Estes Park, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Estes Park STRs averaged $270/night at 30.7% occupancy in April 2026, with July peak occupancy reaching 75.9% at the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park.
Quick Answer: Estes Park, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 72%. average monthly revenue is $8,143. average daily rate is $441. the top operator is Evolve with 225 listings. market score is 69/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Rocky Mtn Natl Park regional market, which includes Estes Park. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Estes Park.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Estes Park is a mountain town of approximately 5,824 permanent residents serving as the primary eastern gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), which recorded approximately 4.2 million recreation visits in 2024. The short-term rental market is entirely driven by that tourism draw: visitor spending supports roughly 3,100 direct jobs locally and accounts for approximately 77.5% of local sales tax receipts.
As of April 2026 (a deep shoulder month for this market), the average daily rate was $270.03 and occupancy was 30.7%, generating average monthly revenue of $2,662. RevPAR was $82.98. Year-over-year, occupancy rose 5.6%, ADR climbed 6.0%, and revenue grew 0.4%, the latter muted by a weak April this year relative to the same month prior.
The market is compact. Approximately 3,739 active listings are spread across channels, with 97.1% being entire-place rentals (3,632 listings) and 107 private rooms. By bedroom count, 1-bedrooms are the most common (1,043), followed by 2-bedrooms (990), 3-bedrooms (905), 4-bedrooms (526), and 5-bedrooms (273). The overall market score is 68.6, led by an exceptionally high revenue growth score of 89.9 and a strong regulation score of 76.2. Seasonality (48.0) is the weakest dimension, reflecting the extreme summer concentration of demand.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34% | $276 | $2,777 |
| Feb | 42% | $279 | $2,927 |
| Mar | 47% | $272 | $3,447 |
| Apr | 34% | $248 | $2,547 |
| May | 53% | $286 | $3,470 |
| Jun | 71% | $361 | $6,268 |
| Jul | 76% | $353 | $7,124 |
| Aug | 65% | $337 | $6,070 |
| Sep | 61% | $313 | $5,135 |
| Oct | 49% | $288 | $4,040 |
| Nov | 35% | $273 | $2,582 |
| Dec | 45% | $310 | $3,322 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Estes Park
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 225 | 15,838 | ★ 4.75 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 157 | 10,044 | ★ 4.52 |
| 3 | SkyRun Vacation Rentals | 141 | 10,759 | ★ 4.84 |
| 4 | Rocky Mountain Resorts | 98 | 10,160 | ★ 4.72 |
| 5 | WorldMark | 83 | 1,440 | ★ 4.82 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Estes Park?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,043 |
| 2 bed | 990 |
| 3 bed | 905 |
| 4 bed | 526 |
| 5 bed | 273 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $446 |
| Luxury | $744 |
| Professionally Managed | $469 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $5,567 |
| Entire Place | $8,246 |
| House | $9,493 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 24.4% |
| vrbo | 9.8% |
| both | 65.7% |
Investment Analysis
Estes Park’s investment case is shaped more by regulatory constraints than by market performance metrics. The residential vacation home license cap of 322 units inside Town limits, combined with an annual lottery for new licenses under Ordinance 18-25 (effective December 15, 2025), means acquiring a licensable residential STR property is not straightforward. Buyers of existing permitted properties should note that residential licenses are generally non-transferable on sale.
For commercially zoned properties, there is no unit cap, and the path to licensing is more direct.
On the financial side, the April 2026 average monthly revenue of $2,662 projects to approximately $31,945 annualized. Against a typical home value of $687,330, this implies a gross annual yield of approximately 4.7%, before operating expenses, management fees, and the workforce housing linkage fee (approximately $1,500 in 2026). The 2025 annual average was significantly stronger at $5,091/month, reflecting summer peaks not captured in April’s shoulder data.
The luxury tier ($392.96 ADR) and professionally managed tier ($281.42 ADR) offer upside above the all-listings average of $270.03. House-type listings averaged $3,016/month in April versus $2,662 for the market overall, a 13.3% premium. Revenue growth score of 89.9 is the standout metric, reflecting a consistent upward trend: $4,569 in 2023, $4,750 in 2024, $5,091 in 2025.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Estes Park guests book an average of 48.1 days in advance, just under 7 weeks. This moderate-length planning horizon reflects a mix of pre-planned summer RMNP trips (booked weeks or months ahead) and shorter-notice shoulder-season visits. For operators, the 48-day lead time is an important pricing window: rates set 7 weeks out are likely to hold for summer bookings, and last-minute availability is an indicator of underperformance rather than normal market behavior.
Average length of stay is 3.0 nights, the shortest of the markets in this batch. The 3-night average reflects a predominantly weekend-getaway visitor profile rather than week-long vacationers. With 30.7% occupancy in April and a 3-night average, operators can expect roughly 3 turnovers per month in shoulder season. In July at 75.9% occupancy, that implies 7 to 8 turnovers per month, making cleaning and turnover logistics a significant operational consideration at peak.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Estes Park has the most restrictive STR regulatory environment in this batch. Key points:
A Vacation Home License is required for any rental under 30 days. The annual fee is $200 base plus $50 per bedroom, plus a Workforce Housing Regulatory Linkage Fee of approximately $1,500 in 2026 (inflation-adjusted annually). A $50 application fee applies.
Residentially zoned licenses inside Town limits are capped at 322 total units. As of late 2025, this cap was full, and a moratorium on new residential licenses had been in place since October 2021. Ordinance 18-25, effective December 15, 2025, ended the moratorium and replaced the old waitlist with an annual lottery capped at 30 positions. The first drawing under this system was held March 30, 2026. Residential licenses are generally non-transferable on sale. Commercially zoned units are not subject to the 322-unit cap.
Taxes due include the 5.5% Estes Park Local Marketing District lodging tax (raised from 2% effective January 1, 2023), Town sales tax of 5.0%, Colorado state sales tax of 2.9%, and Larimer County tax of 0.8%.
Operational requirements include: a local resident or property manager within the Estes Park R-3 school or recreation district reachable by phone during rentals; a minimum of 2 off-street parking spaces (except in the CD Downtown zone); occupancy limited to 2 per bedroom plus 2 per home with a maximum of 8; and no outdoor solid-fuel burning appliances.
Enforcement is rated strict, with escalating fines from $250 to $1,000 per violation and possible license suspension or revocation.
Market Comparison
Estes Park’s April 2026 ADR of $270.03 is above the U.S. STR median of approximately $220, reflecting a Rocky Mountain premium. Occupancy at 30.7% is well below the national median of roughly 55%, but this is April, which is historically the market’s second-weakest month. Summer months exceed 70%.
The revenue growth score of 89.9 is one of the highest scores in any category across this batch, supported by a clear upward trend: $4,569 average monthly revenue in 2023 rising to $4,750 in 2024 and $5,091 in 2025.
The operator landscape features a mix of national and local specialty platforms. Evolve leads with 225 listings and 15,838 reviews (4.75 rating). Vacasa holds 157 listings (4.52 rating). SkyRun Vacation Rentals manages 141 listings with the second-highest rating in the top five at 4.84 and 10,759 reviews. Rocky Mountain Resorts holds 98 listings with a 4.72 rating and 10,160 reviews. WorldMark rounds out the top five with 83 listings and a 4.82 rating. Combined, these five operators account for approximately 704 listings, or roughly 18.8% of the active market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Estes Park, Colorado
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