Conifer, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Conifer, CO STRs posted 66.8% occupancy and a $156 average daily rate in April 2026 under a new Jefferson County licensing framework adopted in December 2025.
Quick Answer: Conifer, 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 279 listings. market score is 55/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Denver regional market, which includes Conifer. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Conifer.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Conifer is an unincorporated foothills community in Jefferson County along the US-285 corridor, approximately 30 to 40 minutes southwest of Denver. With a population of roughly 8,292, it functions primarily as an affluent mountain community with a median household income of approximately $184,000. The STR market is driven by Front Range residents and Denver-area visitors seeking quick mountain access, with Staunton State Park, Maxwell Falls, and Flying J Ranch Park as the primary outdoor draws.
The market recorded 66.8% average occupancy and a $156 average daily rate in April 2026, producing a RevPAR of $103.86. Year-over-year metrics show slight softening: occupancy fell 1.0%, ADR declined 2.2%, and revenue decreased 0.4%, continuing a trend of modest pullback after the 2021 peak.
The active listing base totals approximately 13,174 units. Entire-place listings account for 10,939 (83% of inventory), with 2,148 private rooms and 87 shared-room listings. One-bedroom units lead at 5,670 listings, followed by two-bedroom (3,276), three-bedroom (2,034), four-bedroom (1,294), and five-bedroom-plus (874). Channel distribution leans Airbnb: 7,762 listings are Airbnb-only, 569 VRBO-only, and 4,843 appear on both platforms.
Market scores: rental demand 85.9, total score 54.9, investability 53.8, regulation 62.9, seasonality 78.1, and revenue growth 50.0. The overall scores are moderate, consistent with a suburban-adjacent mountain market experiencing stable demand but limited supply-driven growth.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58% | $126 | $2,084 |
| Feb | 65% | $128 | $2,134 |
| Mar | 68% | $133 | $2,481 |
| Apr | 67% | $137 | $2,460 |
| May | 71% | $149 | $2,844 |
| Jun | 81% | $171 | $3,607 |
| Jul | 80% | $165 | $3,585 |
| Aug | 76% | $160 | $3,337 |
| Sep | 73% | $155 | $3,010 |
| Oct | 69% | $150 | $2,853 |
| Nov | 61% | $135 | $2,224 |
| Dec | 62% | $137 | $2,250 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Conifer
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 279 | 10,450 | ★ 4.65 |
| 2 | Effortless Rental Group | 141 | 10,652 | ★ 4.74 |
| 3 | Atomic Vacation Rentals | 140 | 9,862 | ★ 4.84 |
| 4 | VacayPlay | 83 | 5,503 | ★ 4.42 |
| 5 | Homes with Hospitality LLC | 81 | 850 | ★ 4.94 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Conifer?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 5,670 |
| 2 bed | 3,276 |
| 3 bed | 2,034 |
| 4 bed | 1,294 |
| 5 bed | 874 |
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 | 58.9% |
| vrbo | 4.3% |
| both | 36.8% |
Investment Analysis
Conifer’s investment case centers on a high home-value market with strong rental demand and a newly regularized licensing framework. The April 2026 ADR of $156 for all listings rises to $172 for entire-home properties, $186 for professionally managed listings, and $289 for the luxury tier. The professionally managed premium is approximately $30 per night (19% above market average). Luxury-tier properties command an 86% premium over the market average.
At $2,804 average monthly revenue in April 2026, an annualized figure based on that month is approximately $33,651. The typical home value is $762,158 (Zillow, April 2026 snapshot), suggesting a gross yield of approximately 4.4% based on the April monthly revenue annualized. The median sale price was $750,167 and the median list price was $828,333 as of the April 2026 housing snapshot, with a sale-to-list ratio of 90.6%, indicating properties are transacting below asking price. For-sale inventory stands at 58 units.
