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 is 71%. average monthly revenue is $4,325. average daily rate is $224. the top operator is Mountain Time Vacation Rentals with 208 listings. market score is 72/100 (grade B).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex 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 | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49% | $115 | $1,654 |
| Feb | 58% | $118 | $1,738 |
| Mar | 63% | $124 | $2,155 |
| Apr | 62% | $127 | $2,142 |
| May | 66% | $156 | $2,655 |
| Jun | 75% | $171 | $3,350 |
| Jul | 79% | $166 | $3,580 |
| Aug | 73% | $158 | $3,262 |
| Sep | 66% | $150 | $2,741 |
| Oct | 62% | $145 | $2,515 |
| Nov | 54% | $131 | $2,000 |
| Dec | 56% | $134 | $2,062 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Fort Collins
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | 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 pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 673 |
| 2 bed | 539 |
| 3 bed | 405 |
| 4 bed | 207 |
| 5 bed | 107 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $242 |
| Luxury | $364 |
| Professionally Managed | $327 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $4,445 |
| Entire Place | $4,642 |
| House | $4,386 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 49% |
| vrbo | 5.5% |
| both | 45.5% |
Investment Analysis
Fort Collins offers a more moderate entry cost relative to Colorado mountain resort markets. The typical home value as of April 2026 was approximately $568,389. Active listings carried a median list price of $566,500, with a sale-to-list ratio of 0.927 indicating properties transacted at about 7.3% below asking. The median days to pending of 19 indicates a fast-moving market despite the price discount from list.
At the April 2026 monthly average of $2,683, the annualized revenue run-rate implies a gross yield of approximately 5.7% on a $568,000 purchase. Using the stronger 2025 annual average monthly revenue of $3,166, the implied gross yield is approximately 6.7%. Both figures are before platform fees, management costs, taxes, and operating expenses.
The ADR tier spread reveals how much rate improvement is possible. The market-wide ADR of $158 compares to $170 for entire-home listings (8% above market), $202 for professionally managed properties (28% above market), and $252 for luxury-tier listings (59% above market). Professionally managed properties capture a meaningful rate premium, suggesting that professional pricing and distribution management adds measurable value in this market.
The primary demand signal supporting this market is the rental demand score of 97.2 out of 100 — indicating near-top-of-national distribution demand conditions. This reflects the consistent draw of CSU enrollment, craft beer tourism, and proximity to RMNP as a base-camp market. The occupancy dip of 2.9% year-over-year in April 2026 suggests some near-term softening, but the long-term average occupancy of 63.5% for 2025 shows structural strength.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
April 2026 data shows a booking lead time of 37.0 days and an average length of stay of 5.05 nights. The 5-night average is among the longer stays in Colorado STR markets, consistent with Fort Collins’s positioning as a multi-day destination — visitors combining brewery tours, CSU-related visits, RMNP day trips, and outdoor recreation at Horsetooth Reservoir typically stay several nights.
At $158 ADR and 5.05 nights, a typical April reservation generates approximately $798 in gross revenue. Cleaning fee economics are favorable at this stay length: a $120 cleaning fee represents 15% of a $798 booking, versus 30% on a shorter 2-night stay. Operators can price minimum-stay minimums more aggressively than in markets with shorter average stays.
A 37-day lead time means summer bookings are typically confirmed in late May for June arrivals. The heavy Airbnb concentration (957 Airbnb-only listings versus 107 VRBO-only) suggests Airbnb is the primary discovery channel for this market. Operators who are not listed on Airbnb are missing the dominant booking platform. Those also on VRBO can capture an additional segment of travel planners who book further in advance.
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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