Chelan, Washington Short-Term Rental Market
Chelan WA STRs averaged $275/night at 40.9% occupancy in April 2026, with peak summer months reaching $6,400-$6,500 in monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Chelan, Washington is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 41%. average monthly revenue is $2,871. average daily rate is $275. the top operator is Vacasa with 177 listings. market score is 57/100 (grade C).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Chelan, WA is a concentrated short-term rental market centered on Lake Chelan, a 50.5-mile glacial lake in the eastern Cascades. As of April 2026, the market held approximately 2,647 active listings, posting a $275 average daily rate (ADR) and 40.9% occupancy in the April month, generating a RevPAR of $112.73. Year-over-year, occupancy declined 3.7 percentage points and monthly revenue fell 4.1% compared to April 2025, while ADR rose 7.1%, indicating a trade of volume for rate.
Entire-place listings dominate at 2,545 units (96% of inventory), with private rooms accounting for 105. By bedroom count, two-bedroom properties are slightly more common (794) than one-bedroom (767), followed by three-bedroom (560), four-bedroom (350), and five-bedroom (176) listings. The heavier weighting toward two- and three-bedroom properties reflects Chelan’s group-travel and lake-house rental profile.
Platform distribution favors dual-channel listing: 1,513 properties are on both Airbnb and VRBO, with 893 Airbnb-only and 244 VRBO-only. VRBO’s stronger relative presence here than in most markets reflects the traditional vacation-rental character of the lake destination. Chelan County received roughly 2.6 million visitors in 2024, generating $675.5 million in tourism spending. The market’s overall score of 56.9 out of 100 reflects the destination’s high seasonality (seasonality score 50.5), which compresses average annual occupancy despite strong summer peaks.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41% | $290 | $3,382 |
| Feb | 43% | $274 | $3,053 |
| Mar | 37% | $243 | $2,594 |
| Apr | 46% | $250 | $2,891 |
| May | 48% | $286 | $3,297 |
| Jun | 60% | $328 | $5,016 |
| Jul | 70% | $344 | $6,387 |
| Aug | 71% | $341 | $6,496 |
| Sep | 50% | $295 | $3,970 |
| Oct | 41% | $277 | $3,263 |
| Nov | 41% | $275 | $3,024 |
| Dec | 61% | $333 | $5,259 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Chelan
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 177 | 15,010 | ★ 4.40 |
| 2 | Chelan Lookout Rentals | 155 | 3,534 | ★ 4.79 |
| 3 | Love Leavenworth Vacation Rentals | 142 | 20,892 | ★ 4.81 |
| 4 | Windermere Vacation Rentals Lake Chelan | 139 | 4,271 | ★ 4.52 |
| 5 | NW Comfy Cabins | 62 | 7,466 | ★ 4.81 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Chelan?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 767 |
| 2 bed | 794 |
| 3 bed | 560 |
| 4 bed | 350 |
| 5 bed | 176 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $281 |
| Luxury | $450 |
| Professionally Managed | $314 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Entire Place | $2,911 |
| House | $3,305 |
| Apartment | $1,937 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 33.7% |
| vrbo | 9.2% |
| both | 57.1% |
Investment Analysis
Chelan presents a high-seasonality, high-rate investment profile where summer performance is exceptional but annual averages are pulled down by a quiet off-season. At an average monthly revenue of $2,871 per listing in April 2026 and a typical home value of $491,723, the implied gross rental yield is approximately 7.0% annualized ($34,455 projected annual revenue based on April 2026 as a run-rate, divided by $491,723 acquisition cost), before expenses, management fees, and vacancies. However, April is not representative of Chelan’s annual distribution: July and August each generate more than double April’s revenue.
Tier comparisons show meaningful differentiation. Luxury-tier listings averaged $450 per night versus the all-listings average of $275, a 64% premium. Professionally managed listings averaged $314, 14% above the market average. Houses averaged $3,305 per month versus $2,911 for entire-place listings broadly, and apartments averaged $1,937.
