Durango, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Durango caps permits by zone, while September 2026 STRs averaged $300 ADR, 55.9% occupancy and $4,492 monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Durango, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Durango market area is 56%. average monthly revenue in the Durango market area is $4,492. average daily rate in the Durango market area is $300. the top operator in the Durango market area is Vacation Rental Collective with 338 listings. market score is 45/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the wider Durango market, which covers 2 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Durango.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Durango is a year-round outdoor and heritage tourism hub in southwestern Colorado, with about 19,257 residents and an estimated 1.3 million visitors over the past 12 months. Short-term rentals here are tightly regulated, with hard permit caps by zone, so supply is limited and new entrants should read the regulatory section before anything else. This page covers the Durango area STR market through September 2026. In September 2026 the average daily rate across all listings was $300, occupancy was 55.9%, and average monthly revenue per listing was $4,492. Compared with September 2025, occupancy is up 7.4%, ADR is up 6.0%, and revenue is up 11.6%.
The Durango area STR market splits by channel into 1,243 listings on both Airbnb and Vrbo, 603 on Airbnb only, and 196 on Vrbo only. By listing type, 1,957 are entire places, 82 are private rooms, and 3 are shared rooms, so entire places make up roughly 95.8% of the mix. Bedroom counts skew small: 689 one-bedroom, 527 two-bedroom, 500 three-bedroom, 216 four-bedroom, and 107 five-bedroom listings.
Demand is anchored by the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Mesa Verde National Park about 35 miles west, Purgatory Resort, and outdoor recreation on the Animas River and in the San Juan Mountains, including rafting, mountain biking, hiking and skiing. The historic downtown district adds dining and cultural visits. Tourism is the largest sector of the La Plata County economy, supporting roughly 22,000 jobs and about one third of the city’s tax revenue. Summer is the peak season, with solid shoulder-season demand around the ski and railroad calendars.
The long-run trend is firm on price. Yearly average ADR rose from $213 in 2017 to $297 in 2025, and 2026 year to date sits at $308 with 50.1% occupancy over nine months.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 39% |
| Feb | 48% |
| Mar | 50% |
| Apr | 27% |
| May | 55% |
| Jun | 65% |
| Jul | 73% |
| Aug | 59% |
| Sep | 55% |
| Oct | 46% |
| Nov | 34% |
| Dec | 55% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Durango are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Durango market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Durango market as a whole, which includes Durango, so these counts are not Durango-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacation Rental Collective | 338 | 15,032 | ★ 4.73 |
| 2 | Purgatory Resort | 137 | 150 | ★ 4.48 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 87 | 5,442 | ★ 4.55 |
| 4 | Durango Colorado Vacations | 76 | 3,626 | ★ 4.76 |
| 5 | Durango Red Cliff Properties | 51 | 1,867 | ★ 4.83 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Durango?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Durango 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 | 29.5% |
| vrbo | 9.6% |
| both | 60.9% |
Home Value Trends (Durango)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Durango 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 Durango — 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
Durango heavily regulates short-term rentals, defined as stays of 1 to 29 days. STRs are permitted, but a permit is required before an owner establishes or even advertises a rental. The permit is a Limited Use Permit (LUP) from the Community Development Department, plus a City business license. The LUP renews annually, and fees apply to both the initial application and renewal.
Zoning is the main barrier. Vacation rentals are allowed only in the Central Business Zone, Mixed-Use Zones, select Planned Development Zones, and Established Neighborhoods (EN) 1 and 2. Hard caps apply per zone, for example 22 in EN-1 and 17 in EN-2, and most zones are at capacity with waitlists. In EN zones a second vacation rental on the same street segment needs Planning Commission approval, and a third is prohibited. Permits are non-transferable and become void when the property is sold. Applications require floor plans, parking details, building-code compliance and a safety inspection covering smoke and CO detectors, exits and extinguishers.
Durango does not require owner occupancy or a primary residence for permitted rentals. Operators must collect and remit the 5.25% lodgers’ tax plus applicable sales taxes. City sales tax is 3.5%, and the combined retail sales tax is about 9.4%.
Enforcement is rated strict. Illegal rentals are reported through the city’s SeeClickFix portal, and the city prioritizes finding unlicensed operations. Tightening that began around 2024 has left most eligible zones full, and there has also been state-level discussion of letting counties raise lodging taxes for affordable housing. Confirm current rules with the city before buying.
Market Comparison
Durango’s September 2026 figures show solid occupancy and a high rate. Occupancy was 55.9%, the all-listings ADR was $300, and the entire-home ADR was $306.
The premium is supported by destination demand: a heritage railroad, a national park nearby, a ski resort and river recreation within one small city. It is also supported by tight supply, since zone caps and waitlists limit how many rentals can operate legally.
Year-over-year growth is also strong, with revenue up 11.6%, occupancy up 7.4% and ADR up 6.0%. Average monthly revenue of $4,492 reflects that combination of solid occupancy and a high rate.
The largest operators in the Durango area STR market are Vacation Rental Collective with 338 listings, Purgatory Resort with 137, Vacasa with 87, Durango Colorado Vacations with 76, and Durango Red Cliff Properties with 51. Their guest ratings range from 4.5 to 4.8. Investors who cannot self-manage have several established local and national managers to compare.
Frequently Asked Questions About Durango, Colorado
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