Duluth, Minnesota Short-Term Rental Market
Duluth STRs posted $184 ADR at 43.9% occupancy in April 2026 across roughly 10,400 active listings on Lake Superior.
Quick Answer: Duluth, Minnesota is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Minnesota Area market area is 63%. average monthly revenue in the Minnesota Area market area is $5,579. average daily rate in the Minnesota Area market area is $320. the top operator in the Minnesota Area market area is Evolve with 337 listings. market score is 71/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Minnesota Area regional market, which includes Duluth. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Duluth.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Duluth is Minnesota’s largest freshwater port city, drawing approximately 6.7 million visitors per year to Lake Superior’s western shore. The short-term rental market is substantial, with roughly 10,400 active listings spanning the Canal Park waterfront, the hillside neighborhoods, and the North Shore corridor. Entire-place listings account for the vast majority of supply at 9,675 units, while private rooms add another 727 options. Channel distribution skews toward dual-listed properties (4,753 on both Airbnb and VRBO), with 4,169 Airbnb-only and 1,486 VRBO-only listings rounding out the mix.
Bedroom distribution is relatively balanced across the mid-range: 1-bedroom (2,551), 2-bedroom (3,013), 3-bedroom (2,537), 4-bedroom (1,420), and 5-bedroom (876). The 2-bedroom segment leads by count, reflecting the market’s strong drive-tourism base from the Minneapolis metro.
In April 2026, Duluth STRs averaged $184 per night with 43.9% occupancy, generating a RevPAR of $80.99 and average monthly host revenue of $2,119. Year-over-year, ADR rose 6.2% and occupancy nudged up 2.7%, though monthly revenue fell 3.3% year-over-year, reflecting the softer spring shoulder period versus the prior April. The market’s overall score is 71.3 out of 100, with investability scoring highest at 88.6 and revenue growth at 80.6, signaling solid long-run upside despite moderate seasonality pressure (seasonality score 58.4).
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 40% |
| Feb | 45% |
| Mar | 46% |
| Apr | 47% |
| May | 54% |
| Jun | 66% |
| Jul | 71% |
| Aug | 66% |
| Sep | 50% |
| Oct | 50% |
| Nov | 41% |
| Dec | 47% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Duluth are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Minnesota Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Minnesota Area market as a whole, which includes Duluth, so these counts are not Duluth-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 337 | 13,110 | ★ 4.77 |
| 2 | Cascade Vacation Rentals | 182 | 3,861 | ★ 4.76 |
| 3 | Heirloom | 112 | 7,458 | ★ 4.82 |
| 4 | Sota Lake Home Rentals | 61 | 1,310 | ★ 4.50 |
| 5 | Woods To Water Vacation Homes | 48 | 939 | ★ 4.95 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Duluth?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Duluth are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 40.1% |
| vrbo | 14.3% |
| both | 45.7% |
Home Value Trends (Duluth)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Duluth are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Duluth — how far ahead guests book and how to price around it — is available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Duluth operates a three-tier short-term rental permit system. All STRs require a city permit, a Minnesota state lodging license, a state tax ID, and city tourism-tax registration.
Tier 1, Accessory Home Share, applies to owner-occupied properties where the host is present during guest stays. It allows up to 4 guests across 2 bedrooms and costs approximately $700, renewable on a 3-year cycle.
Tier 2, Accessory Vacation Dwelling Unit Limited, applies to homestead or owner-occupied properties where the owner need not be present. Rentals must be 2-7 nights with a hard cap of 21 nights per calendar year. This tier is suited to part-time rental of a primary home.
Tier 3, Interim Use Permit for a Vacation Dwelling Unit, is the only option for full-time investor-operated, non-owner-occupied short-term rentals. Stays must be 2-29 nights. A local property manager is required, permits last 6 years or until the property changes ownership (not transferable), and approval requires a Planning Commission public hearing taking roughly 3 months. The critical constraint: whole-unit Vacation Dwelling Units are subject to a citywide permit cap outside of Form districts (F-1 through F-9). That cap is currently full, and the city maintains a lottery eligibility waitlist expected to take several years to clear.
Investors targeting non-owner-occupied whole-unit rentals should target properties in Form districts (F-1 to F-9), where no cap applies. Duluth levies a 3% local tourism/lodging excise tax in addition to the 6.875% Minnesota state sales tax. Enforcement severity is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
Duluth’s April 2026 ADR of $184 sits below the US STR median of approximately $220, reflecting the market’s regional drive-tourism positioning rather than destination resort pricing. Occupancy at 43.9% is below the US STR median of approximately 55%, driven by the April timing (the market’s seasonal trough) and Duluth’s pronounced summer concentration. In peak summer months, Duluth occupancy regularly exceeds 65%, which compares favorably to most inland Midwest markets.
The market’s total score of 71.3 and investability score of 88.6 rank it competitively among upper-Midwest STR destinations. The revenue growth score of 80.6 reflects ADR appreciation from $170 (2017) to $241 (2025 annual average).
The professional management segment is active and concentrated. Evolve leads with 337 listings and 13,110 reviews at a 4.77 average rating. Cascade Vacation Rentals holds 182 listings with a 4.76 rating. Heirloom operates 112 listings and has accumulated 7,458 reviews at 4.82. Sota Lake Home Rentals manages 61 properties at a 4.50 rating, and Woods To Water Vacation Homes rounds out the top five with 48 listings and a notably high 4.95 average rating. The top 5 operators together account for approximately 740 listings, or roughly 7% of the total active inventory, indicating a fragmented market where independent operators still dominate.
Frequently Asked Questions About Duluth, Minnesota
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