Pagosa Springs, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
The Pagosa Springs, CO area STR market averaged $244 a night at 65.2% occupancy in June 2026.
Quick Answer: Pagosa Springs, 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 66/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Colorado Area regional market, which includes Pagosa Springs. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Pagosa Springs.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Pagosa Springs is a small San Juan Mountains resort town in southwestern Colorado whose economy runs on year round tourism centered on its geothermal hot springs, marketed as home to the world’s deepest measured hot spring. Winter draws skiers to nearby Wolf Creek Ski Area, which averages roughly 430 inches of snow annually, the most in Colorado, while summer and shoulder seasons attract outdoor recreationists to more than 2.5 million acres of San Juan National Forest and Weminuche Wilderness for rafting, hiking, and fishing.
Short-term rental regulation here is genuinely split across two jurisdictions. Inside the Town of Pagosa Springs, STRs in residential zone districts require a Conditional Use Permit, are capped at 10% of housing units per zone district, and new applications must sit at least 250 feet from an existing licensed STR; commercial and mixed use zones carry no cap and need only a license. More than 80% of area STRs, however, operate in unincorporated Archuleta County, where a prior moratorium on new vacation rental permits has recently been lifted, reopening applications to new operators, a meaningfully positive development for anyone considering a new acquisition here.
As of June 2026, the Pagosa Springs area STR market shows an average daily rate of $244.28 with occupancy at 65.16%, essentially flat year over year (up 0.07%) even as ADR eased 2.08%. Revenue per listing rose 0.92% year over year to $4,125.34 per month for the average active listing.
Listing count, bedroom mix, and channel split data for this area are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Pagosa Springs, so this profile omits those specific breakdowns.
Entire home rentals average $251.68 a night, close to the area wide figure, while listings in the top luxury tier command $406.49 a night and professionally managed listings average $301.87, both well above the $244.28 area wide ADR. Pagosa Springs has a population of just 2,090, and the hot springs alone draw an estimated 175,000 annual visitors, with total area tourism larger once ski, forest, and event visitors are included.
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 Pagosa Springs 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 Pagosa Springs, so these counts are not Pagosa Springs-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 552 | 34,985 | ★ 4.77 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 205 | 11,102 | ★ 4.60 |
| 3 | Vacation Rental Collective | 163 | 8,326 | ★ 4.83 |
| 4 | Pinon Vacation | 111 | 8,000 | ★ 4.82 |
| 5 | VIP Vacation Services | 94 | 3,082 | ★ 4.83 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Pagosa Springs?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Pagosa Springs 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 | 41.6% |
| vrbo | 8.3% |
| both | 50.2% |
Home Value Trends (Pagosa Springs)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Pagosa Springs 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 Pagosa Springs — 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
Short-term rentals are legal and actively permitted in the Pagosa Springs area, but rules depend on whether a property sits inside the Town of Pagosa Springs or in unincorporated Archuleta County, where more than 80% of local STRs operate. Any rental under 30 consecutive days requires a permit or license in both jurisdictions, plus a Colorado state sales tax license and a local lodgers tax account.
Town rentals need a Vacation Rental License, reported at roughly $200 initial and $150 for renewal. STRs in town residential zones additionally require a Conditional Use Permit and are limited to 10% of units per zone district, with a 250-foot spacing rule from other licensed STRs; commercial and mixed use zones have no cap. Archuleta County requires an annual Vacation Rental Permit, reported at roughly $400 a year for owner-occupied units and $700 a year for non-owner-occupied units, renewed yearly with inspection-based compliance. Critically, a prior county moratorium on new vacation rental permits has been lifted, reopening applications to new operators.
There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence mandate, though the county fee is lower for owner-occupied properties, and no hard cap on nights per year was found. Taxes include a 4.9% town lodgers tax or a 1.9% county lodgers tax depending on location, on top of 2.9% Colorado state sales tax plus additional local sales taxes. County commissioners have discussed raising the county lodgers tax above 1.9%, since Colorado law now allows counties to collect up to 6%, but deferred any ballot question to November 2026 rather than placing it before voters in 2025.
Enforcement is education oriented: non-compliant properties typically get about 30 days to correct issues before permit denial or fines.
Market Comparison
Pagosa Springs’ occupancy of 65.16% runs well above the broader US short-term rental median of roughly 55%, while its $244.28 average daily rate also runs above the roughly $220 national median, reflecting a premium Colorado mountain resort market with both winter ski and summer outdoor recreation demand.
Property manager data for this area is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Pagosa Springs, so this profile omits naming specific operators here.
Pagosa Springs’ dual season demand, drawing both winter skiers to Wolf Creek and summer visitors to the hot springs and surrounding national forest, combined with the recently lifted county permit moratorium, points to a market with both durable performance and improved near term access for new operators compared to markets still facing an active cap or waitlist.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pagosa Springs, Colorado
What is the average daily rate for short-term rentals in the Pagosa Springs, CO area?
What is the occupancy rate for the Pagosa Springs area STR market?
Are short-term rentals legal in Pagosa Springs, Colorado?
What is the lodging tax rate for short-term rentals in Pagosa Springs?
When is peak season for the Pagosa Springs area STR market?
How much does a typical home cost in Pagosa Springs, Colorado?
Has Archuleta County's short-term rental permit moratorium been lifted?
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