Elka Park, New York Short-Term Rental Market
Elka Park, NY STRs averaged $263/night at 43.0% occupancy in April 2026, with peak summer revenues reaching $4,694 per month.
Quick Answer: Elka Park, New York is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 43%. average monthly revenue is $3,012. average daily rate is $263. the top operator is Evolve with 284 listings. market score is 75/100 (grade B).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Elka Park is a small hamlet of 532 residents in the Town of Hunter, Greene County, New York, situated in the Catskill Mountains at roughly 2,178 feet elevation. Its STR market draws on year-round outdoor tourism anchored by Hunter Mountain Resort and Kaaterskill Falls, pulling leisure travelers primarily from the New York City metro area and Hudson Valley.
As of April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $262.67, an occupancy rate of 43.04%, and a RevPAR of $113.05. The composite market score is 75.46 out of 100, with investability at 85.82 and seasonality at 77.54, the latter reflecting meaningful variation between ski-season winter, summer hiking peaks, and quieter spring shoulder months.
Supply is overwhelmingly entire-place: 12,455 of 13,944 total listings (89.3%) are full-property rentals, with 1,452 private rooms and 37 shared rooms. Bedroom distribution skews toward smaller properties, with 1-bedroom units at 4,458, followed by 3-bedroom (3,345), 2-bedroom (2,805), 4-bedroom (1,921), and 5-bedroom-plus (1,388). Airbnb dominates channels with 7,684 listings, against 655 VRBO-only and 5,605 listed on both platforms.
Year-over-year as of April 2026, occupancy declined 3.27% while ADR rose 4.78% and revenue grew 2.91%, a classic pattern where rate increases are partially offsetting softening demand.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38% | $267 | $2,975 |
| Feb | 46% | $273 | $3,092 |
| Mar | 39% | $230 | $2,645 |
| Apr | 48% | $226 | $2,733 |
| May | 51% | $245 | $2,854 |
| Jun | 53% | $269 | $3,564 |
| Jul | 60% | $280 | $4,387 |
| Aug | 62% | $288 | $4,694 |
| Sep | 48% | $256 | $3,295 |
| Oct | 52% | $269 | $3,851 |
| Nov | 44% | $256 | $3,151 |
| Dec | 46% | $270 | $3,271 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Elka Park
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 284 | 10,524 | ★ 4.64 |
| 2 | Red Cottage | 151 | 3,895 | ★ 4.88 |
| 3 | Home Sweet Hudson | 65 | 3,085 | ★ 4.74 |
| 4 | The Upstate Place Team | 47 | 2,096 | ★ 4.89 |
| 5 | AvantStay | 38 | 901 | ★ 4.57 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Elka Park?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 4,458 |
| 2 bed | 2,805 |
| 3 bed | 3,345 |
| 4 bed | 1,921 |
| 5 bed | 1,388 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $285 |
| Luxury | $529 |
| Professionally Managed | $397 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,270 |
| Entire Place | $3,223 |
| House | $3,260 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 55.1% |
| vrbo | 4.7% |
| both | 40.2% |
Investment Analysis
Elka Park’s STR economics reflect a premium mountain retreat market with higher-than-average nightly rates but moderate occupancy. Average monthly revenue in April 2026 was $3,012, with an annualized run-rate of approximately $36,147 based on the latest month. The actual annual figure will vary materially based on seasonal weighting, with summer months driving the highest returns.
Property type differentials are modest: houses generate $3,260 per month versus $3,223 for entire-place units broadly and $2,270 for apartments. The more meaningful differentiator is tier: luxury properties average $528.50 per night, more than double the $262.67 market average, and professionally managed properties average $396.54 per night, a 51% premium over market. These premiums suggest that well-positioned, well-managed larger properties command rates that significantly change the investment equation.
Housing price data is not available in the current Zillow snapshot for this area, so a gross yield cannot be computed. Given the hamlet’s small size and mountain-resort character, investors should expect above-regional prices for properties that clear the Town of Hunter’s 250-permit cap. The permit cap itself is a structural constraint: acquiring a property in Elka Park does not guarantee an STR permit will be available. Confirming permit availability with the Town before purchase is essential.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Elka Park guests book an average of 38.15 days in advance, roughly 5.5 weeks out, and stay an average of 3.62 nights. The relatively short booking window reflects the leisure-travel nature of the market, where guests plan ski weekends and Catskills getaways on a moderate lead time.
The 3.62-night average stay is consistent with extended weekend and midweek getaway patterns. Properties can expect approximately 8 turnovers per month at full utilization. For an alpine market, this length of stay is typical, but operators running ski-season properties may see longer stays than the annual average during peak winter weekends when guests combine travel distance with multi-day access.
With a 38-day average lead time, dynamic pricing should focus on the 5-6 week window before arrival. Setting premium rates for peak weekends (summer and ski) at least 6 weeks in advance and deploying last-minute rate adjustments 7-10 days out will capture demand at both ends of the booking curve.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals in Elka Park are legal but subject to strict regulation under the Town of Hunter’s Short-Term Rental Local Law No. 2 of 2023, effective July 2023. Elka Park, as an unincorporated hamlet, falls under this law (the Villages of Hunter and Tannersville are separately excluded).
Every STR must obtain a Town permit before advertising or operating. The initial permit fee is $500, with annual renewal at $250 plus inspection fees set by Town Board resolution. Permits are not transferable upon property sale. The Town caps total permits at 250 for the unincorporated area, making permit availability a genuine acquisition risk.
Operating requirements include a mandatory fire and safety inspection (smoke and CO detectors, fire extinguishers, posted evacuation plans), minimum liability insurance equal to the dwelling value plus at least $300,000 in third-party coverage, bear-proof garbage handling, off-street parking at one vehicle per bedroom, and overnight occupancy capped at two persons per bedroom plus two. Properties intended to host more than 11 guests require Planning Board site-plan approval. Weddings, corporate events, and commercial gatherings are prohibited without separate site-plan approval. A 24/7 local contact who can respond to complaints within approximately 60 minutes is required.
No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies, and no annual night cap was found. An occupancy tax rate was not confirmed in available data. Enforcement is rated strict; the Code Enforcement Officer may inspect on probable cause, impose conditions, suspend, or revoke permits. Investors should verify current permit availability with the Town before acquiring any property.
Market Comparison
Elka Park’s $262.67 ADR for April 2026 is significantly above the U.S. STR national median of approximately $220, reflecting the premium commanded by Catskills mountain properties in close proximity to the NYC market. Occupancy at 43.04% in April is below the national median of approximately 55%, but April falls in Elka Park’s spring shoulder period, and the annual occupancy average across all years in the dataset is closer to 47-50%.
Year-over-year trends show a market navigating the post-pandemic demand normalization: occupancy fell 3.27% while ADR grew 4.78%, yielding modest net revenue growth of 2.91%. The 2021 peak annual average of 59.06% occupancy and $281 ADR reflected outsized demand during the COVID-era drive-to market surge; 2024-2025 data shows a stabilized range of 47% occupancy at $290-296 ADR.
On the operator side, Evolve leads with 284 listings and 10,524 reviews at a 4.64 average rating. Red Cottage manages 151 listings with a 4.88 rating from 3,895 reviews, and Home Sweet Hudson operates 65 listings with a 4.74 rating from 3,085 reviews. The top 3 operators together manage approximately 500 listings, roughly 3.6% of total market supply, confirming a fragmented market where independent hosts and small boutique managers dominate.
Frequently Asked Questions About Elka Park, New York
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