Ruidoso, New Mexico Short-Term Rental Market
Ruidoso short-term rentals averaged $261 ADR, 37.3% occupancy and $2,709 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Ruidoso, New Mexico is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Ruidoso market area is 37%. average monthly revenue in the Ruidoso market area is $2,709. average daily rate in the Ruidoso market area is $261. the top operator in the Ruidoso market area is Evolve with 199 listings. market score is 88/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the wider Ruidoso market, which covers 3 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Ruidoso.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
As of September 2026, the Ruidoso, New Mexico short-term rental market averaged an ADR of $261, occupancy of 37.3% and revenue of $2,709 per listing for the month. Year over year, occupancy is up 20.1%, ADR is up 3.7% and revenue is up 22.1%, so most of the gain came from more booked nights rather than higher rates.
The Ruidoso area STR market tracks about 1,819 listings. Entire places make up 1,804 of them and private rooms make up 15, so this is almost entirely a whole-home market. By channel, 1,138 listings appear on both Airbnb and Vrbo, 593 are on Airbnb only and 88 are on Vrbo only. By bedroom count, three-bedroom homes are the largest group at 574 listings, followed by two-bedroom homes at 507, one-bedroom units at 336, four-bedroom homes at 258 and five-bedroom homes at 142.
Demand has a clear local source. Ruidoso is a mountain resort village with a full-time population of 7,699 and roughly 1.9 million annual visitors. Visitors come mainly from Texas, New Mexico and the wider Southwest for Ski Apache, hiking, fishing, golf and quarter horse racing at Ruidoso Downs. The village swells to about 25,000 people in peak periods, and an estimated 60% of housing units are second or vacation homes. The June 2024 South Fork and Salt Fires and the flooding that followed disrupted that summer, and visitor counts rebounded in 2025.
The market score for Ruidoso is 87.95 overall. Revenue growth scores 97.6, seasonality 82.0, investability 79.8, regulation 76.0 and rental demand 45.6. The low rental demand score matches the occupancy figure, while rates hold up well. The sections below cover investment returns, seasonality, regulations and how the market compares with its own history.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 33% |
| Feb | 33% |
| Mar | 41% |
| Apr | 28% |
| May | 38% |
| Jun | 45% |
| Jul | 50% |
| Aug | 45% |
| Sep | 37% |
| Oct | 35% |
| Nov | 39% |
| Dec | 48% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Ruidoso are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Ruidoso market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Ruidoso market as a whole, which includes Ruidoso, so these counts are not Ruidoso-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 199 | 13,088 | ★ 4.71 |
| 2 | Ruidoso Vacation Rentals by Vtrips | 158 | 4,567 | ★ 4.49 |
| 3 | Hummingbird Cabins | 104 | 5,243 | ★ 4.65 |
| 4 | Cozy Cabins Real Estate, LLC | 86 | 2,346 | ★ 4.68 |
| 5 | Upper Canyon Lodging Co | 84 | 2,573 | ★ 4.50 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Ruidoso?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Ruidoso 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 | 32.6% |
| vrbo | 4.8% |
| both | 62.6% |
Home Value Trends (Ruidoso)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Ruidoso 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 Ruidoso — 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 the Village of Ruidoso, with a permit. Rentals of fewer than 30 consecutive nights are covered by Ordinance 2025-01, adopted in February 2025. Operators need a Village of Ruidoso Short-Term Rental Permit and a New Mexico CRS business registration for Gross Receipts Tax. The permit costs $300 per year, which covers the permit, inspection and notifications, and it renews annually. Annual compliance inspections are mandatory, and a failed inspection carries a $50 reinspection fee.
The village does not require owner occupancy or primary residence status, and it does not publish a cap on nights per year. STRs are allowed in most established residential dwelling units. They are prohibited in RVs, tents, garages, boats, commercial or industrial buildings and live-work units. Occupancy is capped at 2 adults per sleeping unit, and each sleeping unit needs at least one off-street parking space.
Operators must collect and remit a 5% lodgers tax on stays of 29 days or fewer, in addition to New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax. Filings and documentation go through the Village’s online portal (Deckard), which launched in September 2025. Paper filings are no longer accepted.
Safety rules include working smoke alarms on every level and in sleeping areas, fire extinguishers, an unobstructed exit path and posted emergency contact information. A working NOAA Weather Radio became mandatory in every unit on February 6, 2026.
Enforcement is rated moderate and uses a three-strike system. A third violation can lead to suspension or revocation of the permit. The village runs a 24/7 complaint hotline at 575-315-8354 and uses listing-scraping tools to find unregistered rentals. Its 2023 and 2024 enforcement push raised compliance by 38% and added $673,000 in collected taxes. Confirm current rules with the Village before buying.
Market Comparison
Ruidoso shows a rate-led profile. Occupancy is 37.3% as of September 2026 and ADR is $261. Rates hold up better than occupancy, which is typical of a mountain resort town where many properties are cabins and larger homes.
The trend is better than the level. Occupancy is up 20.1% year over year and revenue is up 22.1%, while ADR is up 3.7%. Annual occupancy of 39.4% in 2026 through September remains below the 2020 to 2023 range of 42.4% to 45.3%, so demand has not fully returned to its earlier level.
The seasonal average shows July at 49.8% and December at 47.7%. Ruidoso therefore works best for owners who price for revenue per night and plan for lower occupancy.
The operator landscape is concentrated at the top. Evolve leads with 199 listings and a 4.7 rating across 13,088 reviews. Ruidoso Vacation Rentals by Vtrips follows with 158 listings, then Hummingbird Cabins with 104, Cozy Cabins Real Estate with 86 and Upper Canyon Lodging Co with 84. Together the top five manage 631 listings, which is about 35% of the tracked supply. Independent owners can still compete, but they will face experienced managers on pricing and reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ruidoso, New Mexico
What is the average Airbnb ADR in Ruidoso, NM?
What is the occupancy rate for short-term rentals in Ruidoso?
Do you need a permit to run an Airbnb in Ruidoso?
What is the gross yield on a Ruidoso short-term rental?
What are the best months for Ruidoso short-term rentals?
How far ahead do guests book in Ruidoso and how long do they stay?
How much does a home cost in Ruidoso?
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