Vail, Colorado Short-Term Rental Market
Vail STRs averaged $589 a night at 40.3% occupancy and $6,120 in monthly revenue in August 2026.
Quick Answer: Vail, Colorado is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Vail/Avon market area is 39%. average monthly revenue in the Vail/Avon market area is $4,526. average daily rate in the Vail/Avon market area is $491. the top operator in the Vail/Avon market area is Vacasa with 386 listings. market score is 40/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Vail/Avon regional market, which includes Vail. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Vail.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Vail is a ski resort town in Eagle County, Colorado, with a population of 4,466 and about 2.8 million visitors a year. Winter is the peak season, built around Vail Mountain, and summer has become a second season for hiking, biking, rafting, golf and festivals.
In August 2026, Vail STRs averaged a $589 average daily rate (ADR), 40.28% occupancy and $6,120 in monthly revenue per listing. Occupancy was down 8.33% from August 2025, ADR was up 7.10% and revenue was down 3.51%. August is a summer month, so these figures sit far below the winter peak described in the seasonal section.
Annual averages show a market where rate does most of the work. Occupancy ran between 46.83% and 48.72% from 2022 through 2025, and was 47.12% in 2025. ADR rose from $634 in 2024 to $694 in 2025. Average monthly revenue was $7,624 in 2024 and $8,625 in 2025. Through the first eight months of 2026, the averages are 45.29% occupancy, $812 ADR and $9,516 monthly revenue. That partial year includes the full ski season, so do not compare it directly with full years.
Vail permits STRs town-wide with no cap on licenses. The profile reports about 2,506 licensed STRs as of May 2024, concentrated in Vail Village, Lionshead and Cascade. HOAs and condo associations can set their own limits.
Bedroom mix, channel mix, listing-type mix and top property managers are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Vail, so this profile omits them.
Local draws include Vail Mountain, Vail Village, Lionshead Village, the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens and the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 54% |
| Feb | 64% |
| Mar | 61% |
| Apr | 19% |
| May | 31% |
| Jun | 52% |
| Jul | 57% |
| Aug | 43% |
| Sep | 36% |
| Oct | 25% |
| Nov | 34% |
| Dec | 60% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Vail are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Vail/Avon market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Vail/Avon market as a whole, which includes Vail, so these counts are not Vail-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 386 | 13,357 | ★ 4.63 |
| 2 | East West Destination Hospitality | 260 | 1,441 | ★ 4.90 |
| 3 | The Charter | 253 | 247 | ★ 4.59 |
| 4 | Gondola Resorts | 184 | 154 | ★ 4.57 |
| 5 | CoralTree Residences | 173 | 3,027 | ★ 4.80 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Vail?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Vail 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 | 17% |
| vrbo | 10% |
| both | 73% |
Home Value Trends (Vail)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Vail 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 Vail — 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
Vail permits short-term rentals, defined as any residential dwelling or room leased for fewer than 30 consecutive days, but requires an approved STR license before you advertise or operate. The current ordinance has been in effect since January 1, 2023. Applications are filed online through the town portal.
The standard registration fee is $260, reduced to $50 for properties with 24/7 on-site management. New registrations must pass a life-safety inspection, which you should schedule at least 60 days before the intended start date. Every STR needs a natural-person local representative who stays within 60 minutes travel distance and is reachable 24/7. Owners must carry at least $1,000,000 in liability insurance. Licenses renew annually, and all current licenses were set to expire February 28, 2026.
There is no cap on the number of licenses and no zoning-district restriction specific to STRs. Owner occupancy and primary residence are not required, and no annual night limit is published. Individual HOAs and condo associations may impose their own restrictions. Enforcement is rated moderate, and operating without a license can bring penalties.
Taxes on STR stays total about 10.8%, made up of about 9.4% combined state, county, RTA and town sales tax plus the 1.4% Vail Local Marketing District lodging tax. Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit these on marketplace bookings. Owners remit directly on their own bookings.
In November 2025, Ballot Issue 2A proposed a 6% excise tax on STR revenue. It failed by 916 no votes to 881 yes votes, so the rate is unchanged.
Market Comparison
The US STR median occupancy is about 55% and the median ADR is about $220. In August 2026, Vail had 40.28% occupancy, which is 14.7 points below that benchmark. Its ADR of $589 is about 2.7 times the benchmark.
On an annual basis the occupancy gap is smaller. The 2025 average was 47.12% occupancy, which is 7.9 points below 55%. The 2025 ADR of $694 is about 3.2 times $220. Vail earns its revenue from rate, not from high occupancy.
Four months average above the 55% benchmark: February at 64.23%, March at 61.37%, December at 59.56% and July at 56.84%. January, at 53.82%, is just below it. April, May, September, October and November all average under 36%.
Top property manager data is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Vail, so this profile omits it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Vail, Colorado
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