Saint Louis, Missouri Short-Term Rental Market
Permits are required but unenforced in St. Louis, where September 2026 ADR was $157, occupancy 62.7%, monthly revenue $2,732.
Quick Answer: Saint Louis, 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 Louis. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Saint Louis.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
This profile covers the St. Louis area STR market, a regional series that Saint Charles, Missouri, shares with the city. Every performance figure below describes that St. Louis area market, with data running through September 2026. Bedroom, channel, and listing-type counts and top operators are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for St. Louis, so this profile omits them.
In September 2026 the average daily rate across all listings was $157, occupancy was 62.7%, and average monthly revenue was $2,732 per listing. Compared with September 2025, ADR rose 5.5%, occupancy rose 0.6%, and revenue grew 5.8%. Growth is coming mostly from price rather than from filling more nights.
Entire place listings averaged $170 per night, luxury listings reached $246, and professionally managed listings averaged $163. Average monthly revenue was $3,031 for houses, $2,923 for entire place listings, and $2,392 for apartments.
The longer history shows a market that reset upward after 2020. Annual occupancy averaged 60.3% in 2020 and 66.3% in 2021, when ADR jumped from $99 to $124. Since then occupancy has stayed between 60.1% and 63.5%, while ADR climbed from $135 in 2023 to $144 in 2025 and $152 across the first nine months of 2026. Average monthly revenue for 2026 so far is $2,674, up from $2,602 in 2025 and $1,656 in 2020.
The demand base is broad. The city has a population of 279,695 and draws an estimated 25 to 26 million visitors annually, with direct visitor spending of $5.8 billion in 2024 according to Explore St. Louis. Convention business at America’s Center and leisure draws such as Gateway Arch National Park, Forest Park, the City Museum, and professional sports support bookings across the calendar.
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 Louis 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 Louis, so these counts are not Saint Louis-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 Louis?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Saint Louis 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 Louis)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Saint Louis 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 Louis — 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
St. Louis has an STR permit system on the books, but enforcement is effectively paused, which makes this a high regulatory uncertainty market. STRs are permitted, and the city passed Ordinance 71729 in November 2023, effective November 6, 2024, requiring every short-term rental and listing platform to hold a permit.
There are two permit types. An Occupied permit is for the operator’s principal residence, limited to one per person. A Non-Occupied permit allows non-primary rentals, capped at four units per owner, and requires a City business license. The permit fee is $150, renewed annually, and each property must pass an annual building and occupancy inspection. Permits are barred for properties benefiting from TIF or tax abatement.
Operating rules include a two night minimum stay, no single night stays, no parties, and a 24/7 reachable local agent. Violations carry $500 fines, and three violations in 24 months trigger a one year permit revocation. There is no owner occupancy requirement for Non-Occupied permits.
In May 2025 a court injunction halted the $150 fee, and the city then paused enforcement of all permit rules and inspections pending litigation. Enforcement severity is rated minimal. The rules could be revived if the city prevails.
Taxes apply. The hotel and motel room tax is 7.25%, made up of 3.5% for Convention and Sports and 3.75% for Convention and Tourism, plus state and local sales tax. A new 3% STR fee took effect on February 23, 2026, paid quarterly, with at least half funding affordable housing.
Market Comparison
The St. Louis area market pairs solid occupancy with a moderate rate. September 2026 occupancy was 62.7% and the ADR was $157.
Entry cost is modest. The typical home value of $191,644 gives investors a way into the market at a lower price point, and the market has grown revenue 5.8% over the past year.
Seasonality is the tradeoff. January occupancy of 49.0% sits far below June at 69.5%. Investors should underwrite on the $25,103 seasonal annual revenue figure rather than on peak months.
On regulation, many large markets now enforce permit caps or primary residence rules. St. Louis has rules of that type on paper, including a four unit cap on Non-Occupied permits, but enforcement has been paused since May 2025. That is an advantage today and a risk if the city’s litigation succeeds.
Top operator rankings are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for St. Louis, so this profile omits them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Saint Louis, Missouri
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