Durango, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Durango STRs averaged $208/night at 27.4% occupancy in April 2026, with peak July performance reaching 73.3% occupancy and $5,265 average monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Durango, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 64%. average monthly revenue is $4,959. average daily rate is $321. the top operator is Vacation Rental Collective with 338 listings. market score is 45/100 (grade D).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Durango is a year-round outdoor recreation and heritage tourism city in southwestern Colorado, drawing an estimated 1.3 million visitors annually according to Visit Durango. The short-term rental market encompasses approximately 2,042 active listings, operating within a heavily regulated zone-based permit system that has closed most eligible zones to new applicants.
In April 2026, a trough month for this market, the average daily rate was $208 and occupancy was 27.4%, producing a RevPAR of $57 and average monthly revenue of $2,036. Year-over-year for April, ADR rose 5.0%, occupancy improved 4.1%, and revenue grew 2.9% compared to April 2025.
The listing mix is dominated by entire-place rentals: 1,957 of approximately 2,042 total listings (96%) are entire-place units. Private rooms account for 82 listings and shared rooms for 3. By bedroom count, smaller properties lead the inventory: 1-bedroom (689 listings), 2-bedroom (527), 3-bedroom (500), 4-bedroom (216), and 5-bedroom or larger (107). Channel distribution shows broad multi-platform reach: 1,243 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, with 603 Airbnb-only and 196 VRBO-only.
The composite market score of 44.9 out of 100 is below the national STR average, held down by moderate revenue growth (51.8) and a competitive rental demand score (62.7). The regulation score of 75.9 reflects that permits do exist — the challenge is that most zones are at capacity with active waitlists.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39% | $284 | $3,229 |
| Feb | 48% | $274 | $3,211 |
| Mar | 50% | $287 | $3,754 |
| Apr | 27% | $187 | $1,777 |
| May | 55% | $215 | $2,390 |
| Jun | 65% | $269 | $4,188 |
| Jul | 73% | $271 | $5,254 |
| Aug | 60% | $252 | $4,243 |
| Sep | 55% | $230 | $3,382 |
| Oct | 46% | $215 | $2,812 |
| Nov | 34% | $208 | $1,954 |
| Dec | 55% | $298 | $3,493 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Durango
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacation Rental Collective | 338 | 15,032 | ★ 4.73 |
| 2 | Purgatory Resort | 137 | 150 | ★ 4.48 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 87 | 5,442 | ★ 4.55 |
| 4 | Durango Colorado Vacations | 76 | 3,626 | ★ 4.76 |
| 5 | Durango Red Cliff Properties | 51 | 1,867 | ★ 4.83 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Durango?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 689 |
| 2 bed | 527 |
| 3 bed | 500 |
| 4 bed | 216 |
| 5 bed | 107 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $327 |
| Luxury | $521 |
| Professionally Managed | $407 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,882 |
| Entire Place | $5,067 |
| House | $5,744 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 29.5% |
| vrbo | 9.6% |
| both | 60.9% |
Investment Analysis
Durango carries one of the higher entry costs of any Colorado STR market. The typical home value as of April 2026 was approximately $750,651, with active listings carrying a median list price of $850,167. Properties have sold at a 12.6% discount to asking price on average (sale-to-list ratio of 0.874), with a median of 41 days to pending — a market that moves at a moderate pace with room to negotiate.
At the April 2026 monthly average revenue of $2,036, the annualized revenue run-rate implies a gross yield of approximately 3.3% on a $750,000 purchase. Using the 2025 annual average monthly revenue of $4,061, the implied gross yield rises to approximately 6.5% — a figure that better represents a typical full-year operating profile. Both figures are before platform fees, management costs, taxes, and operating expenses.
The ADR tier spread shows meaningful upside for well-positioned properties. The market-wide ADR of $208 compares to $213 for entire-home listings, $246 for professionally managed properties, and $338 for luxury-tier listings. Professionally managed properties command an 18% premium over the market average, and luxury listings command a 62% premium.
