Lyons, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Lyons, CO STRs averaged $194/night at 64.6% occupancy in April 2026, with peak summer months exceeding 78% occupancy.
Quick Answer: Lyons, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 78%. average monthly revenue is $4,986. average daily rate is $250. the top operator is Fox Property Management with 69 listings. market score is 50/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Boulder regional market, which includes Lyons. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Lyons.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Lyons, CO short-term rental market tracked 2,568 active listings in its latest snapshot, concentrated in Boulder County’s St. Vrain Canyon corridor. Entire-place rentals dominate at 2,173 units (84.6% of supply), with private rooms accounting for the remaining 395 listings. Bedroom distribution skews toward smaller units: 1-bedroom listings lead at 1,025, followed by 2-bedroom (615), 3-bedroom (505), 4-bedroom (267), and 5-bedroom (153).
In April 2026, the average daily rate across all listing types was $194, virtually flat year over year (down 0.3% from April 2025). Occupancy reached 64.6%, up 5.5% from April 2025, reflecting continued strong underlying demand. RevPAR was $125.19 and average monthly revenue per listing was $2,899. Revenue declined 5.5% year over year in April, largely driven by rate compression.
Channel distribution shows Airbnb dominance: 1,492 Airbnb-exclusive listings, 902 on both Airbnb and VRBO, and 174 VRBO-exclusive. The market composite score is 50.4 out of 100, held down by a low investability score of 50.0 that reflects the town’s strict primary-residence requirement. Rental demand scored 86.0, indicating strong underlying visitor interest, while seasonality scored 69.5 and regulation scored 66.1.
Annually, 2025 average monthly revenue was $3,746, up modestly from $3,700 in 2024, a 1.2% gain. The 2025 average ADR was $215, up from $209 in 2024. Revenue growth has slowed from the post-pandemic surge but remains positive year over year.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53% | $149 | $2,183 |
| Feb | 61% | $152 | $2,236 |
| Mar | 65% | $157 | $2,648 |
| Apr | 64% | $163 | $2,731 |
| May | 69% | $206 | $3,566 |
| Jun | 78% | $211 | $4,152 |
| Jul | 78% | $203 | $4,178 |
| Aug | 78% | $203 | $4,193 |
| Sep | 72% | $193 | $3,633 |
| Oct | 67% | $191 | $3,428 |
| Nov | 55% | $165 | $2,472 |
| Dec | 56% | $165 | $2,412 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Lyons
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fox Property Management | 69 | 569 | ★ 4.85 |
| 2 | Evolve | 33 | 1,111 | ★ 4.72 |
| 3 | Home Host Concierge | 27 | 444 | ★ 4.94 |
| 4 | Landing | 26 | 0 | ★ 2.50 |
| 5 | Housing Helpers | 17 | 9 | ★ 4.83 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Lyons?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,025 |
| 2 bed | 615 |
| 3 bed | 505 |
| 4 bed | 267 |
| 5 bed | 153 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $280 |
| Luxury | $549 |
| Professionally Managed | $339 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,478 |
| Entire Place | $5,542 |
| House | $5,622 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 58.1% |
| vrbo | 6.8% |
| both | 35.1% |
Investment Analysis
Lyons presents a structurally atypical investment profile. The Town of Lyons mandates that short-term rentals be the operator’s principal residence, occupied at least 9 months per calendar year. Non-owner-occupied, investor-owned whole-home STRs are not permitted within town limits. This requirement drives the market’s investability score to 49.96 out of 100, one of the lower readings for a market with an 86.0 rental demand score.
For owner-occupants who qualify under Lyons’s rules, the demand signal is strong. April 2026 occupancy of 64.6% is well above the national median even in a shoulder month, and peak-summer months (June through August) sustain occupancy above 77%. At the 2025 annual average of $3,746/month, a compliant primary-residence operator could expect approximately $44,952/year in gross revenue before platform fees, permit costs, and taxes.
Property pricing data is not available in the housing snapshot for this area, so a gross yield calculation cannot be derived from available data.
