Missoula, Montana Short-Term Rental Market
Missoula short-term rentals averaged $205 ADR, 62.3% occupancy and $3,583 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Missoula, Montana is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Missoula market area is 62%. average monthly revenue in the Missoula market area is $3,583. average daily rate in the Missoula market area is $205. the top operator in the Missoula market area is MountainTown VRM with 44 listings. market score is 57/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the wider Missoula market, which covers 2 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Missoula.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Missoula, Montana is a university and outdoor recreation town of about 79,000 residents, and its short-term rental market posted solid numbers in September 2026, the latest month in the data. The average daily rate (ADR) across all listings was $205, occupancy was 62.3%, and the average listing earned $3,583 for the month. Compared with September 2025, ADR is up 8.2% and revenue is up 5.7%, while occupancy is essentially flat at -0.3%. That means recent growth has come from pricing rather than additional booked nights. Across the full seasonal cycle, the average listing earns about $27,976 a year, calculated from the sum of the twelve monthly seasonal averages.
The Missoula area STR market tracks 946 listings. Entire places dominate with 865 listings, followed by 78 private rooms and 3 shared rooms. By size, one-bedroom units are the largest group at 401 listings, then 267 two-bedroom, 174 three-bedroom, 75 four-bedroom and 28 five-bedroom listings. On distribution, 460 listings are on Airbnb only, 75 are on Vrbo only, and 411 appear on both platforms.
Demand comes from roughly 3.1 million annual visitors, about 1.1 million of whom stay at least one night. Travelers include anglers, hikers and rafters using the Clark Fork and Blackfoot rivers, University of Montana visitors for sports and events, and festival and music audiences downtown. Missoula also sees pass-through traffic on I-90 and about 176,000 nonresident arrivals at Missoula Montana Airport each year.
The longer view is worth noting. Annual occupancy peaked at 72.1% in 2021 and has settled between 57% and 60% since 2023, while annual ADR has climbed from $138 in 2021 to $191 so far in 2026. Investors should read Missoula as a rate-driven market with a strong summer.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 44% |
| Feb | 52% |
| Mar | 54% |
| Apr | 57% |
| May | 64% |
| Jun | 76% |
| Jul | 80% |
| Aug | 76% |
| Sep | 66% |
| Oct | 58% |
| Nov | 49% |
| Dec | 46% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Missoula are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Missoula market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Missoula market as a whole, which includes Missoula, so these counts are not Missoula-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MountainTown VRM | 44 | 3,514 | ★ 4.94 |
| 2 | Plum Property Management | 16 | 1,180 | ★ 4.86 |
| 3 | Evolve | 10 | 635 | ★ 4.84 |
| 4 | Vector Travel | 10 | 156 | ★ 4.41 |
| 5 | Stay Wild BNB | 8 | 1,761 | ★ 4.86 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Missoula?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Missoula 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 | 48.6% |
| vrbo | 7.9% |
| both | 43.4% |
Home Value Trends (Missoula)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Missoula 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 Missoula — 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 are legal in Missoula. A dwelling rented for fewer than 28 consecutive days to guests whose primary residence is elsewhere requires a City of Missoula Short-Term Rental Registration number, classified as a Tourist Home registration. The 2025 application fee was $636, renewed annually, with registrations expiring January 31. The city reported a sharp fee increase for 2025.
There is no cap on nights per year, no owner-occupancy requirement and no primary-residence requirement, so non-owner-occupied tourist homes are allowed. Operators in residential (R) zones must submit a Neighbor Notification list covering parcels one deep around the property. Room rentals within an owner-occupied home are treated differently and are excluded from tourist-home rules. Zoning is governed by Title 20.
Beyond city registration, hosts need a Public Accommodations License from the Missoula City-County Health Department, a Lodging Facility Sales and Use Tax account with the Montana Department of Revenue, and a completed Safety Self-Inspection Checklist. The city replaced in-person inspections with self-inspection in late 2024. The occupancy tax is a combined 8% statewide Lodging Facility Sales and Use Tax, and Missoula imposes no additional local bed tax.
Since December 5, 2024, platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo must verify a valid registration number before accepting bookings. New registrations rose to roughly 160 between September 2024 and January 2025, versus about 25 a year in 2022 and 2023. Enforcement is rated moderate and is complaint-driven, and repeated violations can result in revocation of the right to operate. Confirm current rules with the City before buying.
Market Comparison
Missoula’s September 2026 occupancy was 62.3% at a $205 ADR. The luxury tier averaged $315 and the professionally managed tier averaged $247.
Monthly revenue of $3,583 reflects that 62.3% occupancy. Seasonality is strong, with occupancy ranging from 43.8% in January to 79.6% in July, so any single month overstates or understates the yearly pace.
The operator landscape is led by MountainTown VRM with 44 listings, 3,514 reviews and a 4.94 rating. Plum Property Management follows with 16 listings and a 4.86 rating, then Evolve with 10 listings and Vector Travel with 10 listings, and Stay Wild BNB with 8 listings and 1,761 reviews. The top five operators manage 88 of the 946 tracked listings, about 9%, so the market remains largely independent hosts. That leaves room for new operators and self-managing owners.
Frequently Asked Questions About Missoula, Montana
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