Athol, Idaho Short-Term Rental Market
Athol, ID STRs averaged $198/night at 50.3% occupancy in April 2026, with 1,842 active listings concentrated around Silverwood Theme Park.
Quick Answer: Athol, Idaho is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 67%. average monthly revenue is $5,933. average daily rate is $371. the top operator is Evolve with 66 listings. market score is 44/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Coeur d'Alene regional market, which includes Athol. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Athol.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Athol, Idaho short-term rental market is built almost entirely on proximity to Silverwood Theme Park, the Pacific Northwest’s largest amusement and water park, which draws an estimated 650,000 or more visitors annually. With a permanent population of just 734 residents, the market’s 1,842 active STR listings represent a remarkable concentration of investor-focused supply relative to local population.
In April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $198 and occupancy of 50.3%, yielding a RevPAR of $99.73 and average monthly revenue of $2,412 per listing. Year-over-year, ADR increased 5.5% while occupancy slipped 1.55 percentage points, resulting in a modest revenue decline of 2.8% compared to April 2025.
Entire-place listings account for the overwhelming majority of supply: 1,767 of 1,842 listings (96%) are whole-home rentals, with just 74 private rooms and 1 shared room. The bedroom distribution shows strength in mid-size properties: 3-bedroom (493 listings), 2-bedroom (490), and 1-bedroom (429) each carry significant share, while 4-bedroom (280) and 5-bedroom-plus (150) properties serve larger groups. Channel distribution shows 1,069 listings (58%) active on both Airbnb and VRBO, 621 (34%) on Airbnb only, and 152 (8%) on VRBO only, indicating most operators run multi-channel strategies.
The market’s composite StaySTRA score is 43.66, with revenue growth scoring highest at 68.0 and regulation scoring 66.5, reflecting Idaho’s exceptionally permissive STR legal environment.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37% | $169 | $1,836 |
| Feb | 49% | $172 | $1,912 |
| Mar | 53% | $172 | $2,232 |
| Apr | 53% | $180 | $2,323 |
| May | 57% | $212 | $2,675 |
| Jun | 68% | $293 | $4,482 |
| Jul | 75% | $309 | $5,965 |
| Aug | 73% | $306 | $5,880 |
| Sep | 50% | $234 | $3,189 |
| Oct | 47% | $176 | $2,296 |
| Nov | 44% | $173 | $1,896 |
| Dec | 46% | $189 | $2,150 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Athol
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 66 | 3,012 | ★ 4.84 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 61 | 3,539 | ★ 4.58 |
| 3 | CDA Vacation Rentals | 58 | 1,976 | ★ 4.71 |
| 4 | Vacation Rental Authority | 57 | 2,402 | ★ 4.79 |
| 5 | NW Hosting | 50 | 2,154 | ★ 4.84 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Athol?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 429 |
| 2 bed | 490 |
| 3 bed | 493 |
| 4 bed | 280 |
| 5 bed | 150 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $380 |
| Luxury | $652 |
| Professionally Managed | $461 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $4,216 |
| Entire Place | $6,129 |
| House | $6,462 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 33.7% |
| vrbo | 8.3% |
| both | 58% |
Investment Analysis
Athol presents an unusual STR investment profile: extremely low regulatory friction paired with highly seasonal, theme-park-driven demand and elevated entry costs.
In April 2026, average listings generated $2,412 per month. Entire-place listings averaged $2,474 per month and house-type listings reached $2,590 per month, compared to apartment-type listings at $1,760 per month. The ADR spread across tiers is significant: the all-listings average of $198/night compares to $203/night for entire-home listings and $274/night for professionally managed properties. Luxury-tier properties averaged $427/night, indicating a meaningful premium segment exists.
On an annualized basis at the April 2026 rate, average revenue would be approximately $28,945. Against a typical home value of $784,731 (Zillow estimate as of April 2026), the implied gross yield at current monthly performance is approximately 3.7%. Investors should note that April is a shoulder month in this market. Peak-summer performance (July average: $5,962/month, August: $5,869/month) substantially lifts the annual figure when considered alongside shoulder and winter softness.
The annual average for 2025 was $3,624 per month across all months, which annualizes to approximately $43,488. Against the $784,731 typical home value, this produces a gross yield near 5.5% on 2025 full-year averages, before expenses. The market’s investability score of 62.1 and revenue growth score of 68.0 reflect the underlying demand strength, though the high median list price of $1,019,287 for current active listings suggests the most sought-after properties command a significant premium.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
In April 2026, the Athol market posted a booking lead time of 35.7 days and an average length of stay of 3.84 nights.
A 36-day lead window indicates that most bookings arrive about five weeks before arrival. For operators, this supports a pricing strategy that holds higher rates through the five-week mark before the stay, then considers measured discounts for unsold nights closer to check-in. In a high-demand market like summer peak, lead times may extend further as travelers compete for limited availability near Silverwood.
The 3.84-night average stay is slightly longer than the national STR average, which aligns with the market’s theme-park demand profile. Visitors typically book mid-week or weekend arrival stays that span several park days. This translates to roughly two turnover events per week per calendar, which moderates cleaning costs relative to markets dominated by one-night stays. Operators can favor minimum-stay policies of three to four nights during peak season to reduce turnover while maintaining high occupancy.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Athol operates under one of the most permissive STR regulatory environments in the United States.
Idaho state law (Code Section 67-6539) has long classified short-term rentals as a residential land use, prohibiting local governments from banning them outright. Idaho Governor Brad Little signed HB 583 in March 2026, with an effective date of July 1, 2026. This law goes further by expressly prohibiting cities and counties from requiring any permit, license, fee, or registration to operate an STR. It also bans owner-occupancy requirements, rental-day limits, and density caps. The City of Athol has no known STR-specific ordinance.
The only mandatory cost is state tax compliance. Idaho charges 6% state sales tax plus 2% travel and convention tax, totaling 8% on stays of 30 nights or less. Platforms like Airbnb and VRBO are required to collect and remit these taxes on behalf of hosts. No Kootenai County local transient occupancy tax was identified, though investors should verify via the Idaho Tax Commission’s address-based lookup tool.
There is no permit application, no annual renewal, no owner-occupancy rule. Operators are required to maintain standard residential safety equipment and abide by general nuisance ordinances. Enforcement severity is rated minimal. As of the profile update date (May 24, 2026), no changes tightening local STR rules were identified for Athol.
Market Comparison
Athol’s STR market sits below the US national median on most headline metrics but is notable for its regulatory advantage and summer concentration.
The US STR market median occupancy is approximately 55%, compared to Athol’s April 2026 reading of 50.3% and its 2025 full-year average of 53.8%. The national median ADR is approximately $220, compared to Athol’s April 2026 reading of $198 and its 2025 full-year average of $244. On a full-year basis, Athol’s ADR is roughly in line with national norms, though peak-summer rates of $309 (July average) surpass the national median.
The local operator landscape is competitive. Evolve leads with 66 listings and 3,012 reviews (4.84 rating). Vacasa follows with 61 listings and 3,539 reviews (4.58 rating). CDA Vacation Rentals holds 58 listings with a 4.71 rating, Vacation Rental Authority manages 57 listings at 4.79, and NW Hosting rounds out the top five with 50 listings and a 4.84 rating. These five operators together manage 292 listings, approximately 15.9% of the market’s 1,842 total listings. The remaining 84% of listings are managed by smaller operators or individual owners, indicating a fragmented supply base where professional management can differentiate on guest experience and pricing optimization.
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