Brighton, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Brighton, CO STRs averaged $156/night at 66.7% occupancy in April 2026, with strong year-round demand driven by Denver metro overflow and DIA proximity.
Quick Answer: Brighton, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 78%. average monthly revenue is $4,298. average daily rate is $202. the top operator is Evolve with 276 listings. market score is 55/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Denver regional market, which includes Brighton. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Brighton.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Brighton, Colorado is an Adams County suburb approximately 20 miles northeast of downtown Denver and roughly 25 minutes from Denver International Airport. Unlike resort or leisure destinations, Brighton’s STR market is driven primarily by DIA-proximate lodging demand, Denver metro business travel and contractor stays, and visiting-friends-and-relatives traffic. The market encompasses roughly 13,183 active listings across the broader area.
In April 2026, the market averaged $156 per night with 66.7% occupancy, generating an average monthly revenue of $2,815 per listing. RevPAR was $104. This occupancy level is well above the national STR median for April, reflecting the steady business-oriented and year-round residential demand base.
Entire-place listings represent 10,946 of 13,183 listings (83% of the market), with private rooms adding 2,151 listings and shared rooms 86. Airbnb dominates strongly with 7,757 exclusive listings, while VRBO holds 561 exclusive listings and 4,865 operators are active on both platforms. The Airbnb concentration is consistent with a business-travel-oriented market.
Bedroom mix skews toward smaller units: one-bedroom properties lead at 5,675 listings (43% of total by bedroom), followed by two-bedroom (3,278), three-bedroom (2,034), four-bedroom (1,294), and five-bedroom-plus (877). This one-bedroom concentration reflects the contractor, business traveler, and extended-stay demand profile.
Year-over-year in April 2026, metrics are essentially flat: occupancy slipped 1.0 percentage point, ADR declined 2.2%, and revenue changed by just -0.1% versus April 2025. The overall market score of 55.3 out of 100 reflects strong rental demand (86.0) and good seasonality consistency (78.3), partially offset by moderate revenue growth (50.0) and investability (53.8) scores.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58% | $126 | $2,086 |
| Feb | 65% | $128 | $2,135 |
| Mar | 68% | $133 | $2,481 |
| Apr | 67% | $137 | $2,460 |
| May | 71% | $149 | $2,844 |
| Jun | 81% | $171 | $3,608 |
| Jul | 80% | $165 | $3,586 |
| Aug | 76% | $160 | $3,337 |
| Sep | 73% | $155 | $3,010 |
| Oct | 69% | $150 | $2,856 |
| Nov | 61% | $135 | $2,227 |
| Dec | 62% | $137 | $2,253 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Brighton
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 276 | 10,485 | ★ 4.65 |
| 2 | Atomic Vacation Rentals | 142 | 9,929 | ★ 4.84 |
| 3 | Effortless Rental Group | 137 | 10,713 | ★ 4.77 |
| 4 | VacayPlay | 83 | 5,410 | ★ 4.39 |
| 5 | Homes with Hospitality LLC | 81 | 853 | ★ 4.94 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Brighton?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 5,675 |
| 2 bed | 3,278 |
| 3 bed | 2,034 |
| 4 bed | 1,294 |
| 5 bed | 877 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $224 |
| Luxury | $375 |
| Professionally Managed | $249 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,365 |
| Entire Place | $4,810 |
| House | $4,738 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 58.8% |
| vrbo | 4.3% |
| both | 36.9% |
Investment Analysis
Brighton’s investment case is built on consistent, year-round occupancy rather than peak-season rate premiums. The rental demand score of 86.0 ranks it high nationally, and the seasonality score of 78.3 indicates relatively stable demand across the calendar, with January occupancy at 58.4% representing the floor rather than a true off-season collapse.
The market-wide ADR of $156 in April 2026 rises meaningfully by tier: entire-home listings averaged $172, professionally managed properties averaged $186, and luxury-tier listings averaged $293 per night. The spread between the market-wide rate and the professionally managed tier is modest at roughly 19%, suggesting this is a competitive market where execution matters more than property positioning.
Annualized at the April 2026 monthly average of $2,815, a typical listing projects approximately $33,780 per year. Using the 2025 full-year monthly average of $3,203 gives a more representative $38,436 annualized. No home-value data is available in the current dataset to compute purchase-price yield ratios.
