Slade, Kentucky Short-Term Rental Market
Slade, KY, gateway to Red River Gorge, averaged $255/night at 55.6% occupancy in June 2026 with no local STR permit required.
Quick Answer: Slade, Kentucky is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 56%. average monthly revenue is $4,051. average daily rate is $255. the top operator is Red River Gorge Cabin Rentals with 125 listings. market score is 90/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the Red River Gorge regional market, which includes Slade. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Slade.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Slade is a tiny (population 107) unincorporated community in Powell County marketed as the ‘Adventure Capital of Kentucky,’ the primary gateway to the Red River Gorge Geological Area and Daniel Boone National Forest. The broader Gorge region tops 1 million visitors annually and is described by local reporting as an underbuilt cabin-rental market. In June 2026, the latest month with data, short-term rentals in this market averaged $255.40 per night at 55.6% occupancy, generating $4,051 in average monthly revenue per listing. Revenue rose 1.2% year over year, occupancy 0.8%, and ADR 1.2%. By property type, entire homes averaged $4,163/month and houses $4,203/month, far ahead of apartments at $1,145/month. Across the wider Red River Gorge submarket, entire-place cabins make up roughly 96% of listing inventory, reflecting the destination’s group cabin-rental focus for climbers, hikers, and families.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31% | $180 | $1,706 |
| Feb | 38% | $193 | $1,807 |
| Mar | 55% | $203 | $2,943 |
| Apr | 52% | $199 | $2,926 |
| May | 51% | $207 | $2,956 |
| Jun | 58% | $221 | $3,520 |
| Jul | 59% | $208 | $3,506 |
| Aug | 49% | $208 | $2,966 |
| Sep | 47% | $202 | $2,664 |
| Oct | 65% | $209 | $3,850 |
| Nov | 51% | $203 | $2,925 |
| Dec | 37% | $201 | $2,247 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Slade
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red River Gorge Cabin Rentals | 125 | 1,157 | ★ 4.76 |
| 2 | Red River Gorge Getaways | 112 | 14,691 | ★ 4.82 |
| 3 | StayOver @ Red River Gorge | 75 | 7,969 | ★ 4.66 |
| 4 | Red River Gorge Scenic Cabin Rentals | 64 | 3,956 | ★ 4.64 |
| 5 | Red River Gorgeous Wilderness Cabin Rentals | 53 | 2,921 | ★ 4.83 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Slade?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 488 |
| 2 bed | 475 |
| 3 bed | 294 |
| 4 bed | 101 |
| 5 bed | 61 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $259 |
| Luxury | $381 |
| Professionally Managed | $271 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,145 |
| Entire Place | $4,163 |
| House | $4,203 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 39.9% |
| vrbo | 5.8% |
| both | 54.3% |
Investment Analysis
Slade’s market-wide ADR of $255.40 sits well below both the luxury tier average ($381.38) and the professionally-managed tier average ($270.99), pointing to headroom for well-positioned cabins to price above the market baseline. Revenue per listing grew a modest 1.2% year over year alongside similarly modest ADR and occupancy gains, a steady rather than fast-growing pattern. No typical home value is currently published for this market in the housing dataset, so a gross rental yield cannot be calculated here; investors should source comparable local sale prices directly. Regulation is a real advantage for Slade specifically: Powell County has no county-wide STR permit or registration ordinance, and the profile data confirms permit_required is false for this market, one of the most permissive regulatory postures in this batch. The core compliance obligation is tax registration rather than permitting, making Slade a comparatively low-friction entry point into the Red River Gorge cabin market versus the incorporated City of Stanton roughly 10 miles away, which does regulate STRs through its own planning and zoning department.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Guests book Slade-area cabins an average of 48.1 days ahead and stay 2.8 nights per trip, both on the shorter end for this batch of markets. The relatively short lead time gives operators less runway than longer-lead-time destinations to fine-tune pricing ahead of peak weekends, and the sub-3-night average stay is consistent with weekend climbing and hiking trips rather than extended vacations.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Slade is an unincorporated community in Powell County, so there is no city government and no Slade-specific short-term rental ordinance, permit, or license requirement; the area_profile data confirms permit_required is false. Kentucky has no statewide STR licensing scheme, and Powell County has no known countywide STR permit ordinance for its rural, unincorporated areas. Operators must still collect and remit lodging taxes: a Powell County 3% overnight transient room tax (filed with Powell County Tourism, due the 20th of the following month), plus Kentucky’s statewide 1% transient room tax and 6% state sales tax on accommodations. Airbnb and Vrbo collect and remit many Kentucky state-level lodging taxes on hosts’ behalf, though hosts should confirm whether the 3% local county tax is captured or register directly with Powell County Tourism if not. There are no known owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirements and no cap on rental nights. Enforcement is rated minimal. Because the region is growing quickly and described as underbuilt for cabins, investors should verify current rules with Powell County directly, as new regulation could emerge as volume grows.
Market Comparison
Slade’s 55.6% occupancy in June 2026 tracks close to the roughly 55% U.S. median often cited for short-term rentals, while its $255.40 ADR runs somewhat above the roughly $220 national median, consistent with a specialized outdoor-recreation cabin destination. No property manager snapshot data is currently published for this specific market, so no top-operator ranking is available here; based on available data, ownership in the immediate Slade area still appears fragmented among independent cabin operators rather than concentrated under a large management company.
Frequently Asked Questions About Slade, Kentucky
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