Lakeside, Arizona Short-Term Rental Market
Lakeside, AZ STRs averaged $185/night at 32.2% occupancy in April 2026, with July peak at 70.4% and $4,159 average monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Lakeside, Arizona is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Pinetop-Lakeside market area is 59%. average monthly revenue in the Pinetop-Lakeside market area is $3,799. average daily rate in the Pinetop-Lakeside market area is $239. the top operator in the Pinetop-Lakeside market area is Evolve with 229 listings. market score is 49/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Pinetop-Lakeside regional market, which includes Lakeside. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Lakeside.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Lakeside, AZ short-term rental market sits within the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside in Arizona’s White Mountains (Navajo County), at approximately 7,000 to 7,200 feet elevation about 190 miles northeast of Phoenix. The area is primarily a seasonal mountain retreat where Phoenix-area and Tucson travelers seek cooler temperatures in summer and snow recreation in winter. In April 2026, the average daily rate across all active listings was $185, with occupancy at 32.2% for that spring-trough month and revenue per available rental (RevPAR) at $60. Year-over-year through April 2026, occupancy declined 7.2% compared with April 2025, ADR rose 2.2%, and monthly revenue fell 2.2%.
Approximately 2,043 active listings are in the market, nearly all entire-place units (2,031), with 12 private rooms. Three-bedroom properties are the largest segment (744 listings), followed by two-bedroom (573), one-bedroom (320), four-bedroom (255), and five-or-more-bedroom (149) listings. The channel mix shows dual-platform dominance: 1,298 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 505 are Airbnb-only, and 240 are VRBO-only.
The StaySTRA scorecard rates Lakeside at 49.5 out of 100 overall. Regulation scores 70.0, seasonality 61.1, investability 67.8, rental demand 54.4, and revenue growth 66.5. The 2025 annual average occupancy was 45.4% and ADR was $220.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 34% |
| Feb | 37% |
| Mar | 39% |
| Apr | 33% |
| May | 47% |
| Jun | 63% |
| Jul | 70% |
| Aug | 59% |
| Sep | 45% |
| Oct | 44% |
| Nov | 37% |
| Dec | 48% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Lakeside are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Pinetop-Lakeside market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Pinetop-Lakeside market as a whole, which includes Lakeside, so these counts are not Lakeside-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 229 | 11,437 | ★ 4.81 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 92 | 985 | ★ 4.79 |
| 3 | CoolVacay | 47 | 48 | ★ 4.65 |
| 4 | Greer Cabin Keepers | 44 | 327 | ★ 4.59 |
| 5 | Rim Lakes Vacation Rentals | 31 | 1,346 | ★ 4.79 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Lakeside?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Lakeside 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 | 24.7% |
| vrbo | 11.7% |
| both | 63.5% |
Home Value Trends (Lakeside)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Lakeside 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 Lakeside — 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
Lakeside operates under the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside’s short-term rental licensing framework (Town Code Chapter 5.28, Ordinance 23-461). Operators must obtain an annual Vacation Rental Permit for stays under 30 days, costing $250 per property, renewable each year on the anniversary of initial approval.
Required application elements include a valid Arizona Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) license, proof of property ownership (warranty deed or current tax bill), proof of liability insurance with at least $500,000 aggregate coverage (or a booking platform that provides equivalent primary coverage), and a local 24-hour emergency contact with photo ID showing local residency. Before the first rental, the owner must provide written notification to adjacent, across-the-street, and diagonally adjacent single-family neighbors.
The combined lodging/transient tax rate is 12.38%, encompassing state, Navajo County, and town rates. This applies even when booking platforms remit on the host’s behalf.
Arizona’s state preemption statute (ARS 9-500.39) controls: the town cannot require owner-occupancy or primary residence (with a narrow exception for accessory dwelling units permitted on or after September 14, 2024), cannot cap rental nights, and cannot ban STRs in residential zones. Investment, non-owner-occupied STRs are fully permitted. There is no annual night cap. Enforcement is moderate, operating via the permit and TPT license system.
Market Comparison
Lakeside’s April 2026 occupancy of 32.2% is below the US STR median of approximately 55%, but April is the spring-trough month in this market. The 2025 annual average occupancy of 45.4% remains below national norms. The April ADR of $185 and 2025 annual average ADR of $220 are both close to the US STR median of approximately $220.
Arizona’s state preemption law distinguishes Lakeside from most competitors in the Mountain West. While markets in Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah contend with night caps, primary-residence requirements, and zoning bans that limit investor access, Lakeside has no such restrictions.
On the operator side, Evolve leads with 229 listings and 11,437 reviews (4.81 average rating). Vacasa follows with 92 listings (4.79 rating). Regional specialists CoolVacay (47 listings, 4.65 rating), Greer Cabin Keepers (44 listings, 4.59 rating), and Rim Lakes Vacation Rentals (31 listings, 4.79 rating) round out the top five. The presence of White Mountains-specific local operators alongside national managers reflects a destination where local knowledge of cabins and outdoor access points adds visible value to guests.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lakeside, Arizona
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