Tucson, Arizona Short-Term Rental Market
Tucson STRs averaged $172/night at 55.8% occupancy in April 2026, with revenue up 5.0% year-over-year despite a 4.1-point occupancy dip.
Quick Answer: Tucson, Arizona is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 56%. average monthly revenue is $2,876. average daily rate is $172. the top operator is Vacasa with 308 listings. market score is 51/100 (grade D).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Tucson, Arizona’s second-largest city with a population of 554,011, draws STR demand from Saguaro National Park (946,000 visits in 2024), the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the University of Arizona, and a UNESCO City of Gastronomy designation that attracts culinary travelers. Pima County visitor spending reached approximately $2.75 billion in the 2022-2023 fiscal year. The STR inventory totals approximately 7,536 active listings: 6,872 entire-place properties (91.2%), 654 private rooms, and 10 shared rooms. By bedroom count: 1-bedroom (2,617 listings), 2-bedroom (2,125), 3-bedroom (1,752), 4-bedroom (788), and 5-bedroom or more (243). Channel distribution shows 3,638 listings on Airbnb only, 3,209 on both Airbnb and VRBO, and 689 on VRBO only. The average daily rate in April 2026 was $172, and average occupancy was 55.8%, producing a RevPAR of $96.03. Year-over-year, occupancy declined 4.1 percentage points while ADR rose 3.3% and revenue increased 5.0%, reflecting a market where rate gains are more than offsetting occupancy softness. The overall investment score is 50.9 out of 100, with rental demand scoring notably higher at 83.0.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71% | $140 | $2,527 |
| Feb | 81% | $156 | $3,029 |
| Mar | 77% | $154 | $3,238 |
| Apr | 60% | $139 | $2,368 |
| May | 54% | $125 | $1,891 |
| Jun | 55% | $110 | $1,725 |
| Jul | 63% | $107 | $1,798 |
| Aug | 62% | $107 | $1,806 |
| Sep | 58% | $110 | $1,675 |
| Oct | 61% | $128 | $2,039 |
| Nov | 64% | $135 | $2,291 |
| Dec | 62% | $137 | $2,327 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Tucson
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 308 | 7,526 | ★ 4.62 |
| 2 | Evolve | 218 | 6,689 | ★ 4.73 |
| 3 | AZ Roots Management | 91 | 4,902 | ★ 4.91 |
| 4 | Barrio Rentals | 85 | 5,349 | ★ 4.83 |
| 5 | Fig & Toast LLC | 81 | 5,087 | ★ 4.86 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Tucson?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,617 |
| 2 bed | 2,125 |
| 3 bed | 1,752 |
| 4 bed | 788 |
| 5 bed | 243 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $179 |
| Luxury | $311 |
| Professionally Managed | $215 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,307 |
| Entire Place | $3,000 |
| House | $3,102 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 48.3% |
| vrbo | 9.1% |
| both | 42.6% |
Investment Analysis
Tucson is one of the more accessible STR entry markets in Arizona. The Zillow typical home value is $325,000. Average monthly STR revenue in April 2026 was $2,876, which annualizes to approximately $34,509. The gross revenue yield on a typical home is approximately 10.6%, though that figure excludes management fees, property taxes, and capital costs. Houses averaged $3,102/month, compared to $3,000 for entire-place listings broadly and $2,307 for apartments. Professionally managed properties averaged $215/night versus the all-listings ADR of $172, a 25% premium. Luxury-tier properties reached $311/night. Revenue grew 5.0% year-over-year in April 2026 despite a 4.1-point occupancy decline, indicating that ADR growth is driving the income improvement. The 2025 annual average revenue of $2,590 was the highest on record, up from $2,538 in 2024. Investors should note that Tucson’s combined lodging tax rose from approximately 12.1% to 16.1% effective March 1, 2026, under Ordinance 12215. This is a meaningful cost shift for operators and should be factored into revenue projections. The housing market shows 3,149 active listings for sale with a median 30 days to pending, offering more selection than the Phoenix metro and more time to evaluate purchases.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Tucson STR guests book an average of 45 days in advance and stay an average of 5.3 nights. The 45-day lead time gives operators a clear 6-week forward pricing window, which is particularly useful for capturing the high-occupancy February and March peak at rate-maximizing prices. The 5.3-night average stay is above the national short-term rental average and suggests a significant share of extended stays — consistent with snowbird visits, university-related travel, and desert recreation trips that stretch over a week. Operators who structure weekly pricing tiers alongside nightly rates can target both the leisure weekend segment and the extended-stay segment without sacrificing rate in either window.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Tucson is one of Arizona’s most permissive STR markets. Arizona Revised Statutes 9-500.39 bars the city from banning, capping, or zoning out short-term rentals. Tucson has not enacted additional STR-specific zoning restrictions beyond the state framework. Operators must hold two licenses: a City of Tucson General Business License ($25 one-time application fee plus $70 annual renewal, total initial cost $95) and an Arizona Department of Revenue Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) license. No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies. No cap on rental nights per year exists. No Pima County permit is required for properties within Tucson city limits (a separate 6.1% county lodging tax applies only in unincorporated Pima County, not within city limits). Enforcement severity is rated minimal. Important change effective March 1, 2026: Tucson City Council adopted Ordinance 12215 in December 2025, creating a new 10% city occupational license tax on transient non-hotel facilities (vacation and short-term rentals). The combined STR lodging tax increased from approximately 12.1% to 16.1% on that date. The 16.1% breaks down as: 5.5% Arizona state TPT, 0.55% Pima County transportation excise tax, and 10.0% Tucson city STR occupational license tax.
Market Comparison
The US STR market median occupancy is approximately 55% and median ADR approximately $220. Tucson’s April 2026 occupancy of 55.8% is near the national median, while the $172 ADR is below it, reflecting Tucson’s lower home values and a more price-sensitive demand base than resort or gateway markets. The February peak of 81.0% occupancy puts Tucson among the top-performing months for any major desert market. Professionally managed listings at $215/night represent a 25% rate premium over the market average but still trail the national median ADR. On the operator side, Vacasa leads with 308 listings and 7,526 reviews at a 4.62 average rating. Evolve holds 218 listings at a 4.73 rating. AZ Roots Management manages 91 listings with the highest rating among the top three at 4.91. These top three operators collectively hold 617 listings, approximately 8% of the 7,536-listing market. Rental demand scores at 83.0 out of 100, meaningfully above total score (50.9), indicating that demand fundamentals are stronger than overall market conditions suggest.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tucson, Arizona
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