Saint Charles, Missouri Short-Term Rental Market
Saint Charles is at its STR cap; St. Louis metro shows $157 ADR, 62.7% occupancy, $2,732 monthly revenue, September 2026.
Quick Answer: Saint Charles, Missouri is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the St. Louis market area is 63%. average monthly revenue in the St. Louis market area is $2,732. average daily rate in the St. Louis market area is $157. the top operator in the St. Louis market area is StayLage with 103 listings. market score is 97/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the St. Louis regional market, which includes Saint Charles. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Saint Charles.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Saint Charles is part of the St. Louis metro, and every performance figure on this page describes the St. Louis metro STR market rather than a Saint Charles only series. Before looking at the numbers, note the main constraint: the city has reached its cap on residential short-term rentals and is not accepting new residential applications. In September 2026, the St. Louis metro STR market posted an average daily rate of $157, occupancy of 62.7%, and average monthly revenue of $2,732 per listing. Compared with September 2025, occupancy rose 0.6%, ADR rose 5.5%, and revenue rose 5.8%, so most of the recent gain came from price rather than from more booked nights. Entire places averaged $170 per night. Summing the twelve seasonal monthly averages gives annual revenue of $25,103 per listing. Bedroom, channel, listing-type and operator data is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Saint Charles, so this profile omits it. Saint Charles has a population of 72,458, and demand is anchored by heritage tourism. The roughly 10-block Historic Main Street District is on the National Historic Register and holds more than 100 shops, restaurants, cafes and wineries. Nearby are the First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site and the Lewis & Clark Boat House and Museum. The riverfront Ameristar Casino Resort Spa adds regional entertainment and lodging demand. Visitors skew toward regional day-trippers and weekend leisure travelers from greater Saint Louis, plus Katy Trail cyclists and hikers. Signature events shape the calendar, including the month-long Saint Charles Christmas Traditions festival, the Festival of the Little Hills, Riverfest, and free summer Main Street concerts. A precise citywide annual visitor count was not found in a primary source. For context, 2025 averaged 63.5% occupancy and a $144 ADR, while 2026 through September is running at 63.1% occupancy and a $152 ADR.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 49% |
| Feb | 58% |
| Mar | 66% |
| Apr | 62% |
| May | 65% |
| Jun | 70% |
| Jul | 69% |
| Aug | 64% |
| Sep | 61% |
| Oct | 61% |
| Nov | 57% |
| Dec | 55% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Saint Charles are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in St. Louis market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the St. Louis market as a whole, which includes Saint Charles, so these counts are not Saint Charles-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | StayLage | 103 | 5,351 | ★ 4.64 |
| 2 | ABODEbucks | 96 | 9,238 | ★ 4.79 |
| 3 | Stay in the STL | 87 | 2,528 | ★ 4.84 |
| 4 | Landing, Inc. | 87 | 149 | ★ 3.96 |
| 5 | Evolve | 79 | 3,005 | ★ 4.55 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Saint Charles?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Saint Charles 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 | 55.5% |
| vrbo | 4.9% |
| both | 39.6% |
Home Value Trends (Saint Charles)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Saint Charles 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 Saint Charles — 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
Saint Charles has one of the more restrictive STR regimes in the St. Louis region, and enforcement is rated strict. The city is currently at its cap and is not accepting new residential STR applications. Residential STRs are capped at 0.15% of total housing units, roughly 48 units, lowered on April 15, 2025 from 0.5%, roughly 150 units. That change also lifted a moratorium that had been in place since June 2023. New residentially zoned STRs are permitted only inside the Extended Historic Preservation District overlay. Elsewhere a Conditional Use Permit is required, with public hearings and a City Council vote. Every STR needs an annual Short Term Rental Permit, with a fee of about $75, and must pass an annual safety inspection. Units must sit at least 500 feet from any other STR in a residential district, provide one parking space per bedroom, and confine occupancy to the primary structure. A noise monitoring device is required, with no amplified or outdoor audible sound from 10pm to 10am. Operators must name a 24/7 local contact who can respond within 45 minutes and keep guest records for three years. Lodging receipts carry a combined 1.75% tax, made up of a 1% tourism license tax and a 0.75% hotel and motel tax, plus applicable state and county sales taxes. There is no owner occupancy requirement, no primary residence requirement, and no annual night cap. In May 2026, Saint Charles County proposed its own rules for unincorporated areas, which do not govern the City of Saint Charles. Confirm current rules with the city before buying.
Market Comparison
The St. Louis metro STR market shows a volume driven, value priced profile. Occupancy was 62.7% in September 2026 with an ADR of $157, so guests fill calendars at moderate rates. Even the luxury tier, at $246, sits well above the $157 average, while professionally managed listings at $163 stay close to it. Year over year growth is better than flat, with revenue up 5.8% and ADR up 5.5%. The lower ADR also means lower revenue per night, and with average monthly revenue of $2,732, investors should compare returns against local home values, where the typical Saint Charles home is $353,187. The strongest advantage for a permitted Saint Charles operator is that demand is steady throughout the year, with even January at 49.0% occupancy and the busiest months near 70%. The big difference from many comparable markets is supply: with the city cap reached, competition from new Saint Charles listings is limited. Top operator data is tracked at a regional level, so it is not shown here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Saint Charles, Missouri
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