mean higher turnover frequency and cleaning overhead, but also more opportunities to capture nightly rate premiums during holidays and peak weekends.
Operators should structure minimum-stay policies around this pattern: 2-night minimums on standard weekends, 3-night minimums on holiday weekends (Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, ski season openings), to reduce single-night gaps while matching guest booking behavior. The 43.9-day lead time suggests that last-minute pricing adjustments in the final two-week window can be effective for filling remaining availability.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Flagstaff permits short-term rentals under a licensing ordinance (City Code Chapter 3-12) that took effect in November 2023. Every operator must obtain a Short-Term Rental License at $180 per year, renewed annually, with the fee rising approximately $5 annually. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, and no cap on nights per year.
Arizona’s 2017 state preemption law (SB 1350) bars cities from banning STRs outright, so Flagstaff’s regulations focus on licensing and operational standards rather than exclusion. Eligible property types include single-family homes, 1-4 unit buildings (duplexes, condos), and individual rooms within them. Garages, sheds, campers, and RVs are not permitted as STRs.
Operators must notify adjacent neighbors in writing with the license number, property address, and a 24/7 emergency contact before renting. Unlicensed operation carries a $1,000 per month fine.
On the tax side, operators must hold an Arizona Department of Revenue Transaction Privilege Tax license and remit applicable taxes. The dedicated lodging tax (Bed, Board and Beverage) rate is 2.0%, applied on top of city sales tax, state transient lodging tax (approximately 5.5%), and Coconino County lodging taxes. As of July 1, 2025, the city raised its transit tax by 0.5 percentage points, increasing the combined city rate to approximately 4.486%. Enforcement is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
Flagstaff’s $231.89 ADR is modestly above the U.S. STR median of approximately $220, reflecting the market’s mountain-destination premium. Occupancy at 50.3% sits below the national median of approximately 55%, indicating that while Flagstaff commands above-average rates, demand density does not match higher-volume urban or coastal markets.
The market’s total score of 87.5 places it in the strong performer tier by composite metrics, driven primarily by its seasonality score (94.3) and rental demand (80.4). Revenue growth scores lower at 65.8, consistent with the year-over-year revenue decline of 7.0% observed in April 2026.
Among professional operators, Evolve leads with 120 listings and 9,475 reviews at a 4.84 average rating. Porter VRM holds second with 65 listings and 4,625 reviews (4.73 rating). Vacasa operates 57 listings (1,954 reviews, 4.64 rating). Homebody Properties (45 listings, 4.88 rating) and Mason Gilliland (40 listings, 4.88 rating) round out the top five. The top 5 operators collectively manage 327 listings, representing about 12.7% of the 2,584-listing market, indicating a relatively fragmented market with significant share held by individual operators.
Frequently Asked Questions About Flagstaff, Arizona
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