Goldendale, Washington Short-Term Rental Market
Goldendale, WA STRs averaged $221/night at 45.7% occupancy in April 2026, serving Columbia River Gorge astronomy and cultural tourism.
Quick Answer: Goldendale, 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 292 listings. market score is 53/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Washington State Area regional market, which includes Goldendale. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Goldendale.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Goldendale, Washington is a small Klickitat County town on the Columbia River Gorge, drawing visitors primarily for dark-sky astronomy at Goldendale Observatory State Park and cultural tourism at the Maryhill Museum of Art, Maryhill Stonehenge WWI Memorial, and Maryhill Winery. The town of approximately 3,525 residents is roughly two hours from Portland and Vancouver, serving as a gateway for Gorge scenic-byway travelers, stargazers, wine-country day-trippers, and weekend visitors from the greater Portland metro.
As of April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $221.39 and occupancy of 45.65%, generating a RevPAR of $101.07. Year-over-year trends showed slight softening: occupancy declined 1.8%, ADR rose 2.4%, and revenue declined 2.7%. In 2025, the annual average was 48.4% occupancy, $258/night ADR, and $3,468/month revenue, compared to 49.3% occupancy and $254/night in 2024.
Entire-place listings dominate at approximately 8,353 units, with 552 private-room listings and only 4 shared-room listings. Bedroom distribution is relatively even across 1-bedroom (3,013 listings), 2-bedroom (2,173), and 3-bedroom (2,164) configurations, with larger units comprising 972 four-bedroom and 576 five-bedroom listings. Channel distribution is balanced: 4,093 listings appear on both Airbnb and Vrbo, 4,236 on Airbnb only, and 580 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 Goldendale 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 Goldendale, so these counts are not Goldendale-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 292 | 12,331 | ★ 4.51 |
| 2 | Evolve | 287 | 14,409 | ★ 4.75 |
| 3 | Suncadia Resort | 145 | 348 | ★ 4.26 |
| 4 | Bloomer Estates Vacation Rentals | 99 | 6,805 | ★ 4.83 |
| 5 | All Seasons Vacation Rentals | 81 | 8,802 | ★ 4.91 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Goldendale?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Goldendale 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 | 45.9% |
Home Value Trends (Goldendale)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Goldendale 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 Goldendale — 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
Goldendale has no short-term-rental-specific ordinance within city limits. Hosts inside city limits are expected to hold a general City of Goldendale business license and to collect and remit Washington lodging taxes, but no STR license, night cap, or owner-occupancy mandate applies within the city itself. This is a low-barrier environment for urban-zone operators.
The city’s special hotel and motel transient occupancy tax is 4% under Goldendale Municipal Code Chapter 3.22. The first 2% is credited against the state sales tax (no added guest cost), while the remaining approximately 2% is a genuine add-on, bringing the marginal city-specific lodging tax burden to roughly 2% above standard state and local sales tax rates. Platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo typically collect and remit Washington lodging taxes on behalf of hosts.
The surrounding Klickitat County presents a more complex picture. The county has been drafting a county-wide STR ordinance since at least 2023, after identifying approximately 500 unpermitted STRs countywide, but no comprehensive permit scheme for existing dwellings had been finalized as of the most recent available records. One firm county rule applies in unincorporated areas: the accessory-dwelling-unit code prohibits using either a principal dwelling or an ADU as a short-term rental (defined as rentals under 60 consecutive days) and requires owner occupancy of at least one unit for 6 months per year. Prospective hosts in unincorporated Klickitat County should verify the status of any newly adopted county ordinance before listing.
Market Comparison
Goldendale’s April 2026 occupancy of 45.65% is below the US STR median of approximately 55%, reflecting its niche positioning as a secondary Columbia Gorge destination rather than a high-traffic resort market. Its ADR of $221.39 is near the US median of roughly $220, showing that rates hold up despite lower occupancy. The investability score of 76.7 and the attractive implied gross yield of approximately 10.1% distinguish Goldendale from higher-priced markets where entry costs compress returns.
The operator landscape is split between large national managers and highly rated regional specialists. Vacasa leads with 292 listings and 12,331 reviews at a 4.51 rating. Evolve closely follows with 287 listings, 14,409 reviews, and a 4.75 rating. Suncadia Resort holds 145 listings at a 4.26 rating. Bloomer Estates Vacation Rentals operates 99 listings with a 4.83 rating across 6,805 reviews. All Seasons Vacation Rentals rounds out the top five with 81 listings and the highest satisfaction rating in the group at 4.91 across 8,802 reviews. The strong ratings of the regional operators suggest that locally rooted management delivers a guest experience advantage in this niche market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Goldendale, Washington
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