Fort Collins, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Fort Collins STRs averaged $158/night at 63.3% occupancy in April 2026 across nearly 1,950 active listings, with a rental demand score of 97 out of 100.
Quick Answer: Fort Collins, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Fort Collins market area is 71%. average monthly revenue in the Fort Collins market area is $4,325. average daily rate in the Fort Collins market area is $224. the top operator in the Fort Collins market area is Mountain Time Vacation Rentals with 208 listings. market score is 72/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the wider Fort Collins market, which covers 4 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Fort Collins.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Fort Collins is a university city and craft beer destination in northern Colorado, home to Colorado State University (approximately 34,000 students) and a nationally recognized brewery corridor anchored by New Belgium Brewing and Odell Brewing. The city draws visitors for outdoor recreation at Horsetooth Reservoir and Lory State Park, proximity to Rocky Mountain National Park (35 miles), and annual events tied to the university calendar and brewery festival circuit.
The short-term rental market encompasses approximately 1,952 active listings. In April 2026, the average daily rate was $158 and occupancy was 63.3% — significantly above the national STR median occupancy of approximately 55% even in a spring shoulder month. RevPAR was $100 and average monthly revenue was $2,683. Year-over-year for April, ADR rose 3.4% but occupancy fell 2.9%, resulting in overall revenue declining 1.4% compared to April 2025.
The listing mix includes both entire-place units (1,715 listings, or 88% of total) and private rooms (237 listings, or 12%), a notably higher private-room share than most Colorado mountain markets. This reflects Fort Collins’s urban character with CSU-area accommodations. By bedroom count: 1-bedroom (673 listings), 2-bedroom (539), 3-bedroom (405), 4-bedroom (207), and 5-bedroom or larger (107). Channel distribution leans heavily toward Airbnb: 957 listings are Airbnb-only versus 107 VRBO-only, with 888 appearing on both platforms.
The market’s composite score of 72.1 out of 100 is driven by an exceptional rental demand score of 97.2 — the strongest demand signal in this batch of Colorado markets. The revenue growth score of 61.2 and investability score of 58.8 are more moderate, and the seasonality score of 63.9 reflects a less extreme seasonal swing than mountain resort markets.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 49% |
| Feb | 58% |
| Mar | 63% |
| Apr | 62% |
| May | 66% |
| Jun | 75% |
| Jul | 79% |
| Aug | 73% |
| Sep | 66% |
| Oct | 62% |
| Nov | 54% |
| Dec | 56% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Fort Collins are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Fort Collins market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Fort Collins market as a whole, which includes Fort Collins, so these counts are not Fort Collins-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mountain Time Vacation Rentals | 208 | 14,016 | ★ 4.81 |
| 2 | Urbanize | 56 | 4,212 | ★ 4.91 |
| 3 | Rise N Shine Rentals | 50 | 3,207 | ★ 4.90 |
| 4 | Evolve | 44 | 1,838 | ★ 4.78 |
| 5 | Riverside Colorado | 32 | 14 | ★ 4.96 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Fort Collins?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Fort Collins 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 | 49% |
| vrbo | 5.5% |
| both | 45.5% |
Home Value Trends (Fort Collins)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Fort Collins 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 Fort Collins — 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
Fort Collins requires a city Short-Term Rental License before any listing goes live. Two license types exist: a Primary STR License (for owners who reside at the property at least 9 months per year) and a Non-Primary STR License (for investor-owned properties). The initial application fee is $150, with a $100 annual renewal due by June 30 each year.
Only single-family homes and property-line townhomes qualify for an STR license. Multifamily buildings with 3 or more units are prohibited in all zones regardless of ownership structure.
Fort Collins uses a color-coded zoning map: green zones allow only Primary STRs (owner must occupy 9+ months per year), yellow zones allow both Primary and Non-Primary STRs, and uncolored zones permit neither. Non-primary (investor-owned) STRs are therefore restricted to yellow-designated zones.
Operators must also obtain a City of Fort Collins Sales and Lodging Tax License at no additional fee. The city lodging tax is 3.0% on gross receipts for stays under 30 days, remitted monthly. Liability insurance is required ($100,000 minimum for houses, $50,000 for attached units), and a local emergency contact available within 4 hours is mandatory. The STR license number must appear in all online listings.
Enforcement is active: the city contracts with a third-party compliance vendor that monitors over 25 booking platforms. The Land Use Code was updated effective May 17, 2024 to align STR provisions with the Housing Strategic Plan. Larimer County separately prohibits STRs within 500 feet of a county park or open space in unincorporated areas (effective June 1, 2023).
Market Comparison
Against U.S. STR benchmarks of approximately 55% median occupancy and $220 median ADR, Fort Collins’s April occupancy of 63.3% exceeds the national median significantly, while the $158 ADR runs below the national median. This is the urban STR profile: high occupancy at modest rates, driven by a large local demand base rather than destination premium pricing.
The rental demand score of 97.2 places Fort Collins in the top tier nationally — the highest score in this group of five Colorado markets and a reflection of the structural demand from CSU enrollment, brewery tourism, and regional outdoor recreation access.
Operator concentration is lower than mountain markets. The top 5 property managers hold at least 390 listings collectively. Mountain Time Vacation Rentals leads with 208 listings and a 4.807 average rating across 14,016 reviews. Urbanize holds 56 listings with a 4.910 rating (4,212 reviews) — the second-highest-rated operator in the top 5. Rise N Shine Rentals operates 50 listings (4.902 rating). Evolve holds 44 listings (4.783 rating) and Riverside Colorado operates 32 listings with a 4.963 average rating — the highest-rated operator in the top 5.
For investors comparing Fort Collins to mountain resort markets, the key tradeoffs are lower ADR (compensated by higher and more stable occupancy) and lower entry cost (typical home value $568,389 versus $750,651 in Durango). The 19-day median days to pending signals a competitive acquisition environment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fort Collins, Colorado
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