The multi-year revenue trend shows a post-2021 correction from peak to a more stable level. Annual average revenue peaked at $4,930 in 2021, normalized to $4,391 in 2023, and climbed to $4,843 in 2025. The housing market has limited transaction data: with only 79 active for-sale listings and no confirmed median sale price in the April 2026 snapshot, supply is tight. Median list price was $737,333. Investors should be aware that Chelan County (separate from the city) caps STRs at approximately 6% of housing stock in unincorporated areas, and county permits will not transfer on sale after September 26, 2026.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Chelan STR guests book an average of 43 days in advance as of April 2026, and the average length of stay is 3.0 nights. The 43-day lead time is consistent with the leisure-travel nature of the destination: lake weekends and summer vacation weeks are typically planned well in advance, particularly for July and August inventory which books out months ahead during peak season.
The 3.0-night average stay is at the low end for a destination market, suggesting a mix of long weekend trips (Friday-Monday) and shorter getaways. For operators managing July and August, minimum-stay requirements of 3-5 nights protect peak inventory from single-night bookings and reduce turnover during the most in-demand period. During off-peak months (October through May), relaxing minimums to 2 nights can help fill gaps and maintain occupancy above the 36-47% range typical of the shoulder season. The 70%-plus peak occupancy in July and August indicates that demand substantially exceeds supply in those months, giving operators pricing power and the ability to hold minimum-stay requirements without sacrificing fill rate.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
The City of Chelan requires a Short-Term Rental Operating License for all rentals of 30 days or fewer within city limits, adopted under Ordinance 2019-1570 effective January 1, 2020. The initial license fee is $600 per unit. Annual renewal is due by December 1 and costs $300; a $300 late fee applies for renewals submitted after the due date. Ownership transfers require a $300 transfer application within 60 days of closing. The license number must appear in all advertisements.
Operators must pass health and safety inspections, comply with parking and occupancy limits, follow noise, garbage, and pet control requirements, and register for state excise (lodging) tax reporting with a Washington UBI number. Non-local owners must designate a local responsible party. There is no owner-occupancy requirement within the city, but properties must be in a permitted zoning district. STRs are restricted to specific zones identified on the city’s map, excluding most standard single-family residential areas.
The city’s occupancy tax rate was not confirmed from a primary source and is not stated here. Investors should contact the City of Chelan Finance Department to verify applicable lodging tax rates before closing.
Chelan County (the jurisdiction covering unincorporated areas surrounding the city) operates a separate STR permitting system and caps STR share at approximately 6% of housing stock. A significant regulatory change takes effect after September 26, 2026: county STR permits will no longer transfer on property sale and will expire, requiring new owners to reapply. In capped areas, new permits may not be available. Investors purchasing STR-designated properties in unincorporated Chelan County must account for this before closing.
Market Comparison
Chelan’s 40.9% occupancy in April 2026 is below the approximate U.S. STR median of 55%, reflecting the market’s highly seasonal nature rather than weak demand. The $275 ADR is 25% above the approximate national median of $220, positioning Chelan as a premium-rate destination that trades annual occupancy consistency for high summer rates. RevPAR of $112.73 is broadly in line with similarly seasonal lake and mountain destination markets.
Among the top operators, Vacasa leads with 177 listings and 15,010 reviews at a 4.40 rating, reflecting its national platform presence. Chelan Lookout Rentals is second with 155 listings and a 4.79 rating, representing a locally specialized operator. Love Leavenworth Vacation Rentals manages 142 listings with the market’s highest review count at 20,892 and a 4.81 rating, indicating an established regional operator serving both Chelan and Leavenworth markets. Windermere Vacation Rentals Lake Chelan manages 139 listings at a 4.52 rating across 4,271 reviews, and NW Comfy Cabins manages 62 listings at a 4.81 rating across 7,466 reviews. The top 5 collectively manage 675 listings, approximately 25.5% of the roughly 2,647-listing market. This higher concentration than the other markets in this batch reflects the dominance of professional management in Chelan, which is common in remote lake and resort destinations where owners are non-local. The overall market score of 56.9 reflects the seasonality trade-off inherent in this destination type.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chelan, Washington
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