Warsaw, Missouri Short-Term Rental Market
Warsaw, MO (Truman Lake/Lake of the Ozarks) STR data: $401/night at 56.1% occupancy; Benton County levies a 3% lodging tax.
Quick Answer: Warsaw, Missouri is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Lake of Ozarks market area is 56%. average monthly revenue in the Lake of Ozarks market area is $5,788. average daily rate in the Lake of Ozarks market area is $401. the top operator in the Lake of Ozarks market area is Evolve with 354 listings. market score is 51/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Lake of Ozarks regional market, which includes Warsaw. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Warsaw.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Warsaw is a small lake-recreation town of 2,334 residents in west-central Missouri, marketed as an uncrowded alternative to the busier Lake of the Ozarks. It sits between two major waterbodies: Truman Lake (Truman Reservoir on the Osage River, one of the largest lakes in the Midwest) and the Osage Arm of Lake of the Ozarks. Visitors are predominantly anglers drawn by crappie, bass, and catfish fishing, plus boaters, hikers, and mountain bikers. Key draws include the Harry S. Truman Dam & Regional Visitor Center, Harry S. Truman State Park, and the Drake Harbor waterfront.
Warsaw sits in Benton County, a different jurisdiction from Camden County’s Sunrise Beach, Gravois Mills, and Rocky Mount, and its lodging-tax situation is notably different as a result: Benton County adopted a 3% transient guest tax on short-term rentals (Ordinance BE2019-2, effective 2019) that explicitly covers vacation and nightly rental property, collected quarterly by the Benton County Collector. Unlike the Camden County tax that Missouri’s Supreme Court struck down in 2024, Warsaw’s Benton County tax remains in effect.
StaySTRA’s Airbnb/Vrbo performance data for this area is tracked at a shared regional level with Gravois Mills, Rocky Mount, and Sunrise Beach rather than uniquely for Warsaw; treat the following as the Lake of the Ozarks area STR market. In June 2026, that market averaged 56.1% occupancy and a $401 ADR, producing $5,788 in average monthly revenue per listing, though ADR is down 7.8% year over year.
Using StaySTRA’s housing data, Warsaw’s typical home value is $188,900, the lowest among this batch’s markets with housing data on file.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 22% |
| Feb | 27% |
| Mar | 42% |
| Apr | 34% |
| May | 43% |
| Jun | 59% |
| Jul | 69% |
| Aug | 52% |
| Sep | 34% |
| Oct | 28% |
| Nov | 27% |
| Dec | 23% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Warsaw are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Lake of Ozarks market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Lake of Ozarks market as a whole, which includes Warsaw, so these counts are not Warsaw-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 354 | 13,902 | ★ 4.73 |
| 2 | LakeDays.Rentals | 213 | 4,973 | ★ 4.80 |
| 3 | YourLakeVacation | 139 | 1,600 | ★ 4.75 |
| 4 | Shores Vacation Rentals | 106 | 3,165 | ★ 4.81 |
| 5 | Lakecation Vacations | 97 | 1,574 | ★ 4.41 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Warsaw?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Warsaw 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 | 19.2% |
| vrbo | 18.4% |
| both | 62.3% |
Home Value Trends (Warsaw)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Warsaw 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 Warsaw — 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
Short-term rentals (Airbnb/Vrbo, stays of 31 days or less) are legal in Warsaw, MO, and the market is actively promoted by the local tourism board. The clearest, verifiable obligation is a lodging/transient guest tax of 3% on gross nightly rent, imposed under Benton County Ordinance BE2019-2 and collected and remitted by operators to the Benton County Collector; the ordinance’s definition of taxable property explicitly includes ‘other vacation, short-term rental or nightly rental property.’ Returns are due by the 20th of the month following each quarter, with penalties (1% per month) and interest (2% per month, capped at 25% a year) for late remittance.
This is a meaningful distinction from nearby Camden County towns (Sunrise Beach, Gravois Mills, Rocky Mount): Missouri’s Supreme Court struck down Camden County’s lodging tax scheme in 2024, but Warsaw’s Benton County tax sits on separate legal footing and remains in effect.
In addition, Missouri state sales tax (4.225% base) plus applicable city and county sales taxes apply to short stays. No distinct city-level STR licensing ordinance, night cap, or owner-occupancy/primary-residence requirement was found in official sources; hosts may still need Warsaw’s general business license and must site the rental in an appropriately zoned area under the Unified Development Code and Benton County zoning. Missouri safety guidance (smoke/CO detectors, fire extinguishers, posted escape plan) applies. Because city-specific STR rules are not clearly documented, investors should confirm current requirements directly with Warsaw City Hall and Benton County Planning & Zoning.
Market Comparison
National benchmarks put the median U.S. short-term rental market at roughly 55% occupancy and a $220 ADR. The Lake of the Ozarks area STR market that includes Warsaw runs close to the occupancy benchmark and well above the ADR benchmark, at 56.1% occupancy and a $401 ADR in June 2026, consistent with a premium Midwest lake-house market.
Warsaw’s $188,900 typical home value is meaningfully lower than Sunrise Beach’s ($416,900), reflecting Warsaw’s positioning as a quieter, less-developed alternative within the broader Lake of the Ozarks region, though it does carry an active 3% Benton County lodging tax that Sunrise Beach’s Camden County market currently does not.
Top property managers in the shared regional market include Evolve (354 listings), LakeDays.Rentals (213 listings), and YourLakeVacation (139 listings), though StaySTRA does not have this data broken out uniquely for Warsaw; treat these as regional context rather than Warsaw-specific figures.
Frequently Asked Questions About Warsaw, Missouri
Are short-term rentals legal in Warsaw, MO?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Warsaw?
Does Warsaw's lodging tax differ from nearby Sunrise Beach?
Does Warsaw require a permit for short-term rentals?
What is the average occupancy for the Warsaw area STR market?
When is peak season for short-term rentals near Warsaw?
What is the typical home value in Warsaw, MO?
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