Joplin, Missouri Short-Term Rental Market
Joplin STRs averaged $153/night at 44.9% occupancy in April 2026 across 6,140 active listings.
Quick Answer: Joplin, Missouri is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Missouri Area market area is 54%. average monthly revenue in the Missouri Area market area is $2,721. average daily rate in the Missouri Area market area is $188. the top operator in the Missouri Area market area is Evolve with 161 listings. market score is 82/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Missouri Area regional market, which includes Joplin. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Joplin.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Joplin is a regional city in southwest Missouri at the intersection of I-44 and historic Route 66, drawing more than 1.15 million visitors annually according to a 2024 to 2025 CVB visitor study. As of April 2026, the STR market posted an average daily rate of $153.43 and occupancy of 44.9%, producing a RevPAR of $68.88. The market carries 6,140 active listings: 5,698 entire-place rentals (92.8% of total), 439 private rooms (7.2%), and 3 shared rooms. The bedroom distribution skews toward smaller units: 1-bedroom leads at 2,193 (35.8%), followed by 2-bedroom at 1,808 (29.5%), 3-bedroom at 1,391 (22.7%), 4-bedroom at 471 (7.7%), and 5-bedroom at 258 (4.2%). Channel distribution shows 3,398 Airbnb-only listings, 396 VRBO-only, and 2,346 on both platforms. Demand is driven by Route 66 heritage tourism, mining and frontier history, events and sports tournaments, and regional drive-market travelers from the Four States area (Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas). Grand Falls, Wildcat Park, and the Murphysburg Historic District round out leisure attractions. Year-over-year, occupancy declined 0.32 percentage points while ADR rose 1.38%, producing net revenue growth of 3.16% in April 2026.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35% | $113 | $1,251 |
| Feb | 43% | $116 | $1,239 |
| Mar | 48% | $132 | $1,640 |
| Apr | 45% | $137 | $1,653 |
| May | 48% | $150 | $1,873 |
| Jun | 53% | $169 | $2,410 |
| Jul | 55% | $168 | $2,602 |
| Aug | 48% | $165 | $2,251 |
| Sep | 44% | $160 | $1,972 |
| Oct | 47% | $156 | $2,063 |
| Nov | 46% | $140 | $1,809 |
| Dec | 40% | $129 | $1,530 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Missouri Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Missouri Area market as a whole, which includes Joplin, so these counts are not Joplin-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 161 | 5,546 | ★ 4.80 |
| 2 | Innsbrook Vacations | 159 | 5,666 | ★ 4.79 |
| 3 | StayLage | 22 | 502 | ★ 4.74 |
| 4 | Hogan's Hideout | 16 | 385 | ★ 4.48 |
| 5 | Stark Property Management | 14 | 1,561 | ★ 4.96 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Joplin?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,193 |
| 2 bed | 1,808 |
| 3 bed | 1,391 |
| 4 bed | 471 |
| 5 bed | 258 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $192 |
| Luxury | $377 |
| Professionally Managed | $316 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,790 |
| Entire Place | $2,825 |
| House | $3,082 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 55.3% |
| vrbo | 6.4% |
| both | 38.2% |
Investment Analysis
Joplin offers a below-average entry price with moderate revenue output. The typical home value was $202,523 as of the April 2026 housing snapshot. The median sale price tracked at $189,996, with 304 units in for-sale inventory and median days to pending at 19. At the all-listings average revenue of $1,878/month, projecting $22,537 annually against a $202,523 purchase price produces an approximate gross rental yield of 11.1%. This does not account for operating costs, management fees, or the regulatory compliance costs required by Joplin’s 2022 STR ordinance. ADR varies by tier: all-listings average is $153.43, entire-home listings average $156.97, professionally managed properties average $243.81, and luxury-tier listings average $321.12. The professionally managed premium of $90.38/night above the market average (58.9% lift) is the largest percentage premium in this batch, suggesting that high-quality, professionally operated properties can achieve dramatically higher rates than the market baseline. Revenue by property type shows houses averaging $2,049/month, entire-place listings averaging $1,935/month, and apartments averaging $1,482/month. Houses outperform apartments by $567/month. Year-over-year revenue growth of 3.16% in April 2026 is positive, and the market-score investability rating of 92.4 out of 100 signals strong fundamentals. Investors should account for Joplin’s 200-foot spacing rule between STRs and the neighbor-protest process when assessing specific parcels.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Joplin guests book an average of 40.8 days in advance and stay an average of 3.64 nights per visit. A 41-day lead time gives operators approximately 6 weeks of pricing visibility before each stay. This is a typical lead window for a drive-market destination where travelers plan regional trips rather than spontaneous weekend visits. The 3.64-night average length of stay is above the national STR average of roughly 3 nights, suggesting that a meaningful share of guests are combining Route 66 road trip segments, regional leisure stays, or business-related visits spanning multiple nights. For event-driven weekends tied to sports tournaments or Route 66 events, lead times likely compress, making it important for operators to set competitive rates early in the booking window. Operators who target extended stays of 3 to 5 nights through minimum-stay policies can reduce turnover and improve net margins, particularly during summer peak.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Joplin permits short-term rentals under an ordinance effective January 24, 2022. Every operator must obtain a short-term rental permit and an annual city business license, submitting a legal description and site plan. City staff have 30 days to approve or deny. A critical feature of the Joplin framework is the neighbor-protest process: the city notifies all property owners within 185 feet of the proposed STR, and if owners of more than 30% of the land area within that radius formally protest, the application is automatically denied. New STRs must also be located at least 200 feet from any existing permitted STR, limiting concentration in desirable areas. Operational rules cap occupancy by bedroom count (2 guests per bedroom for properties with 3 or fewer bedrooms, 1.5 guests per bedroom for 4 or more bedrooms), require one off-street parking space per bedroom, and prohibit use for weddings, parties, or receptions. The primary tax obligation is a 4% hotel/motel transient guest tax on gross rental receipts, plus applicable state and local sales taxes. No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies, and no annual night cap was identified. Permit and license fees were not published online and should be confirmed with Joplin Planning and Zoning. Enforcement is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
At 44.9% occupancy and $153.43 ADR, Joplin sits below the approximate U.S. STR median occupancy of 55% and below the national median ADR of roughly $220. These gaps reflect Joplin’s profile as an inland regional city rather than a resort or coastal destination. However, the market’s total score of 81.7 out of 100, investability score of 92.4, and rental demand score of 70.8 indicate solid fundamentals for a market of this type. Annual visitor traffic of more than 1.15 million, per the 2024 to 2025 CVB study, confirms sustained demand. Among top operators, Evolve leads with 161 listings and 5,546 reviews at a 4.80 rating (2.6% of total listings). Innsbrook Vacations is nearly tied at 159 listings with 5,666 reviews at 4.79. StayLage manages 22 listings with 502 reviews at 4.74. Hogan’s Hideout holds 16 listings with 385 reviews at 4.48. Stark Property Management operates 14 listings but leads in rating at 4.96 across 1,561 reviews. The top two operators are closely matched in scale, suggesting competitive professional management rather than a dominant single operator.
Frequently Asked Questions About Joplin, Missouri
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