Leadville, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Leadville, CO STRs averaged $179/night at 40.9% occupancy in April 2026, in North America's highest incorporated city at 10,150 feet with non-resident STR licenses at capacity.
Quick Answer: Leadville, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Colorado Area market area is 65%. average monthly revenue in the Colorado Area market area is $4,125. average daily rate in the Colorado Area market area is $244. the top operator in the Colorado Area market area is Evolve with 552 listings. market score is 67/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Colorado Area regional market, which includes Leadville. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Leadville.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Leadville, Colorado is the highest incorporated city in North America at approximately 10,150 feet of elevation, drawing outdoor recreation, mining heritage, and endurance-sports visitors year-round. The broader southern Colorado mountain region STR market reported 11,109 active listings as of the latest snapshot, though Leadville’s own city population is just 2,633, reflecting a wide regional dataset. In April 2026, listings averaged $179 per night at 40.9% occupancy (the seasonal trough for this market), yielding a RevPAR of $73. All three year-over-year metrics improved through April 2026: occupancy rose 2.54%, ADR increased 2.92%, and revenue grew 2.39%. Lake County lodging tax revenue grew 8.2% through Q3 2025, bucking Colorado statewide declines, indicating strong underlying demand. Supply in the regional dataset is almost entirely entire-place units: 10,381 of 11,109 listings (93.4%) are entire-place rentals. By bedroom count, 1-bedroom properties lead (3,557 listings), followed by 3-bedroom (3,021), 2-bedroom (2,842), 4-bedroom (1,119), and 5-bedroom (550). Channel distribution is nearly split: 5,581 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 4,614 on Airbnb only, and 914 on VRBO only. The market scored 66.7 overall on the investability index, with rental demand (73.3) as the top sub-score. The critical investor note for Leadville specifically: the city’s Class 2 (non-resident-occupied) STR license cap of 165 is currently full and on a waitlist.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 42% |
| Feb | 50% |
| Mar | 54% |
| Apr | 41% |
| May | 57% |
| Jun | 67% |
| Jul | 72% |
| Aug | 63% |
| Sep | 59% |
| Oct | 51% |
| Nov | 45% |
| Dec | 51% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Leadville are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Colorado Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Colorado Area market as a whole, which includes Leadville, so these counts are not Leadville-only figures.
| # | 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 Leadville?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Leadville 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 | 41.5% |
| vrbo | 8.2% |
| both | 50.2% |
Home Value Trends (Leadville)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Leadville 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 Leadville — 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
Leadville requires an annual City STR License, with a fee of $325, for any rental under 30 consecutive days. Licenses must be renewed each year by April 30. Two license classes exist: Class 1 (resident-occupied, where the owner lives in the property year-round and rents a portion) is uncapped, and Class 2 (non-resident-occupied, for investment or second-home owners) is capped at 165 licenses, 12% of the city’s residential parcels. As of 2024-2025, the Class 2 cap is full with an active waitlist; prospective non-resident investors must register on the waitlist through the Deputy City Clerk and cannot operate until a license opens. Properties with two or more units on a parcel require a conditional use permit. Applicants must hold a Colorado Sales Tax license, submit site and floor plans, designate a local agent for emergency response, and pass a fire-safety inspection. On taxes, operators must collect and remit the city’s 4.92% accommodations tax quarterly via the MUNIRevs online platform, Airbnb and VRBO do NOT automatically remit this tax in Leadville, unlike standard platform markets. State and Lake County sales taxes also apply. No owner-occupancy requirement applies to Class 2 licenses (other than the cap), and no annual night cap was found. Enforcement is rated moderate. The accommodations tax rate was raised to 4.92% from 1.92% effective January 1, 2022, by voter approval.
Market Comparison
Against US STR market medians of approximately 55% occupancy and $220 ADR, Leadville’s 2025 annual averages (53.9% occupancy, $217 ADR) closely track national medians. The 8.2% lodging tax growth in Lake County through Q3 2025 suggests local demand outperformed the state average despite market-wide softening elsewhere in Colorado. The market’s overall score of 66.7 reflects the constraints of the Class 2 license cap. Professional management mirrors the southern Colorado mountain landscape: Evolve leads with 552 listings and 35,001 reviews at a 4.77 average rating. Vacasa holds second with 218 listings, 11,513 reviews, and a 4.60 rating. Vacation Rental Collective ranks third with 164 listings, 8,344 reviews, and a 4.82 rating. These three operators collectively manage approximately 934 of 11,109 active listings, or about 8.4% of the regional market. The meaningful difference from other Colorado mountain STR markets is the hard cap on non-resident licenses: the 165-license ceiling restricts supply growth and could protect existing license-holders’ revenue base over time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Leadville, Colorado
What is the average nightly rate for short-term rentals in Leadville, CO?
Can non-resident investors obtain a new Leadville STR license?
What is the annual fee for a Leadville STR license?
Does Airbnb collect the Leadville accommodations tax from guests?
What is the estimated gross yield for Leadville STR investments?
When is peak season for Leadville, CO vacation rentals?
What are the major visitor attractions in Leadville, CO?
Analyze Leadville Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Leadville.
Free Leadville STR Calculator →
