Leavenworth, Kansas Short-Term Rental Market
Leavenworth, KS STRs posted 63.7% occupancy and a $213 average daily rate in April 2026 across approximately 4,679 active listings.
Quick Answer: Leavenworth, Kansas is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Kansas City market area is 61%. average monthly revenue in the Kansas City market area is $4,115. average daily rate in the Kansas City market area is $268. the top operator in the Kansas City market area is Karat Vacation Rental Management with 102 listings. market score is 94/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the Kansas City regional market, which includes Leavenworth. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Leavenworth.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Leavenworth, Kansas short-term rental market held approximately 4,679 active listings as of April 2026. Entire-place listings dominate, accounting for 4,000 units (85.5% of tracked listings), with private rooms representing 674 (14.4%) and shared rooms just 5. By bedroom size, one-bedroom units lead with 1,586 listings, followed by two-bedroom (1,111), three-bedroom (1,073), four-bedroom (561), and five-plus bedroom (344) units. This mix serves both individual travelers and larger groups visiting Fort Leavenworth and the historic 28-block downtown shopping district.
Channel distribution skews sharply toward Airbnb. Among channel-tracked listings, 2,589 appear on Airbnb only, 227 on VRBO only, and 1,863 on both platforms. Dual-listing is common and reflects the market’s Airbnb-primary character.
In April 2026, the market averaged a $212.51 average daily rate and 63.7% occupancy, generating a RevPAR of $135.33. Year-over-year, ADR climbed 7.95% and occupancy edged up 1.44%, while monthly revenue rose 39.1% compared to April 2025. Full-year 2025 averages were $158 ADR at 64.2% occupancy, producing roughly $2,883 in average monthly revenue per active listing.
The market’s total score is 94.2 out of 100, with rental demand at 95.1, seasonality at 91.6, and investability at 86.1. Revenue growth scores 65.6 and regulation scores 57.9, reflecting the city’s registration requirements and some uncertainty around STR-specific zoning.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50% | $108 | $1,610 |
| Feb | 56% | $115 | $1,667 |
| Mar | 63% | $131 | $2,293 |
| Apr | 60% | $134 | $2,183 |
| May | 65% | $143 | $2,503 |
| Jun | 69% | $150 | $2,753 |
| Jul | 70% | $134 | $2,597 |
| Aug | 61% | $131 | $2,240 |
| Sep | 61% | $131 | $2,164 |
| Oct | 62% | $134 | $2,305 |
| Nov | 57% | $131 | $2,082 |
| Dec | 58% | $129 | $2,097 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Kansas City market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Kansas City market as a whole, which includes Leavenworth, so these counts are not Leavenworth-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Karat Vacation Rental Management | 102 | 9,506 | ★ 4.73 |
| 2 | Cozy in KC | 93 | 10,766 | ★ 4.84 |
| 3 | OwlStays | 86 | 3,487 | ★ 4.57 |
| 4 | Short Term Rental Manager | 76 | 1,272 | ★ 4.84 |
| 5 | Evolve | 59 | 2,054 | ★ 4.63 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Leavenworth?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,586 |
| 2 bed | 1,111 |
| 3 bed | 1,073 |
| 4 bed | 561 |
| 5 bed | 344 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $298 |
| Luxury | $478 |
| Professionally Managed | $270 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,363 |
| Entire Place | $4,523 |
| House | $4,439 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 55.3% |
| vrbo | 4.9% |
| both | 39.8% |
Investment Analysis
At a typical home value of $262,331 and a median sale price of $235,000, Leavenworth, Kansas offers one of the more accessible entry points for STR investors among mid-size Midwest markets. Homes currently sell at roughly 92.7 cents on the listing dollar, and the median days to pending is just 11 days, indicating steady buyer competition.
Using the 2025 full-year average monthly revenue of $2,883, an investor in an average listing would generate approximately $34,596 annually before expenses. That implies a gross yield of approximately 13.2% at the $262,331 typical home value, or approximately 14.7% at the $235,000 median sale price. These are gross figures before property management, maintenance, and taxes.
