Grand Junction, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Grand Junction STRs averaged $179/night at 40.9% occupancy in April 2026, with all three key metrics growing year-over-year.
Quick Answer: Grand Junction, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 41%. average monthly revenue is $2,184. average daily rate is $179. the top operator is Evolve with 552 listings. market score is 66/100 (grade C).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Grand Junction, Colorado (population 71,780) is the largest city on Colorado’s Western Slope, anchored by Colorado National Monument, the Grand Mesa, and a growing wine country corridor. The area draws an estimated 3.1 million annual outdoor recreation visitors to Mesa County. The STR market counts 11,086 active listings, with entire-place rentals making up 10,363 units (93.5%), private rooms at 718, and shared rooms at 5. Three-bedroom units (3,016) and 1-bedroom units (3,546) are the most common, followed by 2-bedroom (2,834). The channel mix is nearly even: 5,562 dual-channel listings, 4,608 Airbnb-only, and 916 VRBO-only.
In April 2026, Grand Junction STRs posted an average daily rate of $179, an occupancy rate of 40.9%, and a RevPAR of $73. Unlike the other four markets in this batch, all three year-over-year metrics are positive: occupancy up 2.5 percentage points, ADR up 2.9%, and revenue up 2.3%. The 2025 annual average reached 53.9% occupancy and $217 ADR, with $3,240/month average revenue. Grand Junction’s total market score of 66.4 out of 100 is the highest among these five Colorado markets, with strong scores across investability (70.7), regulation (70.4), rental demand (73.2), and revenue growth (64.2).
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42% | $188 | $2,294 |
| Feb | 50% | $191 | $2,371 |
| Mar | 54% | $193 | $2,841 |
| Apr | 41% | $155 | $1,934 |
| May | 57% | $171 | $2,268 |
| Jun | 67% | $208 | $3,431 |
| Jul | 72% | $216 | $4,203 |
| Aug | 63% | $203 | $3,572 |
| Sep | 59% | $191 | $3,034 |
| Oct | 51% | $175 | $2,542 |
| Nov | 45% | $167 | $1,987 |
| Dec | 51% | $200 | $2,555 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Grand Junction
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 552 | 34,985 | ★ 4.77 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 205 | 11,102 | ★ 4.60 |
| 3 | Vacation Rental Collective | 163 | 8,326 | ★ 4.83 |
| 4 | Pinon Vacation | 111 | 8,000 | ★ 4.82 |
| 5 | VIP Vacation Services | 94 | 3,082 | ★ 4.83 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Grand Junction?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 3,546 |
| 2 bed | 2,834 |
| 3 bed | 3,016 |
| 4 bed | 1,120 |
| 5 bed | 549 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $185 |
| Luxury | $327 |
| Professionally Managed | $210 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,715 |
| Entire Place | $2,260 |
| House | $2,354 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 41.6% |
| vrbo | 8.3% |
| both | 50.2% |
Investment Analysis
Grand Junction offers the most balanced STR investment profile in this Colorado batch. The typical home value is $424,908 (April 2026 Zillow estimate), with homes selling at 85.6% of list price (median sale price $403,811) and a median 25 days to pending. The below-list sale-price ratio suggests room for negotiation in the current market.
At the 2025 annual average revenue of $3,240/month, annualized gross revenue comes to approximately $38,880, implying a gross yield of roughly 9.2% on the typical home value before expenses and management fees. Using the April 2026 snapshot month only, the annualized figure would be approximately $26,208, or a yield of about 6.2% — but April is below this market’s seasonal average occupancy of 41.3%.
Property type revenue in April 2026: houses averaged $2,354/month, entire-place units $2,260/month, and apartments $1,715/month. The professionally managed tier averaged $210/night versus the market-wide $179, a 17.3% ADR premium. Luxury-tier properties averaged $327/night. Importantly, the market is the only one in this batch showing YoY revenue growth, with consistent upward ADR trend since 2020 (from $169 to $217 by 2025). No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies, making investor-owned rentals fully eligible.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Grand Junction STR guests book an average of 40.0 days in advance and stay 3.76 nights on average. The 40-day lead time is consistent with the Denver metro pattern, giving operators a clear 5-6 week pricing window. However, the 3.76-night average length of stay is shorter than Aurora and Castle Rock (5.38 nights), meaning more frequent turnovers.
The shorter stays likely reflect Grand Junction’s visitor mix: road-trippers and outdoor recreation visitors tend toward 3-4 night itineraries rather than the week-long urban or ski-resort stays seen in other markets. Operators should budget accordingly for higher cleaning and changeover costs per month. Dynamic pricing tuned to summer peak weekends around Colorado National Monument events, Grand Mesa recreation openings, and Palisade wine harvest events will capture the highest per-night rates in the July-September window.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Grand Junction requires an annual City STR License before listing. There are two license categories: Primary STR (renting all bedrooms in a home) and Secondary STR (renting part of a home or an accessory dwelling unit). The application fee is $275; annual renewal is required. Neither owner-occupancy nor primary-residence status is mandated. There is no cap on total annual nights, but each individual booking must be fewer than 30 consecutive days.
A 6% city lodging tax applies. Major platforms like Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit this automatically on behalf of hosts. In November 2022, voters rejected a measure that would have added an 8% STR-specific tax for affordable housing (73% no vote), leaving the 6% rate unchanged.
Zoning determines STR eligibility: STRs are permitted in residential zones (R-R through RH-24) and mixed-use zones (MU-1 through MU-3). Density caps apply: outside downtown, no more than 3% of lots on any street may operate primary STRs; downtown allows up to 7%. Multi-unit buildings of 4 or fewer units may have 1 primary plus 1 secondary STR. Buildings of 5 or more units may license up to 10% of units.
Operators must designate a Local Responsible Party living within 20 miles and install smoke and CO detectors, a fire extinguisher, and maintain adequate egress. The regulatory framework was codified via Ordinance No. 5163 (adopted July 5, 2023). Enforcement is moderate, beginning with voluntary compliance outreach.
Market Comparison
Grand Junction’s 2025 annual average ADR of $217 is just below the U.S. STR national median of roughly $220, and its 53.9% annual occupancy runs close to the national median of approximately 55%. This positions Grand Junction as a near-median market nationally while ranking as a stronger performer by Colorado standards among non-resort markets.
The total market score of 66.4 out of 100 is the highest in this batch, a reflection of balanced performance across all sub-dimensions rather than exceptional strength in one area. Revenue growth is the standout differentiator: Grand Junction is the only market in this batch with positive YoY metrics across occupancy, ADR, and revenue simultaneously.
The professional management market is led by Evolve with 552 listings and a 4.77 average rating across 34,985 reviews, the largest listing count among all top-ranked PMs across these five Colorado markets. Vacasa is second with 205 listings (4.60 rating, 11,102 reviews) and Vacation Rental Collective holds 163 listings (4.83 rating, 8,326 reviews). Together the top three manage 920 listings, or approximately 8.3% of the 11,086-listing market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Grand Junction, Colorado
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