Garden City, Utah Short-Term Rental Market
Garden City, UT STRs averaged $210/night at 46.9% occupancy in April 2026, with a license application window open only January through April.
Quick Answer: Garden City, Utah is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 56%. average monthly revenue is $3,975. average daily rate is $276. the top operator is Evolve with 341 listings. market score is 52/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Utah Area regional market, which includes Garden City. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Garden City.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Garden City is the primary gateway town to Bear Lake on the Utah side, with a year-round population of approximately 602. The town is overwhelmingly a seasonal tourism economy: summer peak weekends bring the broader Bear Lake area to 35,000-40,000 visitors, while the year-round resident count remains under 700. As of April 2026, the short-term rental market shows an average daily rate of $209.65 and occupancy of 46.9%, producing a RevPAR of $98.26 and average monthly revenue of $2,778. Year-over-year, occupancy declined 1.1 percentage points and ADR rose 5.1%, with net monthly revenue down 4.0%.
Approximately 8,001 total listings are captured in this dataset, dominated by entire-place accommodations: 7,561 entire-place listings (94.5% of supply), 431 private rooms, and 9 shared rooms. Bedroom distribution spans a wide range: 1BR leads at 2,443, followed by 3BR (1,842), 2BR (1,568), 5BR (1,106), and 4BR (1,017). The notably high 5BR count relative to 4BR reflects the large vacation cabin and lakefront home inventory that defines the market.
Channel distribution is relatively balanced: 4,444 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 3,002 are Airbnb-only, and 555 are VRBO-only. Market scores are moderate: total 52.1, investability 70.7, rental demand 63.4, seasonality 72.6. The regulation score of 66.0 reflects an active but not highly restrictive licensing regime.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38% | $266 | $2,983 |
| Feb | 47% | $282 | $3,213 |
| Mar | 50% | $238 | $3,277 |
| Apr | 46% | $186 | $2,465 |
| May | 55% | $189 | $2,669 |
| Jun | 59% | $238 | $3,492 |
| Jul | 60% | $264 | $4,202 |
| Aug | 50% | $240 | $3,330 |
| Sep | 49% | $196 | $2,638 |
| Oct | 49% | $183 | $2,582 |
| Nov | 41% | $178 | $1,944 |
| Dec | 46% | $264 | $2,964 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Garden City
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 341 | 18,745 | ★ 4.75 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 163 | 4,223 | ★ 4.47 |
| 3 | Family Time Vacation Rentals | 124 | 3,957 | ★ 4.47 |
| 4 | Stay Midway | 97 | 845 | ★ 4.17 |
| 5 | Midway Vacation Properties | 87 | 2,019 | ★ 4.53 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Garden City?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,443 |
| 2 bed | 1,568 |
| 3 bed | 1,842 |
| 4 bed | 1,017 |
| 5 bed | 1,106 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $284 |
| Luxury | $537 |
| Professionally Managed | $371 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,563 |
| Entire Place | $4,089 |
| House | $4,760 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 37.5% |
| vrbo | 6.9% |
| both | 55.5% |
Investment Analysis
Garden City presents a seasonally concentrated investment case with a notable licensing constraint. The typical home value is $637,296 as of the April 2026 housing snapshot, with a median list price of $663,983 and 129 units in for-sale inventory. At average monthly revenue of $2,778, annualized gross revenue is approximately $33,339, implying an estimated gross yield of roughly 5.2% against the typical home value of $637,296. This yield is lower than many resort markets due to the high property values relative to revenue, and it reflects April data rather than a full-year average.
The peak months of July and August produce meaningfully higher revenue ($4,198 and $3,329 respectively), while the shoulder and off-season months compress returns. The full annual revenue picture is critical to underwriting.
Tier differentiation is meaningful. The all-listings ADR of $209.65 compares to $216.75 for entire-home listings, $276.95 for professionally managed properties (a 32% premium), and $421.73 for luxury-tier listings (a 101% premium). The large 3BR and 5BR inventory suggests mid-size and larger vacation cabins are a significant segment. A key operational constraint: new STR license applications are accepted only January 1 through April 30 each year. A buyer acquiring a property outside that window must wait until the next application window to begin operations, unless the property carries an active transferable license.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Garden City guests book an average of 51.0 days in advance, a lead time consistent with a planned-vacation destination where guests lock in peak-season lakefront properties well ahead of summer. Operators should have July pricing set by late May to capture the primary booking window for peak summer.
Average length of stay is 3.1 nights, reflecting the drive-market profile from the Wasatch Front (Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden) where 3-night extended weekend trips are the dominant pattern. The 3-night average suggests Friday-through-Monday or similar configurations. For operators, this translates to moderate turnover: roughly 10 booking cycles per month at full occupancy during summer, with cleaning costs that need to be built into pricing. A minimum 3-night stay during July is compatible with market demand and reduces one cleaning event compared to 2-night minimums.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are legal and common in Garden City. Operators must obtain a Short-Term Rental License under City Code Title 8 (sections 8-604 through 8-606, as amended by Ordinance 25-11). The critical operational constraint is the application window: new licenses are accepted only January 1 through April 30 each year. Licenses are valid for up to one year and must be renewed by December 31 annually.
License fees are set by city resolution to offset administrative, processing, and monitoring costs. The exact dollar amounts are published in the city’s fee resolution and were not confirmed in this profile. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement and no documented annual night cap. Requirements include compliance with parking, occupancy, and life-safety (building and fire inspection) standards.
When a property changes ownership, the license does not automatically transfer. A new owner must file a new application. However, a buyer inheriting an active license that has existing guest bookings can apply for a Temporary Operation Permit valid through December 31, subject to a transfer fee, to honor those bookings while the new application is processed.
Lodging tax: Rich County levies a 3% Transient Room Tax on short-term rentals. Standard Utah state and local sales taxes also apply, bringing total guest tax burden into the low-to-mid teens. Enforcement is rated moderate. Garden City was actively reviewing batches of STR applications at council meetings in mid-2025.
Market Comparison
Garden City’s April 2026 occupancy of 46.9% is below the US short-term rental median of approximately 55%, but April is a pre-summer shoulder for this market. Peak summer occupancy of 59.5% (July) is above the national median. The ADR of $209.65 is near the national median of approximately $220, which is notable given that Garden City is a rural lake market in a state known for relatively affordable vacation destinations.
Among property managers, Evolve leads with 341 listings and a 4.752 average rating across 18,745 reviews. Vacasa operates 163 listings (4.472 rating, 4,223 reviews). Family Time Vacation Rentals holds 124 listings with 3,957 reviews at 4.469. Stay Midway manages 97 listings with a 4.171 rating. Midway Vacation Properties operates 87 listings with 2,019 reviews at 4.529. The top 5 operators collectively manage 812 listings, approximately 10.1% of total market supply. Evolve dominates this market with more than double the listing count of the second operator and carries the highest guest rating in the group at 4.752.
Frequently Asked Questions About Garden City, Utah
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