Golden, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Golden residential STRs need owner occupancy; Denver metro September 2026 shows $186 ADR, 70.5% occupancy, $3,661 monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Golden, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Denver market area is 70%. average monthly revenue in the Denver market area is $3,661. average daily rate in the Denver market area is $186. the top operator in the Denver market area is Evolve with 279 listings. market score is 55/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Denver regional market, which includes Golden. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Golden.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
This page uses the Denver metro STR market, a shared performance series covering Golden, Evergreen, Westminster, Conifer and Castle Rock, so the performance figures describe that region rather than Golden alone. Where a number is local to Golden, such as home values and regulations, the text says so. Bedroom, channel and listing-type counts are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Golden, so this profile omits them.
In September 2026 the Denver metro STR market averaged an ADR of $186 and occupancy of 70.5%, producing average monthly revenue of $3,661 per listing. Entire-home listings earned a higher ADR of $205. Compared with a year earlier, occupancy rose 0.9%, ADR rose 2.3% and revenue rose 4.2%, which points to growth driven mostly by rate rather than by filling more nights.
Golden itself has a population of 20,151 and draws an estimated 2.5 million visitors per year to the broader Golden area. Demand is anchored by the Coors Brewery, the Colorado Railroad Museum, Buffalo Bill’s Museum and Grave on Lookout Mountain, Clear Creek recreation and the American Mountaineering Museum. The Colorado School of Mines adds academic and event-driven stays, and Buffalo Bill Days in August and the Golden Harvest Festival in September are signature annual events.
Over the longer run, regional annual occupancy peaked at 74.2% in 2021 and held at 67.9% in both 2024 and 2025, while ADR moved from $122 in 2017 to $167 in 2025. Year to date through September 2026, the region shows 69.8% occupancy, a $174 ADR and $3,385 in average monthly revenue, ahead of the $3,205 recorded for 2025.
Prospective investors should read these figures alongside Golden’s rules. Residential zones require owner occupancy of at least 10 months per year, so the performance data is most relevant to owner-occupants and to properties in commercial zones that qualify for a Tourist Home License.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 58% |
| Feb | 65% |
| Mar | 68% |
| Apr | 67% |
| May | 71% |
| Jun | 81% |
| Jul | 80% |
| Aug | 75% |
| Sep | 73% |
| Oct | 69% |
| Nov | 61% |
| Dec | 62% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Golden are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Denver market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Denver market as a whole, which includes Golden, so these counts are not Golden-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 279 | 10,450 | ★ 4.65 |
| 2 | Effortless Rental Group | 141 | 10,652 | ★ 4.74 |
| 3 | Atomic Vacation Rentals | 140 | 9,862 | ★ 4.84 |
| 4 | VacayPlay | 83 | 5,503 | ★ 4.42 |
| 5 | Homes with Hospitality LLC | 81 | 850 | ★ 4.94 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Golden?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Golden 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 | 58.9% |
| vrbo | 4.3% |
| both | 36.8% |
Home Value Trends (Golden)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Golden 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 Golden — 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
Golden permits short-term rentals but regulates them by zoning, and enforcement is rated strict. Residential zones (RE, R-1, R1-A, R-2, R-3 and residential PUDs) require a Short-Term Rental License and owner occupancy of at least 10 months per year. In practice that limits residential STRs to primary residences, and non-owner-occupied investor STRs are not allowed there.
Commercial zones (C-1, C-2, RC, CMU and commercial PUDs) use a Tourist Home License with no primary-residence requirement, which allows dedicated investor STRs. Only one dwelling unit per lot is eligible for a license, and occupancy is capped at four adults plus dependents.
The license fee is $200 for a biennial (two-year) term, non-refundable and non-transferable. Applications require proof of ownership, proof of primary residence where applicable, fire, hazard and liability insurance, a signed life-and-safety certification and an STR affidavit. Every listing must display the city STR license number and the required occupancy statement.
Golden applies a 6% lodging tax to stays under 30 days, on top of city sales tax. Lodging-tax collection through platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO has been formalized in recent years, and Colorado approved new lodging-tax-related measures statewide in November 2025 that affect STRs.
Golden enforces proactively. Unlicensed operation draws escalating citations starting at $150. Buying a property purely as a non-owner-occupied STR is only viable in commercially zoned areas, so verify zoning and license eligibility with the city before purchase.
Market Comparison
The Denver metro STR market posted 70.5% occupancy and a $186 ADR in September 2026, producing monthly revenue of $3,661 per listing.
The tier data shows where rate headroom exists. Entire homes reach $205, professionally managed listings reach $221 and luxury listings reach $337, which is about $151 above the all-listings ADR. Year over year, ADR rose 2.3% and occupancy rose 0.9%, so the region is gaining on both measures.
The main difference from many national markets is regulation. Golden’s owner-occupancy requirement in residential zones narrows the supply of investor-run STRs, which limits who can capture this regional performance. Investors comparing Golden with other markets should weigh that constraint alongside the headline occupancy and ADR figures, and should remember that the performance numbers describe the Denver metro region rather than Golden alone.
Frequently Asked Questions About Golden, Colorado
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What is the average daily rate in the Denver metro STR market that includes Golden?
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What does a home cost in Golden?
How far ahead do guests book and how long do they stay?
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