Boulder, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Boulder STRs require owner occupancy; September 2026 ADR was $246, occupancy 69.0%, revenue $4,611 monthly.
Quick Answer: Boulder, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Boulder market area is 69%. average monthly revenue in the Boulder market area is $4,611. average daily rate in the Boulder market area is $246. the top operator in the Boulder market area is Fox Property Management with 68 listings. market score is 50/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the wider Boulder market, which covers 6 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Boulder.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Boulder, Colorado is a restricted short-term rental market, so any analysis starts with the rules. The city licenses only owner-occupied principal residences, and investor-owned non-primary rentals are prohibited. With that in mind, the performance data for September 2026 in the Boulder area STR market shows an average daily rate (ADR) of $246 across all listings, occupancy of 69.0%, and average monthly revenue of $4,611 per listing. Compared with a year earlier, occupancy rose 2.5%, ADR fell 2.0%, and revenue grew 1.2%, so stronger bookings more than offset softer pricing.
Entire homes command a higher rate at $274 per night, and the average entire place earns $5,140 per month. The market is dominated by whole-property rentals. Of 2,569 tracked listings in the Boulder area STR market, 2,174 are entire places and 395 are private rooms, which puts entire places at about 84.6% of the total. By size, one bedroom units are the largest group at 1,023 listings, followed by 2 bedrooms at 616, 3 bedrooms at 505, 4 bedrooms at 267, and 5 bedrooms at 155. On distribution, 1,492 listings appear on Airbnb, 177 on Vrbo, and 900 on both platforms.
Demand comes from several sources. Boulder, a city of 106,802 residents, draws outdoor recreation enthusiasts, CU Boulder students and parents, conference attendees, and event participants. The Open Space and Mountain Parks system recorded 6.17 million visits in 2023. Sports events include the Bolder Boulder 10K and IRONMAN Boulder. Over 2,000 guest rooms serve the market, and the Sundance Film Festival is scheduled to launch in Boulder in January 2027, which is expected to add festival lodging demand.
The market score shows rental demand at 85.9 and regulation at 65.9, while investability sits just under 50, in line with the ownership limits and high home prices covered below.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 53% |
| Feb | 61% |
| Mar | 65% |
| Apr | 64% |
| May | 69% |
| Jun | 78% |
| Jul | 78% |
| Aug | 77% |
| Sep | 71% |
| Oct | 67% |
| Nov | 55% |
| Dec | 56% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Boulder are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Boulder market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Boulder market as a whole, which includes Boulder, so these counts are not Boulder-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fox Property Management | 68 | 562 | ★ 4.85 |
| 2 | Evolve | 33 | 1,105 | ★ 4.74 |
| 3 | Home Host Concierge | 28 | 443 | ★ 4.94 |
| 4 | Landing | 26 | 0 | ★ 2.50 |
| 5 | Housing Helpers | 17 | 9 | ★ 4.83 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Boulder?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Boulder 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 | 58.1% |
| vrbo | 6.9% |
| both | 35% |
Home Value Trends (Boulder)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Boulder 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 Boulder — 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
Boulder permits short-term rentals, but only in a tightly limited form. Rentals of 29 days or fewer require a Short-Term Rental License with a 4-year term. The initial cost is $215, made up of $190 for the rental license and $25 for a business license. An annual affidavit confirming continued principal residency is also required, with a $20 fee, or the license is revoked.
The defining rule is owner occupancy. STRs are restricted to the owner’s principal residence, and the owner must live at the property more than six months per year, proven with a Colorado driver’s license or ID. Non-owner-occupied rentals are prohibited. The license holder must be a natural person, trust, or nonprofit. LLCs, corporations, and limited partnerships are barred, and only one license is allowed per person.
Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) built on or after February 1, 2019 cannot be licensed for STR use. ADUs built before 2019 are capped at 120 nights per year.
The city accommodations tax is 7.5%. The combined rate with state, Boulder County, and RTD taxes reaches roughly 12.835%. Platforms collect these taxes automatically for Airbnb and Vrbo bookings, while direct-booking hosts remit quarterly. Enforcement is described as strict.
Recent changes: in September 2025 the City Council voted 7-1 to create a festival lodging license tied to the January 2027 Sundance Film Festival. It allows up to 29 rental days per year during designated festival events and waives the owner-occupancy requirement. In March 2024, Boulder County capped vacation rental licenses in unincorporated areas. Confirm current rules with the city before buying or listing.
Market Comparison
September 2026 occupancy in the Boulder area STR market was 69.0%, with an ADR of $246 across all listings and $274 for entire homes.
The trade-off is access. Few markets of this strength restrict participation as tightly as Boulder does, with owner occupancy, one license per person, and no entity ownership. The 3.9% gross yield on a $972,493 typical home value is modest, so returns here depend on living in the home rather than on rental income alone.
The Boulder area STR market has several established operators. Fox Property Management leads with 68 listings, followed by Evolve with 33, Home Host Concierge with 28, Landing with 26, and Housing Helpers with 17. Given the principal residence rule, how these managers operate depends on licensing, so owners should confirm what services are available to licensed hosts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Boulder, Colorado
Can investors buy a home in Boulder to use as a short-term rental?
What is the average daily rate in Boulder?
What is the occupancy rate for Boulder short-term rentals?
How much does a Boulder short-term rental license cost?
How much revenue does an average Boulder listing earn?
What is the gross yield on a Boulder short-term rental?
What taxes apply to Boulder short-term rentals?
Analyze Boulder Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Boulder.
Free Boulder STR Calculator →
