Bardstown, Kentucky Short-Term Rental Market
Bardstown, Kentucky STRs averaged $183/night at 50.4% occupancy in April 2026, the Bourbon Capital with a 97.8 investability score.
Quick Answer: Bardstown, Kentucky is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 57%. average monthly revenue is $3,402. average daily rate is $219. the top operator is Evolve with 344 listings. market score is 89/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the Kentucky Area regional market, which includes Bardstown. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Bardstown.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Bardstown is marketed as the Bourbon Capital of the World, anchoring the Kentucky Bourbon Trail with 11 distilleries within roughly 16 miles, including Heaven Hill, Bardstown Bourbon Company, Lux Row, Barton 1792, and Willett. Tourism generated $90.9 million in total economic impact in Nelson County in 2024, with $62.6 million in direct visitor spending supporting 450 tourism jobs. Visitors come year-round for distillery tours, the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in September, the Stephen Foster Story outdoor musical, and historic downtown Bardstown.
As of April 2026, the STR market recorded an average daily rate of $183, occupancy of 50.4%, and RevPAR of $92. Average monthly revenue per active listing was $2,475. Year-over-year, all three key metrics moved positively: occupancy up 0.2%, ADR up 2.7%, and revenue up 3.4%, a rare clean sweep across a trailing-twelve-month comparison.
Entire-place listings represent 7,999 of 8,451 tracked units (94.7%). Private rooms account for 449 listings. By bedroom count, 2-bedroom (2,493 units) and 1-bedroom (2,293) listings are the most common, followed by 3-bedroom (2,234), 4-bedroom (859), and 5-bedroom (566). Airbnb is the primary channel with 3,945 single-platform listings, and 3,693 properties hold dual Airbnb and VRBO presence.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34% | $123 | $1,328 |
| Feb | 44% | $124 | $1,370 |
| Mar | 53% | $144 | $1,926 |
| Apr | 51% | $154 | $2,093 |
| May | 51% | $167 | $2,231 |
| Jun | 60% | $191 | $3,023 |
| Jul | 63% | $190 | $3,314 |
| Aug | 52% | $179 | $2,618 |
| Sep | 47% | $166 | $2,150 |
| Oct | 51% | $161 | $2,335 |
| Nov | 45% | $150 | $1,903 |
| Dec | 41% | $143 | $1,732 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Bardstown
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 Bardstown?
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 | $223 |
| Luxury | $371 |
| Professionally Managed | $274 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,372 |
| Entire Place | $3,493 |
| House | $3,797 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 46.7% |
| vrbo | 9.6% |
| both | 43.7% |
Investment Analysis
Bardstown holds the highest composite market score in this batch at 88.9 out of 100, anchored by an exceptional investability score of 97.8 and a revenue growth score of 76.0. The rental demand score of 73.0 and regulation score of 69.4 reflect a market with solid underlying demand and a structured but navigable regulatory environment.
April 2026 average revenue was $2,475 per active listing, annualizing to approximately $29,694. Houses generated $2,729/month and entire-place listings averaged $2,534/month in April, while apartments averaged $1,826/month. The professionally managed tier averaged $205 ADR versus the market average of $183, a 12% premium. The luxury tier reached $315 ADR.
Housing price data for the Bardstown market was not available in the current dataset, so a gross yield estimate cannot be calculated. The annual revenue trend is instructive: 2025 averaged $2,488/month (full-year), 2024 averaged $2,449/month, and both years represent a stabilization above the 2023 trough of $2,374/month. With positive YoY growth across all three metrics in April 2026, Bardstown is in a recovery trajectory from the 2022-2023 post-peak softening. Investors should note that regulatory constraints (see Regulatory Summary) limit non-owner-occupied STRs and could affect investment structures.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
April 2026 data shows an average booking lead time of 47 days and an average length of stay of 3.7 nights. A 47-day lead window is similar to Bangor’s 47-day figure, suggesting bourbon tourism visitors plan trips comparable to outdoor-recreation visitors. This gives operators roughly six weeks to manage pricing before guests typically lock in bookings.
A 3.7-night average stay is slightly shorter than most markets in this batch, consistent with Bardstown’s role as a road-trip stop or bourbon-trail weekend destination rather than a full-week leisure base. Operators should set minimum-night policies of 2-3 nights to avoid costly single-night turnovers, particularly around the Kentucky Bourbon Festival and National Bourbon Week events when demand is compressed into specific weekends.
The dual-channel market is well balanced: 3,693 properties list on both Airbnb and VRBO, while 3,945 list only on Airbnb. VRBO’s audience skews toward bourbon-trail couples and groups who plan multi-night itineraries, making dual-channel listings sensible for operators targeting the higher-spending visitor segment.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Bardstown operates one of the more restrictive STR frameworks in this batch. STRs are legal but require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) from the Board of Adjustment, plus a local occupational and business license. Permits are only available for properties in agricultural or residential zoning districts. STRs are prohibited in multi-family buildings, condominiums, and structures sharing common walls.
Owner-occupancy is central to the local rules. Type 1 rentals require the operator’s principal primary residence with the owner physically present during rental periods. A Type 2 accessory-unit category exists for limited non-owner-occupied use. Properties must provide parking for at least two vehicles, and maximum occupancy is capped at approximately two times the number of bedrooms.
On taxes, operators must collect and remit the local 3% transient room tax (to the Bardstown-Nelson County Tourist Commission) plus the Kentucky 1% state transient room tax and 6% state sales tax, for a combined lodging tax burden of approximately 10%. There is a 30-consecutive-day cap per stay; no published annual night cap was found.
Regulatory risk is active: the city imposed moratoriums on new CUPs in September-December 2023 and again in March 2024, citing noise, parking complaints, and housing availability concerns. Updated Nelson County zoning regulations were passed June 3, 2025. Prospective investors should confirm current CUP availability and rules directly with the Joint City-County Planning Commission before acquiring property for STR use.
Market Comparison
Bardstown’s April 2026 occupancy of 50.4% is below the US STR median of approximately 55%, but April is seasonally soft in this market. The 2025 full-year average of 48.4% is below the national benchmark, though the bourbon tourism calendar extends the viable season longer than pure leisure markets. ADR at $183 is below the national median of approximately $220, consistent with a small Kentucky city rather than a resort or urban market.
Evolve leads with 344 listings and 14,456 reviews (4.76 average rating), the largest operator in the market by a substantial margin. Green Turtle Bay Resort operates 85 listings (4.73 average rating). Neat Suites holds 41 listings with a 4.81 rating, and Lyric manages 39 listings with a 4.81 rating and 3,002 reviews. The top five operators collectively hold approximately 6.4% of 8,451 total market listings, indicating a predominantly independent-host market.
Bardstown’s total market score of 88.9 and investability score of 97.8 are the highest in this batch. Its combination of a well-defined demand driver (bourbon tourism), year-round event calendar, and positive 2026 YoY momentum distinguishes it from markets relying solely on seasonal outdoor recreation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bardstown, Kentucky
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