Ashland, Kentucky Short-Term Rental Market
Ashland, KY short-term rentals averaged $183/night at 50.4% occupancy in April 2026 across 8,451 active listings.
Quick Answer: Ashland, Kentucky is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 50%. average monthly revenue is $2,475. average daily rate is $183. the top operator is Evolve with 344 listings. market score is 89/100 (grade A).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Ashland, Kentucky sits at the Kentucky-Ohio-West Virginia tri-state corner along the Ohio River, functioning as a regional hub rather than a major tourist destination. The short-term rental market recorded a $182.86 average daily rate and 50.4% occupancy in April 2026, producing $92.13 in revenue per available rental day. Revenue per listing averaged $2,475 for that month.
The market carries 8,451 total listings. Entire-place rentals dominate at 7,999 listings (94.7% of all active supply), with private rooms accounting for 449 more. Shared rooms are rare at just 3 listings. By bedroom count, the market is well-distributed: 1-bedroom units (2,293), 2-bedroom units (2,493), and 3-bedroom units (2,234) each hold roughly equal shares, with larger 4-bedroom (859) and 5-bedroom (566) properties rounding out supply.
Channel mix shows Airbnb dominance. Of all listings, 3,945 appear on Airbnb only, 813 on VRBO only, and 3,693 hold active presence on both platforms. Year-over-year, occupancy is essentially flat (+0.2 percentage points), while ADR is up 2.7% and revenue up 3.4%, suggesting the market is growing modestly on rate rather than demand expansion. Market scores reflect a strong overall investment environment: total score 88.9, investability 97.8, rental demand 73.0, revenue growth 76.0, regulation 69.4, and seasonality 66.8.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34% | $123 | $1,328 |
| Feb | 44% | $124 | $1,370 |
| Mar | 53% | $144 | $1,926 |
| Apr | 51% | $154 | $2,092 |
| May | 51% | $163 | $2,173 |
| Jun | 60% | $188 | $2,976 |
| Jul | 63% | $190 | $3,315 |
| Aug | 52% | $179 | $2,618 |
| Sep | 47% | $166 | $2,151 |
| Oct | 51% | $161 | $2,334 |
| Nov | 45% | $150 | $1,902 |
| Dec | 41% | $143 | $1,732 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Ashland
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 344 | 14,456 | ★ 4.76 |
| 2 | Green Turtle Bay Resort | 85 | 274 | ★ 4.73 |
| 3 | Neat Suites | 41 | 1,165 | ★ 4.81 |
| 4 | Lyric | 39 | 3,002 | ★ 4.81 |
| 5 | Lake Cumberland Resort III | 30 | 902 | ★ 4.66 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Ashland?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,293 |
| 2 bed | 2,493 |
| 3 bed | 2,234 |
| 4 bed | 859 |
| 5 bed | 566 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $186 |
| Luxury | $315 |
| Professionally Managed | $205 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,826 |
| Entire Place | $2,534 |
| House | $2,729 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 46.7% |
| vrbo | 9.6% |
| both | 43.7% |
Investment Analysis
Ashland’s investability score of 97.8 out of 100 is one of the stronger signals in the data. The April 2026 revenue of $2,475 per listing, annualized, projects to roughly $29,694 per year at current pace, though peak summer months materially lift that figure (July averaged $3,315 per month historically).
Tier comparisons reveal meaningful upside in positioning. The overall market ADR is $182.86, but entire-home listings average $185.71, and professionally managed properties average $205.08 per night, a 12.2% premium over the all-listings rate. Luxury-tier listings average $315.09 per night, indicating a price-capable segment exists for well-appointed properties.
Revenue by property type confirms houses outperform: house listings averaged $2,729 per month versus $2,534 for entire-place listings overall and $1,826 for apartments. No Zillow housing data was available for Ashland in this data pull, so an entry-price-to-revenue yield calculation cannot be made from this dataset. Prospective investors should source current home values independently and apply the annualized revenue estimate to assess potential returns. Year-over-year revenue growth of 3.4% and ADR growth of 2.7% indicate a stable if modest trajectory.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
Run a Free Address Analysis
Skip the market averages. Get revenue projections, comp analysis, and ROI for your specific property address. Free, instant, no signup required.
Analyze My Property →Booking Insights
Ashland guests book an average of 47.4 days in advance, meaning most reservations arrive roughly six to seven weeks before the stay. This is a moderately long lead time and gives operators a useful pricing window: rates set at 50-plus days out will be the primary price most guests see when they commit. Operators who hold rates firm at 47-plus days and discount only closer to the arrival date can protect revenue without leaving early demand on the table.
Average length of stay is 3.68 nights, placing Ashland in the shorter-stay category. This suggests a predominantly weekend-and-long-weekend traveler base rather than extended-stay guests. Shorter stays mean more turnover and higher cleaning costs per occupied night, which operators should factor into pricing. Setting minimum stays of 3-4 nights can reduce cleaning gaps while matching natural guest patterns.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Ashland, Kentucky requires all rental property owners to register their units with the City under a rental registration ordinance adopted in 2021. Failure to register carries fines of up to $100 per day per unregistered unit. Registration is available online or through the Property Maintenance Division at (606) 385-3317.
Short-term rental guests are subject to a 4% combined transient room tax, comprising a 3% local Ashland transient room tax and a 1% statewide Kentucky transient room tax. Platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO typically collect and remit this tax automatically, but operators should confirm collection and remittance practices with their platform.
No Ashland, KY-specific short-term rental zoning ordinance, dedicated STR permit category, owner-occupancy requirement, or maximum-nights cap was confirmed in available authoritative sources. Permit fees, renewal terms, and the zoning treatment of short-term rentals specifically were not published in sources reviewed. Enforcement severity is assessed as moderate. Investors should contact the Ashland, KY Planning and Community and Economic Development Department directly to confirm current requirements before operating. Regulations can change, and local confirmation is always advisable.
Market Comparison
Nationally, short-term rentals average approximately 55% occupancy and $220 ADR as broad reference points. Ashland’s April 2026 occupancy of 50.4% is slightly below the national median, while its $183 ADR is also below the national average, consistent with a smaller regional market without major tourism infrastructure. The revenue growth trend (+3.4% year-over-year) is positive and consistent with national stabilization patterns following the 2021-2022 STR expansion.
On operator concentration, Evolve leads the Ashland market with 344 managed listings and 14,456 reviews at a 4.76 average rating, giving it significant market presence. Green Turtle Bay Resort holds 85 listings at a 4.73 rating, Neat Suites 41 listings at a 4.81 rating, and Lyric 39 listings at a 4.81 rating. The top four operators combined represent roughly 509 listings, about 6% of total active supply, indicating a fragmented market where independent operators hold the majority of inventory.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ashland, Kentucky
What is the average daily rate for short-term rentals in Ashland, KY?
What occupancy rate do Ashland, KY short-term rentals achieve?
How much revenue can a short-term rental generate in Ashland, KY?
Do you need a permit to operate a short-term rental in Ashland, KY?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Ashland, KY?
What are the peak and slow seasons for Ashland, KY short-term rentals?
Who are the top property managers in the Ashland, KY short-term rental market?
Analyze Ashland Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Ashland.
Free Ashland STR Calculator →