The primary investment risk is regulatory: most Durango zones eligible for STR permits are at capacity with waitlists, and permits do not transfer on property sale. An investor underwriting a Durango STR must confirm an active, transferable permit exists on the specific property — or model the permit waitlist as a material delay to rental income. The revenue growth score of 51.8 suggests moderate momentum, not accelerating demand.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
In April 2026, the average booking lead time was 41.2 days and the average length of stay was 4.0 nights. A 4-night average stay is notably longer than many mountain markets, consistent with Durango’s positioning as a destination combining multiple attractions: the Narrow Gauge Railroad, Mesa Verde National Park, Purgatory Resort, and the Animas River.
At $208 ADR and 4.0 nights, a typical April reservation generates approximately $832 in gross revenue before platform fees. Cleaning cost management matters at this stay length: a $150 cleaning fee on a $832 booking represents 18% of revenue, which is manageable compared to 2-night stays where the same fee would represent 36%.
A 41-day lead time suggests most summer bookings are confirmed by late May for June arrivals and by mid-June for July. This window is short enough that operators who wait until June to open their calendar will miss the early-booking surge for peak summer dates. Winter ski-season bookings at Purgatory follow a different pattern: ski travelers often book 60-90 days in advance for holiday and Presidents Day windows.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Durango strictly regulates STRs, defined as stays of 1-29 days. A Limited Use Permit (LUP) from the Community Development Department plus a City business license is required before operating or advertising a rental.
Permits are only issued in specific zones: the Central Business Zone, Mixed-Use Zones, select Planned Development Zones, and Established Neighborhoods EN-1 and EN-2. Hard numeric caps apply per zone (22 in EN-1, 17 in EN-2), and most zones are currently at capacity with active waitlists. New permits are difficult to obtain.
Permits are non-transferable and become void when a property is sold. Applications require floor plans, parking documentation, building-code compliance, and a safety inspection covering smoke/CO detectors, emergency exits, and fire extinguishers. Annual renewal is required.
Owner-occupancy and primary residence requirements do not apply. Density limits restrict clustering on the same street segment in EN zones: a second rental on the same segment requires Planning Commission approval, and a third is prohibited.
Operators must collect and remit Durango’s 5.25% lodgers’ tax plus applicable sales taxes. Enforcement is active: the city uses a SeeClickFix portal for neighbor reporting and prioritizes discovery of unlicensed operations. STR permit zone caps were largely filled as of 2024 under tightened regulation, and most zone waitlists remain open with no published timeline for new permit availability.
Market Comparison
Against U.S. STR benchmarks of approximately 55% median occupancy and $220 median ADR, Durango’s April occupancy of 27.4% is below national norms for a shoulder month, while the $208 April ADR is near the national median. The 2025 annual average ADR of $297 runs approximately 35% above the U.S. median, reflecting Durango’s premium mountain destination positioning.
Operator concentration is high. The top 5 property managers collectively hold at least 689 listings across a market of approximately 2,042 total. Vacation Rental Collective leads with 338 listings and a 4.729 average rating across 15,032 reviews — a dominant local operator by listing count. Purgatory Resort holds 137 listings tied to its ski area inventory (4.482 rating). Vacasa manages 87 listings (4.546 rating, 5,442 reviews). Durango Colorado Vacations operates 76 listings (4.764 rating) and Durango Red Cliff Properties holds 51 listings with a 4.827 rating — the highest-rated operator in the top 5.
The market’s composite score of 44.9 is below the national STR average, driven by moderate revenue growth (51.8) and the regulatory environment that limits new supply. Investors who can acquire properties with existing, active STR permits occupy a materially different position than those who must join a zone waitlist. The investability score of 63.9 reflects that the market can perform well for existing permit holders, but entry barriers are high.
Frequently Asked Questions About Durango, Colorado
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