Palmer, Alaska Short-Term Rental Market
Palmer, AK short-term rentals earned $247 ADR at 78% occupancy in June 2026 across 4,684 active listings.
Quick Answer: Palmer, Alaska is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Anchorage market area is 78%. average monthly revenue in the Anchorage market area is $4,755. average daily rate in the Anchorage market area is $247. the top operator in the Anchorage market area is Vacasa with 112 listings. market score is 81/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Anchorage regional market, which includes Palmer. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Palmer.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Palmer sits in the Matanuska-Susitna (Mat-Su) Valley about 40 miles northeast of Anchorage and serves as a gateway for agritourism and outdoor recreation in Southcentral Alaska. Its signature draw is the Alaska State Fair, held in Palmer over about 12 days at the end of August, which set a record of roughly 388,800 in attendance in 2025, up from 370,485 in 2024 (an event-attendance figure, not a count of unique city visitors). Beyond the fair, visitors come for working-farm tours at the Musk Ox Farm and Reindeer Farm, Matanuska Colony agricultural heritage from the 1935 New Deal era, Hatcher Pass hiking and skiing, and Matanuska Glacier day trips.
Palmer’s short-term rental market comprises 4,684 active listings. In June 2026, the most recent month with complete data, the average daily rate across all listings was $246.74 at 77.59% occupancy, generating average monthly revenue of $4,754.86 per listing. Occupancy is roughly flat year over year (up 0.45%), ADR is down 2.25%, and monthly revenue is up a strong 7.05% year over year.
Entire-place listings dominate the market at 4,157 units (88.7% of supply), with 497 private-room listings (10.6%) and 30 shared-room listings. By bedroom count, one-bedroom units are the largest segment at 1,946 listings (41.6%), followed by two-bedroom at 1,436 (30.7%), three-bedroom at 864 (18.5%), four-bedroom at 272 (5.8%), and five-bedroom or larger at 156 (3.3%). Airbnb-only listings account for 2,749 units (58.7% of supply), 1,735 listings (37.0%) are cross-listed on both Airbnb and Vrbo, and 200 (4.3%) are Vrbo-only.
Palmer’s booking data shows an average lead time of 82.16 days, one of the longer windows in this project, and an average length of stay of 3.28 nights. The area’s market score data rates revenue growth highest at 85.02 out of 100, with rental demand at 83.51 and a total market score of 80.82, among the strongest overall scores in this project.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 45% |
| Feb | 55% |
| Mar | 58% |
| Apr | 52% |
| May | 64% |
| Jun | 74% |
| Jul | 73% |
| Aug | 72% |
| Sep | 56% |
| Oct | 44% |
| Nov | 49% |
| Dec | 55% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Palmer are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Anchorage market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Anchorage market as a whole, which includes Palmer, so these counts are not Palmer-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 112 | 7,680 | ★ 4.41 |
| 2 | Evolve | 100 | 4,738 | ★ 4.71 |
| 3 | Casa Rentals | 73 | 4,176 | ★ 4.86 |
| 4 | Akstay | 38 | 3,752 | ★ 4.85 |
| 5 | Northern Stay Alaska | 35 | 551 | ★ 4.43 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Palmer?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Palmer are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 58.7% |
| vrbo | 4.3% |
| both | 37% |
Home Value Trends (Palmer)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Palmer are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Palmer — how far ahead guests book and how to price around it — is available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Palmer permits short-term rentals citywide under Palmer Municipal Code Chapter 17.89, and rentals are not limited to owner-occupied units. Operators must obtain a City Short-Term Rental License and hold a State of Alaska business license. The application requires the state business license number, property location, and rental capacity. Licenses are valid for one calendar year and must be renewed annually, with renewal due before February 1.
Operators must designate a responsible or local contact person reachable whenever the property is rented, and must post a sign showing the owner or contact information and license number inside each unit. The license number and occupancy limit must also appear in all advertising and online listings. One extra off-street parking space is required per rented bedroom or unit, and no on-street guest parking is allowed. Paid events, such as weddings or receptions, are barred outside agriculture or commercial zoning districts.
Palmer’s general city business license is reported at $25.00 per year, though the exact fee for the dedicated STR license itself is not published online and should be confirmed with Palmer Finance or Community Development. There is no dedicated bed or lodging tax; instead, Palmer’s 3.00% city sales tax applies to rentals, capped at the first $1,000 of a transaction, so the maximum sales tax on any single booking is $30 regardless of the total rental price. There is no cap on nights per year and no citywide owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement; non-owner-occupied STRs are allowed. Enforcement is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
Palmer’s 77.59% occupancy in June 2026 runs well above the roughly 55% median occupancy typically seen across the broader U.S. short-term rental market, while its $246.74 average daily rate is somewhat above the roughly $220 national median ADR. This combination reflects strong, concentrated demand during Alaska’s short summer tourism window.
The market is led by Vacasa, which holds the top position with 112 listings, 7,680 reviews, and a 4.412 average rating. Evolve ranks second with 100 listings and the highest rating among the top five at 4.712. Casa Rentals follows with 73 listings and the highest average rating overall at 4.858. Akstay holds 38 listings with a 4.849 rating, and Northern Stay Alaska rounds out the list with 35 listings and a 4.431 rating. The presence of Alaska-specific operators like Casa Rentals, Akstay, and Northern Stay Alaska alongside the two national platforms suggests local specialization competes well against larger operators in this market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Palmer, Alaska
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