Saranac Lake, New York Short-Term Rental Market
Permit-capped Saranac Lake STRs averaged $344 ADR, 42.4% occupancy and $4,105 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Saranac Lake, New York is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Adirondacks market area is 42%. average monthly revenue in the Adirondacks market area is $4,105. average daily rate in the Adirondacks market area is $344. the top operator in the Adirondacks market area is Evolve with 166 listings. market score is 57/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Adirondacks regional market, which includes Saranac Lake. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Saranac Lake.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Saranac Lake is a village of 4,805 residents in the Adirondacks, and its short-term rental market is shaped as much by permit rules as by demand. Investors should start with the restrictions: operators need two permits, new permits go only to owners whose primary residence is inside the village, and the number of permits is capped villagewide. The details are in the regulatory section below.
In September 2026, the Saranac Lake STR market averaged an ADR of $344, occupancy of 42.4% and monthly revenue of $4,105 per listing. Compared with a year earlier, occupancy is up 19.9%, ADR is up 6.3% and revenue is up 21.1%. The year to date picture is similar: 2026 through September shows 46.2% occupancy, a $332 ADR and $4,143 in average monthly revenue, ahead of the full 2025 figures of 43.9%, $314 and $3,717.
The tracked supply is overwhelmingly whole homes. In the Saranac Lake area STR market, 6,130 listings are tracked: 5,887 (96.0%) are entire places, 241 are private rooms and 2 are shared rooms. By bedroom count, three-bedroom units are the largest group at 1,672 listings, followed by two-bedroom (1,502), one-bedroom (1,390), four-bedroom (907) and five-bedroom (653). On distribution, 2,746 listings appear on both Airbnb and Vrbo, 2,636 on Airbnb only and 748 on Vrbo only.
The overall market score for the area is 57.1 out of 100, with investability scoring 94.5, regulation scoring 70.6, revenue growth scoring 69.3 and seasonality scoring 49.0. The pattern is a market with strong returns on paper and a tightly managed path to getting a permit.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 39% |
| Feb | 51% |
| Mar | 33% |
| Apr | 36% |
| May | 44% |
| Jun | 53% |
| Jul | 70% |
| Aug | 68% |
| Sep | 42% |
| Oct | 42% |
| Nov | 32% |
| Dec | 47% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Saranac Lake are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Adirondacks market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Adirondacks market as a whole, which includes Saranac Lake, so these counts are not Saranac Lake-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 166 | 6,954 | ★ 4.77 |
| 2 | Adirondack By Owner | 97 | 3,146 | ★ 4.83 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 73 | 2,149 | ★ 4.58 |
| 4 | Northern Living | 66 | 2,311 | ★ 4.85 |
| 5 | Rocky Point Properties | 57 | 531 | ★ 4.82 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Saranac Lake?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Saranac Lake 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 | 43% |
| vrbo | 12.2% |
| both | 44.8% |
Home Value Trends (Saranac Lake)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Saranac Lake 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 Saranac Lake — 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 Saranac Lake, but the rules are among the more demanding in the region, and enforcement severity is rated moderate. Every operator needs two approvals: a Special Use Permit from the Village Development Board and a separate STR Permit from the STR Permit Administrator. The permit cost is not published in the data reviewed.
There are two categories. Hosted rentals are in the owner’s primary residence, with the owner staying overnight during the rental. Unhosted rentals are those where the owner is absent. A primary residence requirement applies: new permits, hosted or unhosted, go only to property owners whose primary residence is inside the Village of Saranac Lake, verified at application.
The village caps the number of permits. May 2025 amendments replaced district-based caps with two villagewide caps, one for hosted and one for unhosted rentals, with the hosted cap expected to be higher. A 200-foot buffer, measured from the parcel boundary, bars a new STR near an existing or newly approved STR property. Districts E1, E2, E3, B1, B2, B3, B4, G, L3 and the cabin colony HOA within K2 are excluded from the buffer, which covers downtown, Lake Flower Avenue and AMA Way, where the village encourages STRs in commercial areas.
Permits expire each January 31. The renewal window runs from November 1 through January 15. An occupancy tax of 5% applies. Bill 54-2026 addresses Development Board recommendations for 2026 permit allocations, so confirm current availability with the village before making an offer.
Market Comparison
Occupancy of 42.4% in September 2026 pairs with a $344 ADR, so rate does much of the work in this market.
That pattern fits a seasonal, destination market. The peak months of July and August reach 70.4% and 68.4% occupancy, but eight months of the year sit below 50%, so the annual average is dragged down. Revenue growth of 21.1% year over year is a positive sign, and occupancy is recovering from 43.6% in 2024 to 46.2% in 2026 through September.
Operators in the Saranac Lake area STR market are led by Evolve with 166 listings and a 4.77 rating. Adirondack By Owner follows with 97 listings and a 4.83 rating, then Vacasa with 73 listings and a 4.58 rating, Northern Living with 66 listings and a 4.85 rating, and Rocky Point Properties with 57 listings and a 4.82 rating. Local operators hold higher ratings than the national platform managers, so guest experience is a competitive point. Investors should expect to compete on quality as well as price.
Frequently Asked Questions About Saranac Lake, New York
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