Garden Valley, Idaho Short-Term Rental Market
Garden Valley, ID STRs averaged $167/night at 40.2% occupancy in April 2026, with 6,864 tracked listings in an outdoor-recreation mountain market.
Quick Answer: Garden Valley, Idaho is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Idaho Area market area is 61%. average monthly revenue in the Idaho Area market area is $3,987. average daily rate in the Idaho Area market area is $262. the top operator in the Idaho Area market area is Vacasa with 245 listings. market score is 49/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Idaho Area regional market, which includes Garden Valley. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Garden Valley.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Garden Valley is a small mountain community of 377 residents in Boise County, Idaho, approximately one hour northeast of Boise along the Payette River corridor. The STR market is driven by outdoor recreation, hot springs, whitewater rafting, fishing, and proximity to Tamarack Resort and Boise National Forest, with a secondary winter draw for snowmobiling and skiing.
In April 2026, the market showed 6,864 tracked listings with an average daily rate of $167 and occupancy of 40.2%. Revenue per available rental (RevPAR) was $67. April is the seasonal trough, so these figures reflect the weakest point in the annual cycle.
By listing type, entire-place rentals dominate strongly at 6,555 units (95.5% of total), with private rooms at 317 (4.6%) and shared rooms at just 1. The market skews toward self-contained cabin and vacation home rentals consistent with an outdoor-recreation destination. By bedroom count, 1-bedroom units lead at 2,070, followed closely by 3-bedroom (1,774), 2-bedroom (1,572), 4-bedroom (858), and 5-bedroom (590).
Channel distribution shows Airbnb-only at 2,946 listings, VRBO-only at 447, and 3,480 listed on both platforms, indicating a dual-channel market where Airbnb holds a larger share but cross-platform listing is common.
Year-over-year through April 2026, occupancy increased 9.64 percentage points, ADR rose 5.48%, and average revenue grew 7.57%. These are solid growth figures for a market that has seen relatively flat annual averages since 2022.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41% | $211 | $2,384 |
| Feb | 48% | $218 | $2,603 |
| Mar | 41% | $180 | $2,144 |
| Apr | 38% | $151 | $1,654 |
| May | 48% | $165 | $1,871 |
| Jun | 61% | $225 | $3,267 |
| Jul | 68% | $251 | $4,436 |
| Aug | 60% | $239 | $3,894 |
| Sep | 46% | $190 | $2,372 |
| Oct | 42% | $161 | $1,920 |
| Nov | 41% | $161 | $1,707 |
| Dec | 46% | $208 | $2,295 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Idaho Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Idaho Area market as a whole, which includes Garden Valley, so these counts are not Garden Valley-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 245 | 14,933 | ★ 4.59 |
| 2 | Evolve | 200 | 8,780 | ★ 4.76 |
| 3 | Tamarack Resort | 153 | 121 | ★ 4.66 |
| 4 | Done Right Management | 150 | 3,558 | ★ 4.82 |
| 5 | FrostCabins | 118 | 7,393 | ★ 4.79 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Garden Valley?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,070 |
| 2 bed | 1,572 |
| 3 bed | 1,774 |
| 4 bed | 858 |
| 5 bed | 590 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $269 |
| Luxury | $541 |
| Professionally Managed | $395 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,833 |
| Entire Place | $4,092 |
| House | $4,550 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 42.9% |
| vrbo | 6.5% |
| both | 50.6% |
Investment Analysis
Garden Valley’s investment case rests on low regulatory friction, strong summer peak demand, and relatively modest entry costs compared to coastal markets. Idaho’s regulatory environment is among the most favorable in the country for STR investors.
Idaho House Bill 583, signed March 16, 2026 and effective July 1, 2026, prohibits local governments from requiring STR permits, licenses, registrations, or fees. STRs are classified as nontransient residential use, treated the same as single-family housing for zoning purposes. There is no owner-occupancy requirement, no annual night cap, and no local permit fee in Garden Valley or Boise County.