Rate tier comparisons show meaningful upside for quality and management investment. Entire-home listings averaged $215/night in April 2026, an 11% premium over the $194 all-listing average. Professionally managed listings averaged $254/night, a 31% premium over market. Luxury-tier properties averaged $485/night, a 150% premium, indicating a distinct high-end segment with substantially higher per-night yield.
At the listing-type level, entire-place rentals averaged $3,186/month and houses averaged $3,144/month in April 2026. Apartments averaged $2,451/month, approximately $735 below entire-place properties.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Guests book Lyons rentals an average of 64 days in advance, approximately 2 months ahead of their stay. This longer lead window reflects multi-day trip planning tied to summer festivals and outdoor recreation itineraries. The average length of stay is 5.92 nights, approximately 6 nights per booking, consistent with week-long summer vacation stays and multi-day festival visits at Planet Bluegrass events.
The 6-night average stay reduces turnover frequency, which lowers cleaning and restocking costs per month but requires effective blocking and rate management around peak festival weekends when shorter stays might command premium rates.
For operators, the 64-day advance booking window means that July and August occupancy is largely determined by mid-May pricing decisions. Setting competitive rates and opening availability by early May captures the bulk of the summer festival and recreation booking wave. Operators who price reactively in June often miss the advance-booking window for the highest-demand July and August dates.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals within the Town of Lyons are permitted but tightly restricted. The town adopted a short-term rental ordinance in 2018 requiring operators to use the property as their principal residence and to occupy it at least 9 months per calendar year. Non-owner-occupied, investor-owned whole-home rentals are not permitted under current town rules. Rentals in accessory dwelling units, carriage houses, RVs, campers, and sheds are also prohibited.
Operators must obtain a Town of Lyons Short-Term Rental License. The initial year costs approximately $175 ($100 license fee plus $75 first-year application fee). Annual renewals cost approximately $50. Operators must also obtain a Colorado sales tax license.
Effective January 1, 2023, the town instituted a 5% per-night lodging occupation tax on all short-term accommodations. Hosts must file a monthly Lodging Occupation Tax Report by the 20th of each month, including months with no rentals. Colorado state sales tax (2.9%) and town sales tax (4%) apply on top of the lodging occupation tax. The combined effective tax rate on nightly revenue is approximately 11.9%.
Enforcement is classified as strict. Properties in adjacent unincorporated Boulder County are subject to Boulder County’s own STR regulations, which may differ from the town’s requirements. Investors researching the broader market area should verify which jurisdiction applies to any specific property.
Note: the data source for this summary is the town’s STR ordinance as of mid-2026. Municipal STR rules can change; verify current requirements with the Town of Lyons before operating.
Market Comparison
Lyons’s April 2026 occupancy of 64.6% exceeds the national STR median of approximately 55%, notable for a shoulder month. Peak-summer occupancy above 78% places the market well above typical STR benchmarks. The all-listing ADR of $194 is below the national median of approximately $220, while the luxury-tier ADR of $485 well exceeds national norms and reflects the premium segment within this market.
The market’s overall composite score of 50.4 is below average, driven by the low investability rating (50.0) and moderate revenue growth score (50.3). However, the rental demand score of 86.0 is a top-tier reading, confirming that visitor demand is strong even where structural investment constraints limit supply growth.
The top five property management companies account for a combined 172 listings, approximately 6.7% of the 2,568-listing market. Fox Property Management leads with 69 listings and a 4.85 average guest rating across 569 reviews. Evolve manages 33 listings (4.72 rating, 1,111 reviews). Home Host Concierge manages 27 listings with a 4.94 average rating across 444 reviews. Landing manages 26 listings. Housing Helpers manages 17 listings with a 4.83 rating. The market is highly fragmented overall, with individual operators managing the large majority of supply.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lyons, Colorado
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Can I buy an investment property in Lyons, CO and rent it short-term?
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When is peak season in Lyons, CO and how much does monthly revenue vary?
How far in advance do guests typically book Lyons short-term rentals?
Who are the leading property managers in the Lyons, CO STR market?
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