Cripple Creek, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Cripple Creek, CO STR market averaged $179/night at 40.9% occupancy in April 2026, with a gross yield near 8.1% against a $325,230 typical home value.
Quick Answer: Cripple Creek, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Colorado Area market area is 65%. average monthly revenue in the Colorado Area market area is $4,125. average daily rate in the Colorado Area market area is $244. the top operator in the Colorado Area market area is Evolve with 552 listings. market score is 66/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Colorado Area regional market, which includes Cripple Creek. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Cripple Creek.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Cripple Creek short-term rental market sits at the edge of a historic Colorado gold mining district at roughly 9,500 feet elevation, about 45 miles southwest of Colorado Springs. The market recorded an average daily rate of $179 and occupancy of 40.9% in April 2026, producing average monthly revenue of approximately $2,184. RevPAR stood at $73 for that month.
The listing mix skews heavily toward entire-place rentals: the market dimension data shows 10,363 entire-place listings versus 718 private rooms and just 5 shared rooms. Bedroom distribution is relatively even across the 1- to 3-bedroom range, with 1-bedroom units (3,546 listing-months) and 3-bedroom units (3,016) roughly matching, and 2-bedroom units at 2,834. Larger properties (4-bedroom: 1,120; 5-bedroom: 549) make up a smaller share.
Channel distribution shows 4,608 Airbnb-only listings, 916 VRBO-only, and 5,562 listed on both platforms, indicating that multi-channel distribution is common among the more established operators.
Year-over-year trends are modestly positive. Occupancy increased 2.5% from the prior year comparable period, ADR grew 2.9%, and revenue grew 2.3%. The longer trend since 2017 shows average annual revenue growing from $1,937 to $3,240 in 2025, with a post-2021 normalization after the pandemic surge. The market has maintained occupancy in the 53-55% annual average range from 2023 through 2025, suggesting a relatively stable demand base.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 42% |
| Feb | 50% |
| Mar | 54% |
| Apr | 41% |
| May | 57% |
| Jun | 67% |
| Jul | 72% |
| Aug | 63% |
| Sep | 59% |
| Oct | 51% |
| Nov | 45% |
| Dec | 51% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Cripple Creek are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Colorado Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Colorado Area market as a whole, which includes Cripple Creek, so these counts are not Cripple Creek-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 552 | 34,985 | ★ 4.77 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 205 | 11,102 | ★ 4.60 |
| 3 | Vacation Rental Collective | 163 | 8,326 | ★ 4.83 |
| 4 | Pinon Vacation | 111 | 8,000 | ★ 4.82 |
| 5 | VIP Vacation Services | 94 | 3,082 | ★ 4.83 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Cripple Creek?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Cripple Creek 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 | 41.6% |
| vrbo | 8.3% |
| both | 50.2% |
Home Value Trends (Cripple Creek)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Cripple Creek 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 Cripple Creek — 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
Cripple Creek requires every short-term rental (defined as a property rented for 1 to 29 consecutive days) to hold a city STR license under Ordinance 2022-10. License fees are tiered: $150 for the initial license, $75 for the second-year renewal, and $25 per year thereafter. Each license expires December 31 and requires an annual renewal.
A building and fire department inspection is required before a new license is issued, and renewals require an inspection every two years. The city enforces a cap on non-owner-occupied STR licenses that began at 28 units and was extended to 35. Owner-occupied properties operating a single STR do not count against the cap. The cap increases by one for every 20 net new housing units added to the city stock, and licenses above the cap are awarded by lottery.
STR operators must collect applicable sales and lodging taxes. The combined state, county, and city sales tax rate in Cripple Creek is 7.2% (2.9% Colorado state, 1.0% Teller County, 3.3% city). Colorado treats accommodation rentals under 30 days as taxable lodging. The enforcement severity is listed as high, consistent with the city stated proximity enforcement policy and the 2021 moratorium history.
Owner-occupation is not required (confirmed in the profile data), and primary residence is not required, so non-resident investors can hold licenses subject to the cap and lottery constraints.
Market Comparison
Against U.S. STR benchmarks, this market April 2026 ADR of $179 is below the national median of approximately $220, and the 40.9% occupancy for April is below the U.S. STR median of roughly 55% annually (April is a trough month for this market, so the annual average of approximately 54% is closer to the national median). The $73 RevPAR for April reflects the seasonal trough position.
The market gross yield of approximately 8.1% compares favorably to many U.S. STR markets where typical home values have risen faster than rental rates. The $325,230 typical home value is relatively accessible compared to coastal or mountain resort markets where entry costs exceed $700,000-$1,000,000.
The top five property managers in this market dataset are Evolve (552 listings, 34,985 reviews, 4.77 average rating), Vacasa (205 listings, 11,102 reviews, 4.60 average rating), Vacation Rental Collective (163 listings, 8,326 reviews, 4.83 average rating), Pinon Vacation (111 listings, 8,000 reviews, 4.82 average rating), and VIP Vacation Services (94 listings, 3,082 reviews, 4.83 average rating). Evolve 552 listings represent the largest single operator footprint in the dataset.
The regulatory cap of 35 non-owner-occupied licenses distinguishes Cripple Creek from most markets of its size. Most comparably small markets (populations under 2,000) do not have formal license caps, making Cripple Creek more regulated than typical rural Colorado STR markets.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cripple Creek, Colorado
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