Red River, New Mexico Short-Term Rental Market
Red River's Taos County STR market averaged $245 ADR, 46.4% occupancy and $3,132 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Red River, New Mexico is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Taos market area is 46%. average monthly revenue in the Taos market area is $3,132. average daily rate in the Taos market area is $245. the top operator in the Taos market area is Vacasa with 239 listings. market score is 49/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Taos regional market, which includes Red River. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Red River.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Red River is a year-round mountain resort town in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of Taos County, New Mexico. It has a permanent population of 563 and draws about 450,000 visitors a year, so the rental market is driven almost entirely by tourism rather than local demand. Performance figures in this profile describe the Taos County STR market, a shared regional series that also covers El Prado, 21 miles away, rather than a series unique to Red River.
As of September 2026, the average daily rate across all listings in the Taos County STR market was $245, with occupancy at 46.4% and average monthly revenue of $3,132 per listing. Entire-home listings averaged a higher $249 ADR. Compared with September 2025, occupancy is up 8.3%, ADR is up 4.2% and revenue is up 1.7%. Occupancy is recovering faster than rates, which suggests demand is firming while pricing power stays modest.
The longer view is more mixed. Annual average occupancy peaked at 56.4% in 2021 and has eased each year since, to 48.1% in 2025 and 46.7% across the first nine months of 2026. Annual ADR moved the other way, rising from $233 in 2021 to $272 in 2025 and $277 so far in 2026. Average monthly revenue was $3,603 in 2025 and $3,599 year to date in 2026. In other words, the market has leaned on higher rates to offset softer occupancy.
The area is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Red River, so this profile omits bedroom mix, booking channel mix, listing-type counts and operator rankings. Demand is anchored by the Red River Ski & Summer Area, the surrounding Carson National Forest, trout fishing on the Red River, and a festival calendar that includes a January songwriters festival and an August bluegrass festival. Visitors skew toward Texas and Oklahoma road-trip travelers, which supports both winter and summer stays.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 42% |
| Feb | 54% |
| Mar | 50% |
| Apr | 27% |
| May | 51% |
| Jun | 57% |
| Jul | 63% |
| Aug | 53% |
| Sep | 46% |
| Oct | 46% |
| Nov | 37% |
| Dec | 57% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Red River are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Taos market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Taos market as a whole, which includes Red River, so these counts are not Red River-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 239 | 7,221 | ★ 4.38 |
| 2 | Evolve | 186 | 7,989 | ★ 4.71 |
| 3 | Resort Properties | 148 | 1,996 | ★ 4.66 |
| 4 | M Vacation | 142 | 3,424 | ★ 4.56 |
| 5 | Abode Vacation | 93 | 4,053 | ★ 4.82 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Red River?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Red River 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 | 27.9% |
| vrbo | 9.9% |
| both | 62.2% |
Home Value Trends (Red River)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Red River 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 Red River — 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 permitted in Red River, but every rental under 30 days requires a Short-Term Residential Rental Permit from the Town, applied for through the Planning & Zoning Department. The rules come from an ordinance adopted by the Town Council on February 28, 2023, built on the 2022-01 draft.
Short-term rentals are allowed in the R1A and R3 residential zones, along with resort and commercial areas. The permit is valid for one calendar year and must be renewed annually with a new application and any required Fire Department and Planning & Zoning inspections. No permit is issued unless the structure passes a Fire Department safety inspection covering items such as smoke and CO detectors and extinguishers. Applications typically require proof of ownership, a floor plan, liability insurance, a parking plan and emergency contacts. The permit fee is not published in the data available.
Occupancy is capped at two persons over age 12 per bedroom unless a higher number is authorized on the permit. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, and no stated cap on the number of permits or nights per year.
Operators must pay the Town’s 5% Lodgers’ Tax and New Mexico gross receipts tax. Airbnb and VRBO collect state-administered taxes automatically.
Enforcement is rated moderate and is largely complaint-driven. Violations carry fines of $25 to $500 and/or up to 90 days imprisonment, and repeat offenders can face permit suspension or revocation. Taos County also adopted its own STR ordinance in 2024 for unincorporated areas, which matters for properties just outside town limits. Confirm current requirements with the Town before buying.
Market Comparison
The Taos County STR market that includes Red River shows a seasonal picture, with a $245 ADR and 46.4% occupancy in September 2026.
That pattern fits a seasonal mountain destination. Occupancy reaches 63.4% in July but falls to 27.5% in April and 36.8% in November. Rates are strongest in December ($304) and the winter-to-March ski stretch ($277 to $290), when demand is concentrated around snow conditions.
Trend direction is encouraging. Occupancy is up 8.3% and ADR up 4.2% year over year. Even so, average annual occupancy has slid from 56.4% in 2021 to 46.7% in 2026 so far.
The market is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Red River, so this profile omits it from operator rankings and bedroom and channel counts. Investors comparing Red River with other markets should weigh the higher rates against lower occupancy, the wide seasonal swing and the annual permit and inspection requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions About Red River, New Mexico
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