Great Falls, Montana Short-Term Rental Market
Great Falls, MT STRs averaged $158/night at 42.9% occupancy in April 2026 across approximately 4,408 active listings.
Quick Answer: Great Falls, Montana is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Montana Area market area is 57%. average monthly revenue in the Montana Area market area is $3,539. average daily rate in the Montana Area market area is $218. the top operator in the Montana Area market area is Evolve with 167 listings. market score is 53/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Montana Area regional market, which includes Great Falls. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Great Falls.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Great Falls anchors a broad central Montana STR market, drawing visitors for outdoor recreation along the Missouri River, Lewis and Clark heritage tourism, Western art, and regional events including the Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit Finals. The market contained approximately 4,408 active listings as of the latest snapshot, led by entire-place units at 4,124, with private rooms accounting for 284.
Bedroom supply skews toward one- and two-bedroom properties, with 1,525 and 1,256 listings respectively, followed by 955 three-bedroom, 422 four-bedroom, and 237 five-plus-bedroom units. On the channel side, 2,126 listings appear exclusively on Airbnb, 459 exclusively on VRBO, and 1,823 are cross-listed on both platforms. For April 2026, the all-listing ADR was $158.40 and occupancy reached 42.9%, producing a RevPAR of $67.92. Year over year, occupancy was essentially flat at +0.2 percentage points, while ADR grew 2.8% and average monthly revenue rose 2.0% to $1,790. The market’s total score of 52.9 reflects solid investability (71.2) and rental demand (62.7) against a backdrop of moderate seasonality (65.9).
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 38% |
| Feb | 46% |
| Mar | 46% |
| Apr | 43% |
| May | 52% |
| Jun | 64% |
| Jul | 66% |
| Aug | 59% |
| Sep | 52% |
| Oct | 45% |
| Nov | 47% |
| Dec | 42% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Great Falls are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Montana Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Montana Area market as a whole, which includes Great Falls, so these counts are not Great Falls-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 167 | 7,613 | ★ 4.84 |
| 2 | AAA Red Lodge Rentals | 45 | 3,512 | ★ 4.92 |
| 3 | Red Lodge Reservations | 32 | 1,818 | ★ 4.89 |
| 4 | Alpine Basin Homes | 30 | 881 | ★ 4.95 |
| 5 | Anaconda Pintler Property Services | 30 | 713 | ★ 4.95 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Great Falls?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Great 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 | 48.2% |
| vrbo | 10.4% |
| both | 41.4% |
Home Value Trends (Great Falls)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Great 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 Great 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
Great Falls is one of the more permissive STR markets in Montana. As of the latest available information, the city has no dedicated STR ordinance, no STR-specific permit, no cap on rental nights, and no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirements at the city level.
Regulation is primarily driven by the state of Montana. STR operators must obtain a Montana Public Accommodation License from the Department of Public Health and Human Services and meet basic public-accommodation standards covering potable water, wastewater, sanitation, and a guest registry. All hosts must register with the Montana Department of Revenue and remit the combined 8% state lodging tax (4% Lodging Facility Use Tax plus 4% Lodging Sales Tax) on stays under 30 days. Platforms like Airbnb and VRBO typically collect and remit this tax automatically. There is no additional local resort or tourism tax in Great Falls. Operators should confirm address-specific zoning requirements with the city Planning and Community Development Department, as the city updated its business-license process effective January 1, 2025. Enforcement severity is rated minimal overall.
Market Comparison
The national STR median occupancy is approximately 55%, making Great Falls’s April 2026 rate of 42.9% below the national benchmark, though April is historically the softest month in this market. The 2025 annual average occupancy of 50.0% is closer to the national norm. The all-listing ADR of $158.40 is below the national median of approximately $220, consistent with Great Falls’s positioning as a non-resort regional city rather than a high-demand leisure destination.
Among area operators, Evolve leads with 167 listings and 7,613 reviews at a 4.84 average rating, holding approximately 3.8% of the roughly 4,408-listing market. AAA Red Lodge Rentals ranks second with 45 listings and 3,512 reviews at 4.92, and Red Lodge Reservations holds 32 listings with 1,818 reviews at 4.89. The top five managers together operate 304 listings, or about 6.9% of the market. The permissive regulatory environment (regulation score 70.4) and investor-friendly cost structure make Great Falls a lower-barrier entry market compared to Bozeman or Whitefish.
Frequently Asked Questions About Great Falls, Montana
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Do I need a permit to operate a short-term rental in Great Falls, MT?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Great Falls?
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What is the average monthly STR revenue in Great Falls, MT?
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