Columbia Falls, Montana Short-Term Rental Market
Columbia Falls, MT STRs averaged $228/night at 34.6% occupancy in April 2026, with peak July averaging 77% occupancy and $6,458 monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Columbia Falls, Montana is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Flathead Valley/Glacier Natl Park market area is 70%. average monthly revenue in the Flathead Valley/Glacier Natl Park market area is $8,452. average daily rate in the Flathead Valley/Glacier Natl Park market area is $425. the top operator in the Flathead Valley/Glacier Natl Park market area is Stay Montana with 167 listings. market score is 49/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Flathead Valley/Glacier Natl Park regional market, which includes Columbia Falls. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Columbia Falls.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Columbia Falls, Montana sits approximately 15 miles from Glacier National Park’s West Entrance in the Flathead Valley, making it a primary base camp for one of the most visited national parks in the US. Glacier National Park drew more than 3.2 million visitors in 2024, its fourth consecutive year above 3 million. The STR market in this town of 5,713 residents is far larger than local population would suggest: approximately 5,624 active listings by the latest dimension count, reflecting the scale of seasonal tourism demand.
April is a transitional shoulder month in this market, with occupancy at 34.6%, ADR at $228/night, and RevPAR of $78.81. Year-over-year in April, occupancy gained 5.2 percentage points and ADR grew 7.0%. The longer-term annual trend shows strong ADR appreciation: average annual ADR grew from $204 in 2017 to $322 in 2025, and average annual revenue per listing grew from $2,310 to $4,324 over the same period.
Entire-place listings dominate at 5,436 of 5,624 total listings (96.7%), with 187 private rooms and just 1 shared room. On the bedroom side, 1-bedroom units are the most common (2,096), followed by 2-bedroom (1,454), 3-bedroom (1,115), 4-bedroom (598), and 5-bedroom (352). The channel split shows strong dual-platform presence: 3,064 listings are cross-listed on both Airbnb and VRBO, with 1,873 Airbnb-only and 687 VRBO-only.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 39% |
| Feb | 52% |
| Mar | 43% |
| Apr | 34% |
| May | 52% |
| Jun | 68% |
| Jul | 77% |
| Aug | 68% |
| Sep | 54% |
| Oct | 33% |
| Nov | 33% |
| Dec | 51% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Columbia Falls are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Flathead Valley/Glacier Natl Park market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Flathead Valley/Glacier Natl Park market as a whole, which includes Columbia Falls, so these counts are not Columbia Falls-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stay Montana | 167 | 2,350 | ★ 4.73 |
| 2 | Evolve | 130 | 6,503 | ★ 4.82 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 120 | 5,091 | ★ 4.58 |
| 4 | Whitefish Mountain Resort Lodging | 118 | 1,042 | ★ 4.64 |
| 5 | Natural Retreats | 107 | 3,956 | ★ 4.82 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Columbia Falls?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Columbia Falls 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 | 33.3% |
| vrbo | 12.2% |
| both | 54.5% |
Home Value Trends (Columbia Falls)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Columbia Falls 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 Columbia Falls — 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
Columbia Falls permits short-term rentals under a regulatory framework that is currently transitioning. As of mid-2026, the operating rules depend on the property’s zoning: in residential and agricultural zones, an Administrative Conditional Use Permit (ACUP) is required at approximately $325, which includes a 15-day public comment period and written notice to neighbors within 150 feet. In commercial zones CB2, CB4, and CB5, STRs are a permitted use without a CUP. All operators also need a city business license.
A major overhaul is in progress. In April 2026, the City Council voted to adopt city staff’s single consolidated STR permit framework, rejecting the Planning Commission’s proposal to restrict new permits to primary homeowners. The new system is expected to take effect in June 2026 with new fees starting January 2027: $350 initial permit, $250 annual renewal, $150 fire inspection fee, and escalating civil penalties ($300/day for first violation, $500/day for second). Compliance technology (Deckard Technologies) will be used to monitor platforms. The city plans to revisit the policy one year after adoption.
There is no owner-occupancy requirement, primary-residence requirement, or maximum nights per year under current or proposed rules.
On taxes: operators collect a 3% city resort tax (effective October 1, 2021) plus Montana state lodging taxes (4% Lodging Facility Use Tax plus 4% Lodging Sales Tax), bringing total guest tax burden to approximately 11%. Platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO typically collect and remit these on behalf of hosts. Enforcement is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
Columbia Falls’ April occupancy of 34.6% is well below the US STR median of approximately 55%, but April is genuinely the off-season here. The market’s annual 2025 average occupancy of 51.4% is closer to national norms, while the 2025 annual average ADR of $322 is well above the national STR median of approximately $220. This ADR premium reflects Glacier National Park’s draw and the limited lodging supply in a constrained geographic corridor.
The market’s total score of 49.4 is below the other markets in this batch, reflecting the extreme seasonality (44.7) as the main drag. The revenue growth score of 80.7 is the strongest dimension, consistent with ADR having grown 58% from 2017 to 2025 ($204 to $322 annual average).
Stay Montana leads professional management with 167 listings and a 4.73 average rating across 2,350 reviews. Evolve operates 130 listings with a 4.82 average rating across 6,503 reviews, the highest-reviewed operator by volume. Vacasa manages 120 listings at 4.58, and Whitefish Mountain Resort Lodging operates 118 listings at 4.64. Natural Retreats rounds out the top five with 107 listings at a 4.82 average. Together the top three operators control 417 listings, approximately 7.4% of the 5,624 total active listings. The top five operators manage 642 listings combined.
Frequently Asked Questions About Columbia Falls, Montana
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Do I need a permit to run an STR in Columbia Falls, MT?
What are the short-term rental taxes in Columbia Falls, MT?
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