Arvada, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Denver-area STRs in Arvada averaged $156/night at 66.7% occupancy in April 2026, with a rental demand score of 86 out of 100.
Quick Answer: Arvada, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 67%. average monthly revenue is $2,815. average daily rate is $156. the top operator is Evolve with 276 listings. market score is 55/100 (grade C).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Arvada node of the Denver metro STR market sits 7 miles northwest of downtown Denver, serving visitors to Olde Town Arvada, the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities (300,000+ annual visitors), and outdoor recreation in the Rocky Flats and Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge corridors. As of April 2026, the market recorded an average daily rate of $156.20 and an occupancy rate of 66.7%, generating average monthly revenue of $2,815 per listing. RevPAR was $104.20.
The market contains approximately 13,183 tracked listings across channels. Airbnb dominates with 7,757 Airbnb-only listings, 561 VRBO-only, and 4,865 cross-listed on both platforms. Entire-place rentals make up the majority at 10,946 listings, with private rooms representing a meaningful secondary segment at 2,151 and shared rooms at 86.
By bedroom count, one-bedroom units are the largest segment at 5,675 listings, followed by two-bedroom (3,278), three-bedroom (2,034), four-bedroom (1,294), and five-bedroom-plus (877).
Year-over-year through April 2026: occupancy declined 1.02 percentage points, ADR declined 2.21%, and revenue was essentially flat at -0.06%. The market’s standout characteristic is a rental demand score of 86.00 — the highest sub-score across all five markets in this batch — reflecting the consistent visitor base and year-round demand from the Denver metro area. Colorado’s 300+ annual days of sunshine supports occupancy above 58% even in the slowest winter months.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58% | $126 | $2,087 |
| Feb | 65% | $128 | $2,135 |
| Mar | 68% | $133 | $2,481 |
| Apr | 67% | $138 | $2,460 |
| May | 71% | $145 | $2,755 |
| Jun | 81% | $167 | $3,521 |
| Jul | 80% | $165 | $3,586 |
| Aug | 76% | $160 | $3,337 |
| Sep | 73% | $155 | $3,010 |
| Oct | 69% | $150 | $2,856 |
| Nov | 61% | $135 | $2,227 |
| Dec | 62% | $137 | $2,253 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Arvada
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 276 | 10,485 | ★ 4.65 |
| 2 | Atomic Vacation Rentals | 142 | 9,929 | ★ 4.84 |
| 3 | Effortless Rental Group | 137 | 10,713 | ★ 4.77 |
| 4 | VacayPlay | 83 | 5,410 | ★ 4.39 |
| 5 | Homes with Hospitality LLC | 81 | 853 | ★ 4.94 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Arvada?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 5,675 |
| 2 bed | 3,278 |
| 3 bed | 2,034 |
| 4 bed | 1,294 |
| 5 bed | 877 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $172 |
| Luxury | $293 |
| Professionally Managed | $186 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,494 |
| Entire Place | $3,110 |
| House | $2,963 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 58.8% |
| vrbo | 4.3% |
| both | 36.9% |
Investment Analysis
At a typical home value of $617,536 and a median sale price of $614,817, the Arvada market is mid-range among Denver metro submarkets but well above the national median. The housing market shows a sale-to-list ratio of 0.985 and a median days-to-pending of just 8 — indicating a competitive, fast-moving housing market where buyers must act quickly.
Based on April 2026 average monthly revenue of $2,815, the implied gross annualized revenue is approximately $33,781, representing a gross yield of approximately 5.5% on the typical home value. This does not account for Arvada’s $350/year permit fee, the 2% city lodging tax, or operating expenses. The 2025 annual average revenue was $3,203/month, implying approximately $38,436 gross annually — a 6.2% gross yield on the typical home value.
Tier differentiation: professionally managed listings average $186/night versus the $156 all-listings average — a $30/night premium. Luxury-tier properties average $293/night. Entire-home listings average $172/night.
Revenue by property type: entire-place listings average $3,110/month, houses average $2,963/month, and apartment-style units average $2,494/month.