At the April 2026 all-listings average of $1,905 per month, annualized gross revenue is approximately $22,859. No Zillow housing value data was available for this area at the time of this analysis, so a gross yield calculation cannot be provided. Investors should source local property pricing independently.
Rate differentiation is meaningful: entire-home listings averaged $171 ADR in April 2026 versus the all-listings average of $167. Luxury-tier listings averaged $372 and professionally managed listings averaged $239. Houses generated $2,085 per month versus $1,532 for apartments, reflecting the premium for private cabin-style accommodations.
The market’s investability score of 68.4 out of 100 is the strongest of its composite categories, with rental demand scoring 66.0 and revenue growth at 62.2. The total market score of 49.1 reflects seasonality challenges (56.98 seasonality score) and the relatively low absolute revenue in the trough months.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Garden Valley’s STR market shows an average booking lead time of 36.5 days in April 2026, meaning guests typically book about five weeks in advance. This is relatively short and reflects the drive-market character of the destination: most visitors are Boise-area residents or regional travelers making spontaneous or near-term outdoor recreation plans.
Average length of stay is 3.51 nights, consistent with long-weekend cabin getaways. A 3.5-night average implies roughly 8 to 9 turnovers per month for a fully booked property, which operators should factor into cleaning logistics and pricing strategy.
The combination of a short lead window and mid-length stays means that last-minute pricing adjustments in the 2 to 3-week window before arrival have real impact on final occupancy. Dynamic pricing tools that respond to local inventory fill rates within the 30-day booking window are well-suited to this market. Peak summer weekends during the rafting season (May through August) will likely fill earlier, while shoulder-season stays may require more aggressive last-minute pricing.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Garden Valley and Boise County have among the lightest STR regulatory burdens in the United States. Garden Valley is an unincorporated census-designated place with no municipal government of its own, so STRs are governed by Idaho state law and minimal county rules.
Idaho has strongly protected STR operators at the state level. Idaho Code Section 67-6539 already barred local governments from prohibiting vacation rentals. House Bill 583, signed March 16, 2026 and effective July 1, 2026, goes further: local governments cannot require permits, licenses, registrations, or fees to operate an STR. STRs are classified as nontransient residential use, treated like a long-term rental for zoning purposes. There is no owner-occupancy requirement, no primary-residence requirement, and no cap on rental nights per year.
The primary ongoing obligations are tax-related. Idaho charges 6% state sales tax plus a 2% Travel and Convention tax on stays of 30 nights or fewer, totaling 8%. Garden Valley and Boise County are not in an auditorium district, so no additional local lodging tax applies. Platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo register with the Idaho State Tax Commission and collect and remit these taxes on bookings they facilitate.
Local governments may still require basic life-safety items such as smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, and escape ladders, and may impose occupancy limits tied to building code. Overall, Garden Valley is a permissive STR environment with no permit fees and no night caps.
Market Comparison
Garden Valley’s 40.2% occupancy in April 2026 sits below the national STR median of approximately 55%, but April is the market’s weakest month. The full-year 2025 average occupancy of 47.8% is closer to but still below the national median. The $167 April ADR is well below the national median of approximately $220, reflecting the rural, drive-market nature of the destination.
The market’s overall score of 49.1 out of 100 indicates a moderate-risk market with meaningful seasonality and modest absolute revenue. Its investability score of 68.4 is the strongest category, supported by Idaho’s highly permissive regulatory framework.
Vacasa leads the market by listing count with 245 listings and 14,933 reviews at a 4.59 rating. Evolve holds second with 200 listings and 8,780 reviews at a 4.76 rating. Done Right Management operates 150 listings with 3,558 reviews at an industry-leading 4.82 rating. Tamarack Resort operates 153 listings through its own booking channel with a 4.66 rating. FrostCabins rounds out the top five with 118 listings and 7,393 reviews at 4.79. The presence of Tamarack Resort as a direct operator reflects the ski-resort character of a portion of the market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Garden Valley, Idaho
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