Fargo, North Dakota Short-Term Rental Market
Fargo Airbnb hosts earned $2,608 monthly at a $151 ADR and 63.4% occupancy in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Fargo, North Dakota is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the North Dakota Area market area is 63%. average monthly revenue in the North Dakota Area market area is $2,608. average daily rate in the North Dakota Area market area is $151. the top operator in the North Dakota Area market area is Leavetown with 51 listings. market score is 91/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the North Dakota Area regional market, which includes Fargo. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Fargo.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Fargo, North Dakota is the largest city in the state and the commercial, healthcare, education and cultural hub of the Fargo-Moorhead metro, home to North Dakota State University. With a population of 138,574, it draws event and convention traffic to the Fargodome, business travelers, sports teams, and regional leisure visitors from the Upper Midwest. This profile uses data through September 2026. In September 2026, the average Fargo short-term rental earned an ADR of $151 at 63.4% occupancy, producing $2,608 in monthly revenue. Compared with September 2025, occupancy rose 5.9%, ADR rose 6.8%, and revenue rose 11.3%. That is growth from both rate and demand rather than from price alone. The Fargo area STR market tracks 1,781 listings. Entire places make up 1,587 of them (89.1%) and private rooms make up 194 (10.9%). By bedroom count, one-bedroom units lead with 583 listings, followed by 531 two-bedroom, 391 three-bedroom, 202 four-bedroom and 71 five-bedroom listings. On distribution, 1,119 listings are on Airbnb only, 130 are on Vrbo only, and 532 appear on both platforms. The mix leans toward small and mid-sized units, which suits the business and event travelers who drive much of the demand. Calendar year averages show steady progress. Average monthly revenue was $1,946 in 2023, $2,142 in 2024 and $2,198 in 2025. The first nine months of 2026 average $2,328 per month, with ADR at $144 and occupancy at 59.9%. Visitors are largely drive-market regional travelers, event and convention attendees, and university-related traffic, so demand follows events, the academic calendar and the summer travel season. Investors should read these figures as market averages across all tracked listings, not as a forecast for any single property.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 47% |
| Feb | 52% |
| Mar | 53% |
| Apr | 54% |
| May | 58% |
| Jun | 65% |
| Jul | 65% |
| Aug | 61% |
| Sep | 59% |
| Oct | 61% |
| Nov | 52% |
| Dec | 50% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Fargo are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in North Dakota Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the North Dakota Area market as a whole, which includes Fargo, so these counts are not Fargo-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leavetown | 51 | 48 | ★ 3.92 |
| 2 | Salvestr | 41 | 4,129 | ★ 4.67 |
| 3 | Hytter | 26 | 811 | ★ 4.34 |
| 4 | Guardian Property Management | 23 | 881 | ★ 4.90 |
| 5 | Evolve | 18 | 685 | ★ 4.67 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Fargo?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Fargo 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 | 62.8% |
| vrbo | 7.3% |
| both | 29.9% |
Home Value Trends (Fargo)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Fargo 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 Fargo — 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
Fargo is one of the more permissive short-term rental environments in the country. Short-term rentals are permitted, and the city does not require an STR permit, license or registration. There is no owner-occupancy requirement, no primary-residence requirement, and no stated cap on rental nights per year. Fargo has no STR-specific zoning overlay. Short-term rentals generally operate in residential and mixed-use zones and are subject to standard parking and property-maintenance codes. Stays of 30 days or less are treated as taxable lodging. Operators must register with the North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner and collect and remit taxes, including the 5% state sales tax and the City of Fargo local lodging tax, listed at 3%. Airbnb collects and remits the lodging tax automatically, and additional city and county sales taxes apply to the combined lodging bill. Fargo’s city sales tax rose 0.25% to 2.25% effective April 1, 2025. Enforcement severity is minimal. It is complaint-based and focused on noise, parking, nuisance and property-maintenance issues, with fines cited in the roughly $50 to $250 range. Investors should note that neighboring West Fargo is a separate city. In 2025 it advanced an ordinance that would require STRs to be the owner’s primary residence, with a first reading passing 3 to 2 in June 2025 and later readings tabled. That ordinance does not apply within Fargo city limits. Because Fargo has no formal STR code, the rules could change, and hosts should confirm tax obligations directly with state and city authorities.
Market Comparison
Fargo is a volume-driven market that relies on steady demand from business, event and university visitors, rather than premium nightly pricing. September 2026 occupancy was 63.4% at a $151 ADR. The market is also reasonably concentrated among a few operators. In the Fargo area STR market, the largest operator by listings is Leavetown with 51 listings and a 3.9 rating, followed by Salvestr with 41 listings and a 4.7 rating, Hytter with 26 listings and a 4.3 rating, Guardian Property Management with 23 listings and a 4.9 rating, and Evolve with 18 listings and a 4.7 rating. Together these five operators manage 159 of the 1,781 tracked listings, about 8.9%, so most of the market is run by independent hosts. That leaves room for a well-run new listing, though the ratings of the best operators show the quality standard guests expect. With 11.3% year-over-year revenue growth, Fargo is a steady-demand, lower-rate market that suits investors focused on occupancy and moderate entry prices.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fargo, North Dakota
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