A significant regulatory change as of May 1, 2026 limits each individual to one STR permit (reduced from three), and LLCs can no longer obtain new permits. This restricts multi-property STR portfolio strategies in Arvada. Existing permits held by LLCs remain valid, but expansion under an LLC structure is no longer possible.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
The Arvada market shows an average booking lead time of 39.9 days and an average length of stay of 5.38 nights as of April 2026. The 40-day lead window is mid-range: shorter than rural destination markets like Oceano (49 days) and McCloud (45 days), but longer than the LA North Hollywood urban market (32 days).
A 5.38-night average stay is notably long for a suburban Denver market, suggesting guests are using Arvada as a base for extended Denver metro visits rather than quick overnight stops. This could reflect production workers on contract, visiting relatives, or wedding/event guests who stay for a week. The longer stays reduce per-booking turnover costs and favor hosts with flexible cleaning staffing.
At 66.7% occupancy with 5.38-night stays, a property averages approximately 3-4 bookings per month. The 240-night annual cap at market-average occupancy (approximately 243 occupied nights per year) means operators near the market average are already at or near the permit ceiling. Operators managing occupancy close to or above the market average should track cumulative nights carefully against the 240-night limit.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Arvada legalized short-term rentals in August 2020 and governs them through a city permit and business license system. Operators must obtain both an annual STR permit ($350/year as of May 1, 2026, raised from $175) and a City of Arvada Business License before advertising or accepting bookings.
Key operational requirements: STRs may operate a maximum of 240 nights per year with a 2-night minimum stay per booking. Occupancy is capped at two guests per bedroom plus two additional guests. Operators must carry $1 million in liability insurance, provide a certified home inspector pre-permit inspection, submit a floor plan and property maintenance plan, and notify adjacent property owners within 14 days of permit application.
A major ordinance update effective May 1, 2026 introduced several changes: (1) the individual permit limit was reduced from three to one permit per person; (2) LLCs can no longer obtain new STR permits, though LLCs may still own the property and existing LLC permits remain valid; (3) a third-party 24/7 complaint monitoring platform was added; (4) mandatory minimum fines of $2,000 per violation for unlicensed operation were introduced, with each continuing day constituting a separate violation.
The lodging tax rate is 2% city lodging tax, remitted to the city. Guests also pay 3.46% city sales tax, 0.5% Jefferson County sales tax, and 2.9% Colorado state sales tax; Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit the lodging tax and city sales tax automatically. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement.
Market Comparison
Nationally, the median STR occupancy rate is approximately 55% and the median ADR approximately $220. Arvada’s occupancy of 66.7% substantially outperforms the national median, while the ADR of $156.20 is 29% below the national median — a high-volume, lower-rate profile consistent with a suburban bedroom community positioning rather than a premium destination.
The total market score of 55.26 is at the median range for tracked markets. Rental demand (86.00) is the strongest sub-score in this batch and indicates the underlying visitor base is more consistent and reliable than most markets. Revenue growth (50.03) and investability (53.82) are the weaker components, reflecting compressed ADR growth and the regulatory constraints introduced in the May 2026 ordinance update.
Among property managers, Evolve leads with 276 listings and 10,485 reviews (4.65 rating). Atomic Vacation Rentals holds second with 142 listings and 9,929 reviews at a 4.84 rating — high review density relative to listing count. Effortless Rental Group ranks third with 137 listings and 10,713 reviews (4.77 rating). VacayPlay operates 83 listings at 4.39 rating. Homes with Hospitality LLC, the highest-rated top-5 operator at 4.94, manages 81 listings. The top five collectively manage approximately 719 listings — a modest concentration given the 13,000+ listing market, indicating most Arvada STRs are independently operated.
Frequently Asked Questions About Arvada, Colorado
What is the average daily rate for short-term rentals in the Denver/Arvada area?
What is the STR occupancy rate in Arvada?
How much can a short-term rental earn per month in the Denver area?
What permits are required for STRs in Arvada, Colorado?
What major STR regulation changes happened in Arvada in 2026?
Is there an owner-occupancy requirement for Arvada STRs?
Which property management companies are most active in the Denver STR market?
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