Rochester, New York Short-Term Rental Market
Rochester caps owner-occupied STRs at 90 nights; September 2026 ADR $149, occupancy 60.0%, revenue $2,512 monthly.
Quick Answer: Rochester, New York is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Rochester market area is 60%. average monthly revenue in the Rochester market area is $2,512. average daily rate in the Rochester market area is $149. the top operator in the Rochester market area is LaTray Stays with 35 listings. market score is 66/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the wider Rochester market, which covers 2 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Rochester.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Rochester’s short-term rental rules come first. The city requires an annual permit, limits rentals to the operator’s owner-occupied primary residence, and caps rentals at 90 days per year. Against that backdrop, the market data for September 2026 shows an average daily rate of $149, occupancy of 60.0%, and average monthly revenue of $2,512 per listing. Compared with a year earlier, occupancy is up 2.0%, ADR is up 3.3%, and revenue is up 5.1%.
The Rochester area STR market tracks 2,585 listings. Entire places make up 1,983 of them (76.7%), private rooms account for 601 (23.2%), and there is one shared room. By size, 1-bedroom units lead with 1,197 listings (46.3%), followed by 581 two-bedroom, 480 three-bedroom, 219 four-bedroom, and 108 five-bedroom listings. On distribution, 1,711 listings are on Airbnb only, 109 are on Vrbo only, and 765 appear on both platforms.
Rochester is the tourism hub of Monroe County and the greater Finger Lakes region, marketed by Visit Rochester. The area drew roughly 1.97 million visitors in 2023 and generates about $1.5 billion in annual tourism and hospitality economic impact for the county. Visitors skew toward leisure travelers drawn by museums, festivals and Finger Lakes wine country, plus meeting, convention and university-related business travel tied to the University of Rochester and RIT. Peak demand comes in summer and during fall foliage season. The city itself has a population of 207,287.
StaySTRA’s market score for the area is 66.2 overall, with rental demand at 68.6, seasonality at 68.7, regulation at 69.2 and revenue growth at 52.4. Those scores describe the market data. The owner-occupancy requirement narrows who can legally act on it.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 48% |
| Feb | 57% |
| Mar | 58% |
| Apr | 61% |
| May | 63% |
| Jun | 66% |
| Jul | 73% |
| Aug | 72% |
| Sep | 59% |
| Oct | 61% |
| Nov | 56% |
| Dec | 54% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Rochester are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Rochester market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Rochester market as a whole, which includes Rochester, so these counts are not Rochester-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LaTray Stays | 35 | 3,080 | ★ 4.86 |
| 2 | RocHostel | 32 | 646 | ★ 4.25 |
| 3 | Evolve | 30 | 1,176 | ★ 4.78 |
| 4 | BnBUsa-net | 24 | 359 | ★ 4.17 |
| 5 | Aventus | 22 | 1,288 | ★ 4.32 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Rochester?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Rochester 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 | 66.2% |
| vrbo | 4.2% |
| both | 29.6% |
Home Value Trends (Rochester)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Rochester 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 Rochester — 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
Rochester is restrictive for investors. STRs must be owner-occupied and the operator’s primary residence, so pure investment or second-home rentals are not permitted. Non-owner-occupied units are prohibited.
The City of Rochester requires a Short-Term Rental permit, effective January 1, 2023, which is renewed annually. The permit cost is not published in the data we hold. Applicants submit proof of ownership, a floor plan, proof of liability insurance and the permit fee, and must meet safety requirements such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers. Listings must display the approved permit number when advertised.
Rentals are capped at 90 rental days per year. Occupancy is limited to two guests per legal bedroom plus two additional per unit, up to a maximum of 12 people. One off-street parking space per unit is required, and quiet hours run from 10pm to 7am. The city has also considered further limits in certain residential and commercial districts (RM1, RM2, CBD, B1, O1 and O2).
Enforcement is rated strict. Violations can lead to permit revocation and fines reported at up to $10,000.
On top of the city permit, operators must register with the New York State short-term rental registry, with statewide compliance phased in during 2025 and a registry deadline around March 25, 2025. Operators also collect the Monroe County Hotel Room Occupancy Tax of 6% on stays of 29 nights or fewer.
This summary is not legal advice. Confirm current rules with the City of Rochester before buying or listing.
Market Comparison
Rochester presents a split picture. Occupancy of 60.0% is solid and ADR of $149 is moderate. The market fills well but at modest rates, with a strong summer season and weak winters.
Revenue per listing relies on occupancy as much as on rate. Average monthly revenue is $2,512, and the year-over-year gains in occupancy (2.0%), ADR (3.3%) and revenue (5.1%) show steady improvement rather than a sharp swing.
The operator landscape is fragmented. The five largest operators tracked in the Rochester area STR market are LaTray Stays with 35 listings and a 4.9 rating, RocHostel with 32 listings and a 4.2 rating, Evolve with 30 listings and a 4.8 rating, BnBUsa-net with 24 listings and a 4.2 rating, and Aventus with 22 listings and a 4.3 rating. Together they manage 143 listings, about 5.5% of the 2,585 tracked, so no single company dominates.
The larger comparison point is regulation. Many US markets let investors scale portfolios. Rochester does not, because of the owner-occupancy rule and the 90-day cap, which makes the headline numbers less relevant to non-resident buyers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rochester, New York
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