Ashford, Washington Short-Term Rental Market
Ashford WA STRs averaged $221/night at 45.7% occupancy in April 2026, serving as the gateway to Mount Rainier National Park.
Quick Answer: Ashford, Washington is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Washington State Area market area is 59%. average monthly revenue in the Washington State Area market area is $4,611. average daily rate in the Washington State Area market area is $299. the top operator in the Washington State Area market area is Vacasa with 300 listings. market score is 54/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Washington State Area regional market, which includes Ashford. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Ashford.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Ashford is an unincorporated community in Pierce County, Washington, with approximately 303 year-round residents. It sits roughly six miles from the Nisqually Entrance to Mount Rainier National Park, the park’s only year-round gateway, making it the primary overnight lodging hub for the park’s approximately 1.67 million annual visitors. The STR market is almost entirely composed of entire-place rentals: 8,375 of approximately 8,933 tracked listings (93.8%) are whole-unit properties, with 554 private rooms and 4 shared rooms rounding out the mix.
The bedroom distribution skews toward smaller and mid-size properties: 1-bedrooms lead with 3,020 listings, followed by 2-bedrooms (2,186), 3-bedrooms (2,165), 4-bedrooms (971), and 5-bedrooms (580). In April 2026, the market averaged $221 per night at 45.7% occupancy, producing a RevPAR of $101. Year-over-year performance showed occupancy declining 1.7% and revenue declining 2.6%, while ADR grew 2.5%, indicating that pricing held but demand softened. The platform split is roughly balanced: 4,239 listings are on Airbnb only, 4,114 appear on both platforms, and 580 are on VRBO only.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 38% |
| Feb | 45% |
| Mar | 45% |
| Apr | 49% |
| May | 52% |
| Jun | 60% |
| Jul | 67% |
| Aug | 67% |
| Sep | 52% |
| Oct | 45% |
| Nov | 42% |
| Dec | 45% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Ashford are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Washington State Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Washington State Area market as a whole, which includes Ashford, so these counts are not Ashford-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 300 | 12,673 | ★ 4.50 |
| 2 | Evolve | 289 | 14,471 | ★ 4.75 |
| 3 | Suncadia Resort | 147 | 348 | ★ 4.26 |
| 4 | Bloomer Estates Vacation Rentals | 97 | 6,733 | ★ 4.83 |
| 5 | All Seasons Vacation Rentals | 81 | 8,823 | ★ 4.91 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Ashford?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Ashford 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 | 47.5% |
| vrbo | 6.5% |
| both | 46.1% |
Home Value Trends (Ashford)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Ashford 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 Ashford — 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 in Ashford are governed by Pierce County Code 18A.37.040, as Ashford is an unincorporated community with no city-level ordinance. STRs are clearly permitted. Before operating, owners must file a notarized Vacation Rental Affidavit with Pierce County Planning and Public Works. The affidavit must include the property address and parcel number, owner and property-manager contact information, the platforms where the unit is listed, confirmation that directly adjacent neighbors were notified, and acknowledgement that a Good Neighbor brochure will be provided to each guest.
The rental must be a legally established single-family dwelling or accessory dwelling unit. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement and no cap on annual rental nights, which makes Ashford comparatively accessible for non-owner-occupied investment properties. Occupancy is limited to approximately two guests per bedroom plus two additional persons, with parking limited to roughly one vehicle per bedroom. A Washington State business license (Department of Revenue) is required. Tax obligations include Washington State and local sales tax plus a county lodging/transient tax of approximately 2% in unincorporated Pierce County, in addition to any Tourism Promotion Area charge; all must be collected from guests and remitted. Enforcement is moderate: complaint-driven and affidavit-backed, with cease-and-desist orders for noncompliance. Operators should confirm current rates and any updates to PCC 18A.37.040 with Pierce County Planning and Public Works, as a 2024 Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA 7) addressed STR policy and the regulatory landscape may evolve.
Market Comparison
Ashford’s April 2026 occupancy of 45.7% is below the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, reflecting both the seasonal concentration of demand in summer months and measured in April, a shoulder period for this market. The $221 ADR is essentially at the national median of approximately $220, suggesting competitive pricing for a national park gateway market. RevPAR of $101 is moderate, and the total market score of 53.5 out of 100 is lower than the other areas analyzed in this batch, with revenue growth (48.6) and rental demand (68.2) as the drag factors versus a strong investability sub-score (76.6).
The professional management sector is anchored by national and regional operators. Vacasa leads with 300 listings and 12,673 reviews (4.50 average rating). Evolve holds second with 289 listings and 14,471 reviews (4.75 average), the highest review count of the top operators here. Suncadia Resort is third with 147 listings and 348 reviews (4.26 average), reflecting its resort-specific portfolio. Bloomer Estates Vacation Rentals holds fourth with 97 listings and 6,733 reviews (4.83 average). All Seasons Vacation Rentals rounds out the top five with 81 listings and 8,823 reviews (4.91 average), the highest average rating in the top five. The presence of both national firms and local specialists gives prospective investors multiple management options.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ashford, Washington
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