The revenue growth score of 50.0 and investability score of 53.8 reflect that this market has largely plateaued after the post-2021 growth surge: revenue peaked at $3,113 per month in 2022, and 2025 came in at $3,203. The upside case relies on Denver metro expansion, DIA traffic growth, and potential commercial development along the I-76/E-470 corridor rather than on STR market rate appreciation. The average length of stay of 5.4 nights is notably above national averages, indicating an extended-stay and contractor-housing demand channel that favors monthly-fee pricing optimization.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Brighton guests book an average of 40 days in advance, a moderate lead time consistent with a mix of business and leisure bookings. Unlike destination resort markets where guests plan many weeks ahead for peak seasons, Brighton’s DIA-proximity and business-travel demand allows for shorter booking windows.
The average length of stay of 5.4 nights stands out as significantly above the national average for STRs. This suggests a meaningful share of extended-stay bookings: contractor crews, relocation travelers, DIA-adjacent longer-stay business guests, and potentially temporary-housing seekers. At 5.4 nights per booking, a listing running at April’s 66.7% occupancy processes roughly 3-4 bookings per month.
The long average stay has operational implications: lower turnover means reduced cleaning and administrative costs per night stayed, but also requires pricing that works across stay lengths. Operators should test weekly and longer-stay rate structures, as this market likely supports those pricing tiers better than heavily seasonal leisure markets.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Brighton, Colorado permits short-term rentals and does not impose occupancy caps, owner-occupancy requirements, primary-residence requirements, or night caps. The regulatory framework is tax-focused rather than licensing-restrictive.
The operative requirement is Brighton’s lodging excise tax (Municipal Code Article 3-40, effective January 1, 2012): a 3% tax on any lodging rented for fewer than 30 continuous days, collected from the guest and remitted monthly to the city Finance Department. Hosts must obtain a Brighton sales tax license (Sec. 3-40-220), which also covers the lodging tax obligation. This license carries no separate fee and remains in force until revoked rather than requiring annual renewal. Failure to obtain the license before operating is unlawful under Sec. 3-40-210.
In addition to the 3% lodging excise, guests pay the combined Brighton sales tax rate of approximately 8.5% (state plus Adams County plus city sales tax). Total guest-facing tax on the room rate is therefore approximately 11.5%.
No STR-specific zoning overlay, density cap, or inspection program was identified. Enforcement is rated minimal. The regulation score of 62.98 reflects a permissive local environment with a straightforward tax compliance obligation.
Investors should confirm applicable zoning and any HOA or deed restrictions directly with Brighton’s Community Development department, and verify current tax rates before operating.
Market Comparison
Brighton’s April 2026 ADR of $156 is below the approximate US STR median of $220, reflecting its positioning as a value-oriented suburban Denver market rather than a premium leisure destination. However, its 66.7% April occupancy substantially exceeds the US median of approximately 55%, placing it in the top occupancy tier nationally for this time of year.
The rental demand score of 86.0 is the market’s strongest metric and reflects the consistent pull of the DIA corridor, Denver metro growth, and Barr Lake State Park regional recreation access.
On the operator side, Evolve leads with 276 listings and 10,485 reviews (rating 4.65). Atomic Vacation Rentals follows with 142 listings and 9,929 reviews (rating 4.84). Effortless Rental Group holds 137 listings with 10,713 reviews (rating 4.77), VacayPlay manages 83 listings with 5,410 reviews (rating 4.39), and Homes with Hospitality LLC manages 81 listings with 853 reviews (rating 4.94). Together, these five operators hold roughly 719 listings, approximately 5.5% of the 13,183-listing market, indicating a predominantly independent operator landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions About Brighton, Colorado
What is the average nightly rate for Airbnb rentals in Brighton, CO?
What occupancy rates do Brighton, CO short-term rentals achieve?
Do I need a permit to operate a short-term rental in Brighton, CO?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Brighton, CO?
What are the best and worst months for STR revenue in Brighton?
Who are the largest property managers in the Brighton, CO STR market?
Why is the average stay in Brighton, CO so long for an STR market?
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