ADR tiering reveals the quality-tier premium. Entire-home listings averaged $232.25 per night in April 2026, versus $200.65 for professionally managed properties and $513.44 for the luxury tier. The gap between the entire-home average and the professionally managed rate is roughly $32 per night, suggesting professional management portfolios price at a slight discount relative to the broader entire-home segment.
Revenue by property type in April 2026: house listings averaged $4,137 per month, entire-place averaged $3,957, and apartment listings averaged $2,519. House-category properties outperformed the broader entire-place average.
Revenue growth has been consistent over the data history. Monthly revenue climbed from $1,527 in 2017 to $2,883 in 2025, a roughly 89% increase over eight years. The April 2026 reading of $3,609 represents a 39.1% year-over-year increase, though single-month comparisons can be volatile.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Leavenworth, Kansas guests book an average of 37.1 days in advance, with stays averaging 4.6 nights. The 37-day lead window is relatively short by STR standards, suggesting guests plan one to two months out rather than booking far in advance.
For operators, a 37-day booking window shapes the most effective pricing strategy. Rate adjustments made 45 to 60 days before an arrival date will capture most of the booking curve, but same-month availability still draws significant last-minute demand. Markets with longer lead windows (60-plus days) tend to reward early-bird discount pricing. At 37 days, competitive baseline rates with modest short-notice rate increases are likely to perform better.
The 4.6-night average length of stay is above the typical weekend-trip baseline of 2 to 3 nights. This suggests Fort Leavenworth visitors (military students, graduation guests) and Kansas City metro travelers are often combining weekend stays with weekday extensions. Longer stays reduce turnover costs per booking. Operators setting a 3- to 7-night minimum align well with the existing demand pattern and can reduce cleaning frequency without sacrificing revenue.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are permitted in Leavenworth, Kansas. All rental dwellings, including short-term rentals, must register with the City Clerk’s Office. The registration fee is $20 per property. Hotels, motels, and state-licensed bed-and-breakfast facilities are exempt from this requirement.
An operational rule applies to out-of-area owners: property owners residing more than 40 miles from the city must designate a local registered agent within a 40-mile radius to handle maintenance, code compliance, and legal notices. Any registration changes must be reported in writing within 30 days. This requirement can add ongoing cost for investors who do not use a local property manager.
On the tax side, Leavenworth is notable for the absence of a local transient guest (lodging or occupancy) tax. As of the Kansas Department of Revenue’s April 1, 2026 transient guest tax schedule, neither the City of Leavenworth nor Leavenworth County levies a local occupancy tax. Standard Kansas state and local sales taxes still apply to accommodation revenue.
A dedicated short-term-rental zoning ordinance specifying permitted districts, owner-occupancy requirements, or annual night caps could not be confirmed from primary City of Leavenworth, KS sources. Note: several frequently cited ‘Leavenworth STR rules’ online actually refer to Leavenworth, Washington, a separate city with distinct regulations. Investors should confirm current zoning treatment directly with Leavenworth, Kansas’s Community Development or Planning Department before listing. Enforcement is assessed as moderate. No recent regulatory changes were recorded in the area profile.
Market Comparison
Leavenworth, Kansas’s 63.7% occupancy in April 2026 sits above the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, and its RevPAR of $135.33 reflects solid demand relative to national benchmarks. The April 2026 ADR of $212.51 is just below the approximate U.S. median ADR of $220.
The market’s total score of 94.2 and rental demand score of 95.1 place this among the stronger-performing smaller Midwest markets tracked. Compared to typical regional STR markets, Leavenworth benefits from steady military-related demand via Fort Leavenworth, one of the oldest active U.S. Army installations, and proximity to the Kansas City metro approximately 35 miles southeast, providing year-round visitor flow beyond seasonal tourism.
The operator side is moderately fragmented. The top five property managers collectively hold 416 listings, representing roughly 8.9% of the approximately 4,679 total active listings. Karat Vacation Rental Management leads with 102 listings and a 4.73 rating across 9,506 reviews. Cozy in KC follows with 93 listings and a 4.84 rating across 10,766 reviews. OwlStays ranks third with 86 listings at a 4.57 rating. The presence of locally branded managers alongside national operators such as Evolve (59 listings, 4.63 rating) indicates the market supports both local boutique management and national platform strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions About Leavenworth, Kansas
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