Gunnison, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Gunnison CO STRs averaged $179/night at 40.9% occupancy in April 2026, with July peak occupancy reaching 72.4% across 11,000-plus active listings.
Quick Answer: Gunnison, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 65%. average monthly revenue is $4,125. average daily rate is $244. the top operator is Evolve with 552 listings. market score is 67/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Colorado Area regional market, which includes Gunnison. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Gunnison.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Gunnison sits in a high-altitude Colorado valley marketed jointly with Crested Butte as a year-round outdoor recreation destination by the Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism and Prosperity Partnership. The STR market here is large relative to the city’s resident population of 6,766, with approximately 11,109 active listings across the broader Gunnison area.
Entire-place listings dominate at 10,381 units, or about 93% of supply. Private rooms add 723 listings and shared rooms five. The bedroom mix leans toward one- and three-bedroom units: one-bedroom leads at 3,557 listings, three-bedroom at 3,021, two-bedroom at 2,842, four-bedroom at 1,119, and five-bedroom-plus at 550. Channel distribution shows strong multi-platform activity: 5,581 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 4,614 are Airbnb-only, and 914 are VRBO-only.
As of April 2026, the market posted 40.9% average occupancy, a $179.17 average daily rate, and average monthly revenue of $2,184. RevPAR was $73.22. April is seasonally one of the weaker months in Gunnison, as the ski season winds down before summer hiking and biking demand picks up. Year-over-year, occupancy improved 2.5 percentage points, ADR grew 2.9%, and revenue rose 2.4%. The overall market score is 66.7 out of 100, with rental demand at 73.3 and seasonality at 69.7, reflecting a reasonably balanced two-season demand pattern.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42% | $189 | $2,293 |
| Feb | 50% | $191 | $2,370 |
| Mar | 54% | $193 | $2,839 |
| Apr | 41% | $155 | $1,933 |
| May | 57% | $175 | $2,319 |
| Jun | 67% | $212 | $3,508 |
| Jul | 72% | $216 | $4,201 |
| Aug | 63% | $203 | $3,570 |
| Sep | 59% | $191 | $3,034 |
| Oct | 51% | $175 | $2,540 |
| Nov | 45% | $167 | $1,986 |
| Dec | 51% | $200 | $2,558 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Gunnison
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 552 | 35,001 | ★ 4.77 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 218 | 11,513 | ★ 4.60 |
| 3 | Vacation Rental Collective | 164 | 8,344 | ★ 4.82 |
| 4 | Pinon Vacation | 111 | 8,032 | ★ 4.82 |
| 5 | VIP Vacation Services | 94 | 3,083 | ★ 4.83 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Gunnison?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 3,557 |
| 2 bed | 2,842 |
| 3 bed | 3,021 |
| 4 bed | 1,119 |
| 5 bed | 550 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $252 |
| Luxury | $406 |
| Professionally Managed | $302 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,363 |
| Entire Place | $4,276 |
| House | $4,513 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 41.5% |
| vrbo | 8.2% |
| both | 50.2% |
Investment Analysis
Gunnison’s investment profile centers on a well-established two-season tourism pattern supported by Crested Butte Mountain Resort in winter and extensive outdoor recreation in summer. Average monthly revenue of $2,184 in April 2026 understates the market’s earning potential because April is seasonally the weakest month: the historical July average is $4,203 and the 2025 annual average revenue was $3,240 per listing.
Annualized gross revenue at the April 2026 monthly pace works out to approximately $26,208. Using the 2025 full-year average of $3,240 per month, annualized gross revenue runs approximately $38,880. Housing snapshot data is not available for this area, so a gross yield calculation cannot be completed here. Investors should source current property values independently before modeling returns.
Tier separation by ADR is moderate. The overall average of $179.17 compares to $185.23 for entire-home listings, $209.53 for professionally managed properties, and $327.35 for luxury-tier listings. The luxury premium of $148 per night above the market average is significant and indicates that high-quality or larger properties command a substantial rate advantage.
The revenue trend has plateaued after a 2021 peak of $3,215 annual average. Annual revenue ranged from $3,001 in 2023 to $3,165 in 2024 and $3,240 in 2025, a slow but consistent upward trajectory. The current investability score of 70.7 reflects moderate entry conditions rather than a standout value opportunity at current market prices.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Gunnison STR guests book an average of 40.1 days in advance as of April 2026, roughly five and a half weeks before arrival. This shorter lead time compared to coastal beach markets reflects the planning patterns of drive-market and regional visitors heading to a mountain destination. For peak ski season weeks in February and March, and peak summer weeks in July and August, demand likely extends lead times further, making early pricing important for capturing full-rate bookings.
Average length of stay is 3.75 nights. This near-four-night pattern is consistent with long-weekend mountain trips. At 3.75 nights average, properties can accommodate roughly six to seven bookings per month during peak periods. The two-season structure also means that minimum-stay policies may differ by season: ski week minimums of five to seven nights are common in mountain markets during holiday weeks, while summer months may see shorter stays of three to four nights.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
In the City of Gunnison, short-term rental operators must hold a city sales-tax license from the Finance Department. The city actively monitors Airbnb and VRBO listings and issues fines for unlicensed operators or operators who fail to remit taxes.
In June 2022, the city presented a draft set of proposed STR regulations for public input. These included a citywide cap on total STR licenses (staff target approximately 2.5% of free-market housing units, roughly 70 units), a limit of one vacation-rental license for owners whose Gunnison property is not their primary residence, a two-year minimum ownership period before a non-primary-residence owner could apply, and a requirement for a named local responsible party. As of a late-2023 Gunnison County jurisdiction table, these proposed rules did not appear to have been adopted into city code, and licenses were effectively unlimited. Investors should confirm the current codified rules directly with the city Finance and Community Development offices before relying on these details, as the status may have changed.
The city does not publish a permit fee in the available data. No cap on rental nights and no primary-residence requirement appear to be in force as of the last verified information.
On taxes, stays under 30 nights carry a 4% City of Gunnison sales tax plus a 4% Gunnison County Local Marketing District lodging tax, Colorado state sales tax of 2.9%, and applicable county sales tax. The combined tax burden is material and should be factored into host pricing.
Separately, Gunnison County (outside city limits) adopted zoning-based STR regulations with county commissioner support in early 2024. Properties in unincorporated Gunnison County are subject to those county rules rather than city rules.
Market Comparison
Gunnison’s April 2026 occupancy of 40.9% is well below the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, but April is the seasonal trough for this market. The July peak of 72.4% occupancy is comfortably above the national median. The ADR of $179.17 in April also sits below the U.S. median of roughly $220, though July ADR averages $216 and luxury-tier listings average $327.35 year-round.
The overall market score of 66.7 is moderate by national comparison, constrained by a revenue growth score of 64.4 that reflects post-pandemic plateau conditions.
The operator landscape is led by Evolve with 552 listings and 35,001 reviews (4.77 average rating), the dominant national platform manager in this market. Vacasa holds 218 listings with 11,513 reviews at a 4.60 rating. Vacation Rental Collective manages 164 listings with 8,344 reviews at a 4.82 rating. The top three operators together hold 934 listings, approximately 8% of the 11,109 total active supply. The remaining 92% of supply is managed by smaller regional operators and independent hosts, reflecting the fragmented nature of mountain STR markets.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gunnison, Colorado
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