Annual average revenue by year shows a peak in 2021 at $2,921 per month, declining through 2022 ($3,112) and 2023 ($3,093), recovering in 2024 ($3,240) before slipping slightly to $3,203 in 2025. The partial 2026 data at $2,548 reflects the winter-trough months. The 4.4% gross yield is below typical STR benchmarks for premium markets, suggesting Conifer underperforms on yield relative to its property prices. However, investors should weigh the appreciation potential in an affluent Jefferson County foothills market against the yield constraint. Jefferson County’s one-STR-per-investor cap also limits portfolio scaling.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Conifer STRs average a 39.8-day booking lead time and a 5.4-night average length of stay as of April 2026. A 40-day advance booking window gives operators reasonable pricing visibility before arrival. This lead time is consistent with Denver-area weekenders planning mountain trips, who tend to book a few weeks to a month in advance rather than spontaneously.
The 5.4-night average stay is above typical urban benchmarks, reflecting guests who travel to the US-285 corridor for multi-night outdoor recreation rather than single-night stops. Longer stays reduce turnover frequency and cleaning costs per booking. Setting a minimum of three nights during peak summer weekends, while accepting two-night minimums in shoulder months, can help balance occupancy with per-booking profitability. The Jefferson County one-STR-per-investor cap makes per-property revenue optimization especially important for investors who cannot scale by adding units.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Conifer is unincorporated, governed by Jefferson County, which adopted Section 46 (Short-Term Rentals) of its Zoning Resolution and a Vacation Rental Services Ordinance on December 16, 2025. This replaced the prior Board of Adjustment Special Exception process, which had left the county with 700-plus advertised STRs but fewer than 50 formally permitted.
Under the new framework, STRs require a Jefferson County Short-Term Rental License obtained through the county’s Citizen Portal. The application fee is approximately $200, with a roughly $100 annual renewal fee. Licenses are valid one year and must be renewed annually.
An STR is defined as a single-family detached dwelling of five bedrooms or fewer, rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days. The ordinance does not require owner or primary-residence occupancy. However, investor-owned STRs are capped at one licensed property per owner, and no investor STR may be within 750 feet of another investor-owned STR. Owner-occupied properties are exempt from the 750-foot buffer.
All properties must have a local on-call representative able to reach the property within 30 minutes, adequate parking, valid water and sanitation, legal access, and compliance with the Wildfire Hazard and Wildland-Urban Interface overlay, which requires defensible space given Conifer’s location in the WUI.
Tax: Jefferson County levies a 3% lodging tax on STR stays, in addition to Colorado state sales tax (2.9%) and county sales tax (0.5%), combining to approximately 6.4% total. County approval does not override HOA covenants; many Conifer-area mountain subdivisions have CC&Rs that restrict or prohibit STRs, and investors must verify before purchasing.
Market Comparison
Conifer’s April 2026 occupancy of 66.8% is well above the approximate US STR median of 55%, indicating healthy occupancy utilization relative to supply. The ADR of $156 is below the national median of roughly $220, reflecting the suburban mountain character of the market and the high proportion of one- and two-bedroom properties (43% and 25% of listings, respectively).
The rental demand score of 85.9 out of 100 confirms consistent booking activity. The revenue growth score of 50.0 and the slightly negative year-over-year metrics reflect a market in equilibrium rather than growth. The typical home value of $762,158 implies a gross yield of approximately 4.4% on April monthly revenue annualized, below the 6-8% range often cited as a target for STR investments, which is relevant context for buyers evaluating entry prices in this market.
Among professional operators, Evolve leads with 279 listings and 10,450 reviews at a 4.65 average rating. Effortless Rental Group ranks second with 141 listings and 10,652 reviews at 4.74, followed by Atomic Vacation Rentals at 140 listings and 9,862 reviews at 4.84. Together, these three operators account for 560 listings, approximately 4% of the estimated active market. VacayPlay holds fourth with 83 listings (4.42 rating) and Homes with Hospitality LLC fifth with 81 listings and a 4.94 rating.
Frequently Asked Questions About Conifer, Colorado
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