Idaho Springs, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Idaho Springs CO STRs averaged $280/night in April 2026 with peak-winter occupancy reaching 59%, but a strict 15-license citywide cap applies.
Quick Answer: Idaho Springs, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 57%. average monthly revenue is $3,584. average daily rate is $310. the top operator is Evolve with 240 listings. market score is 42/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Winter Park/Idaho Springs regional market, which includes Idaho Springs. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Idaho Springs.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Idaho Springs, CO is a historic gold-rush mining town in Clear Creek County, approximately 30 miles west of Denver along I-70. With a residential population of approximately 1,782, it is one of the smallest markets in this data set. Visitors are drawn by whitewater rafting on Clear Creek, the Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway (the highest paved auto road in North America), the Argo Mill and Tunnel, Indian Hot Springs, and the compact Miner Street historic district. The market has a distinct dual-season pattern driven by ski proximity in winter and outdoor recreation in summer.
April 2026 data shows a 21.1% occupancy rate and a $280 average daily rate, yielding a RevPAR of $59.05. April is the post-ski trough in this market; the multi-year average April occupancy is 27.5%, so April 2026 ran approximately 6 percentage points below the historical seasonal average. Year-over-year in April, occupancy fell 26.5% and revenue fell 17.4%, reflecting a difficult comparison against April 2025 and a soft post-ski period. Investors should interpret the April data in seasonal context rather than as a trend indicator.
Tracked listings total approximately 3,254. Entire-place rentals dominate at 3,212, with private rooms at just 42 and no shared rooms recorded. Two-bedroom units are the most common at 1,104, followed by three-bedroom (925), one-bedroom (649), four-bedroom (401), and five-bedroom-plus (173). The majority of listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO (2,293), with 733 exclusive to Airbnb and 228 to VRBO.
The composite market score is 41.7, reflecting the constraints of the primary-residence-only requirement and reported 15-license cap that limit the total addressable market for investors.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52% | $331 | $4,765 |
| Feb | 59% | $340 | $5,154 |
| Mar | 59% | $344 | $5,752 |
| Apr | 27% | $252 | $2,328 |
| May | 37% | $246 | $2,515 |
| Jun | 58% | $270 | $3,173 |
| Jul | 61% | $273 | $4,183 |
| Aug | 45% | $255 | $3,315 |
| Sep | 40% | $246 | $2,683 |
| Oct | 34% | $245 | $2,494 |
| Nov | 39% | $264 | $2,307 |
| Dec | 56% | $356 | $4,493 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Idaho Springs
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 240 | 12,993 | ★ 4.80 |
| 2 | Winter Park Escapes | 239 | 8,687 | ★ 4.83 |
| 3 | StayWinterPark | 217 | 3,890 | ★ 4.68 |
| 4 | Vacasa | 136 | 4,989 | ★ 4.53 |
| 5 | RedAwning | 119 | 250 | ★ 4.64 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Idaho Springs?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 649 |
| 2 bed | 1,104 |
| 3 bed | 925 |
| 4 bed | 401 |
| 5 bed | 173 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $313 |
| Luxury | $597 |
| Professionally Managed | $340 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,933 |
| Entire Place | $3,590 |
| House | $5,319 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 22.5% |
| vrbo | 7% |
| both | 70.5% |
Investment Analysis
Idaho Springs presents a niche investment profile constrained by its regulatory framework. The city limits STR licensing to primary-residence operators and reportedly caps total active licenses at 15 citywide. This eliminates conventional investment-property STR ownership and caps the total addressable operator pool to a very small number. Investors who plan to live in Idaho Springs as their primary residence and operate within this cap may find attractive revenue potential, but the structure is incompatible with absentee investment.
For primary-residence operators within the cap, the economics are meaningful. The multi-year seasonal pattern shows peak months averaging $5,000-plus in revenue: February ($5,159), March ($5,758), July ($4,190), and December ($4,494). The 2024 and 2025 full-year annual averages were approximately $4,401 and $4,421 per month respectively, annualizing to approximately $52,800 and $53,050.
With a typical home value of approximately $492,000 (Zillow, April 2026 snapshot), and using the 2025 annual average monthly revenue of $4,421, the implied gross yield for a fully renting primary-residence operator is approximately 10.8% (annualized $53,052 divided by $491,734). The median list price of $630,650 reflects that active listings trade at a significant premium over typical values, compressing yield for buyers entering at list. The professionally managed tier commands $329/night versus the market-wide $280, an 18% premium for quality and dynamic pricing.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Idaho Springs guests book approximately 49.4 days in advance on average, the longest lead time among the markets in this batch. This nearly seven-week window reflects careful trip planning by ski visitors who coordinate lift tickets, lodging, and transportation well ahead of peak winter weekends. Summer visitors booking rafting and byway trips also tend to plan ahead given the limited number of available licensed properties.
Average length of stay is 3.5 nights, consistent with a long-weekend ski or outdoor recreation visit. With only approximately 15 licensed properties in the entire city, guests face constrained choices and often commit early to secure preferred dates. This supply constraint benefits compliant operators: competition is minimal, and the small pool of licensed properties means demand concentration per property is higher than typical market inventory would suggest.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Idaho Springs has one of the most restrictive STR frameworks in the Colorado mountain corridor. Under Municipal Code Chapter 9, Article XIV, short-term rentals (defined as rentals under 30 consecutive days) may only operate in the operator’s primary residence. Non-owner-occupied investor properties cannot hold a license. Applicants must prove primary residency via a valid driver’s license or state ID plus voter registration, vehicle registration, or tax documents. A person may hold only one license.
Licenses run on a calendar-year basis and renew annually. The city reports a citywide cap of approximately 15 active STR licenses at any time, which is exceptionally restrictive for a jurisdiction with 1,782 residents. Properties must pass an inspection before the initial license and every three years thereafter, and must have working smoke and CO detectors plus a fire extinguisher. The operator or a local agent within 50 miles must be reachable and respond to guests within 3 hours. Outdoor open burning is prohibited. Annual notarized tax-compliance affidavits are required.
On taxes, Idaho Springs levies a 2% local tax, layered over Colorado state and Clear Creek County taxes totaling 10.55%, plus a 2% county lodging tax. The license fee amount was not published in the ordinance; confirm with the City Clerk (303-567-4421). Enforcement is rated moderate. No major ordinance changes were identified since the original adoption circa 2018, but the fee schedule is updated periodically.
Market Comparison
Idaho Springs’ April 2026 occupancy of 21.1% is far below the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, but April is the market’s seasonal trough. Peak months of February and July reach 59-61% occupancy, which is competitive with national norms. The $280 ADR is above the national STR median of roughly $220, consistent with a mountain destination that commands premium rates even at lower occupancy.
Compared to other Clear Creek County and Colorado mountain markets, Idaho Springs is distinguished more by its regulatory constraints than its demand profile. The reported 15-license cap means the market is not comparable to Breckenridge or Steamboat in terms of investable scale, but the per-property revenue potential for compliant primary-residence operators is meaningful.
The top property managers reflect the mountain-recreation character of the corridor. Evolve leads with 240 listings (rated 4.80 with 12,993 reviews), followed closely by Winter Park Escapes (239 listings, rated 4.83 with 8,687 reviews), StayWinterPark (217 listings, rated 4.68 with 3,890 reviews), Vacasa (136 listings, rated 4.53 with 4,989 reviews), and RedAwning (119 listings, rated 4.64 with 250 reviews). The Winter Park-branded operators suggest this data area covers the broader Clear Creek and Grand County mountain corridor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Idaho Springs, Colorado
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