Kent, Washington Short-Term Rental Market
Kent, WA STRs averaged $159/night at 62.6% occupancy in April 2026 across roughly 15,248 active listings.
Quick Answer: Kent, Washington is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 72%. average monthly revenue is $4,921. average daily rate is $268. the top operator is Blueground with 508 listings. market score is 51/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Seattle regional market, which includes Kent. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Kent.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Kent is a large suburban city in King County, Washington, situated between Seattle and Tacoma. Its short-term rental market is driven more by business travel, airport overflow from nearby Sea-Tac, and event-related demand than by traditional leisure tourism. The accesso ShoWare Center arena, Pacific Raceways, and Lake Meridian Park generate periodic demand spikes alongside steady year-round corporate lodging needs.
The market carries approximately 15,248 active listings across all platforms. Entire-place rentals are the dominant listing type at 12,230 units (80.2% of supply), with private rooms adding another 2,997 and shared rooms a minimal 21. By bedroom count, 1-bedroom listings are the clear majority at 7,894 (51.8% of supply), reflecting the market’s apartment and corporate-housing character. Two-bedroom units follow at 3,504, with 3-bedroom at 2,172 and larger properties (4BR+) at 1,648.
In April 2026, the market posted a $159 average daily rate and 62.6% occupancy, yielding a RevPAR of $100. Year-over-year comparisons show occupancy down 2.5 percentage points and revenue down 3.4%, while ADR rose a modest 0.7%. Rental demand scores a strong 90.7 on a 100-point scale, the highest sub-score for this market. Airbnb is the primary channel at 9,261 listings, versus VRBO’s 587. The 5,400 listings appearing on both platforms reflect active dual-listing by many operators.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55% | $119 | $1,900 |
| Feb | 62% | $120 | $1,857 |
| Mar | 68% | $132 | $2,380 |
| Apr | 65% | $136 | $2,390 |
| May | 71% | $149 | $2,747 |
| Jun | 79% | $184 | $3,696 |
| Jul | 80% | $178 | $3,826 |
| Aug | 77% | $177 | $3,658 |
| Sep | 71% | $159 | $3,020 |
| Oct | 64% | $142 | $2,570 |
| Nov | 60% | $134 | $2,171 |
| Dec | 59% | $132 | $2,133 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Kent
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blueground | 508 | 265 | ★ 4.36 |
| 2 | Evolve | 181 | 4,933 | ★ 4.55 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 151 | 8,263 | ★ 4.47 |
| 4 | Snowball Rentals | 139 | 5,391 | ★ 4.78 |
| 5 | Vince | 132 | 12,247 | ★ 4.57 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Kent?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 7,894 |
| 2 bed | 3,504 |
| 3 bed | 2,172 |
| 4 bed | 1,008 |
| 5 bed | 640 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $307 |
| Luxury | $466 |
| Professionally Managed | $351 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $4,907 |
| Entire Place | $5,608 |
| House | $4,985 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 60.7% |
| vrbo | 3.8% |
| both | 35.4% |
Investment Analysis
Kent’s STR investment profile is shaped by two competing forces: high occupancy potential and a regulatory requirement that limits purely investor-owned rentals. The residency rule (see regulatory section) bars non-occupant operators, which constrains the addressable investor pool significantly.
For owner-occupants or tenant-resident operators, the numbers tell a moderate story. At $2,690 average monthly revenue (April 2026) and a typical home value of $657,911, annualized gross revenue of approximately $32,278 implies a gross yield of roughly 4.9% before expenses and management fees. The higher home values relative to Kennewick compress yields even at Kent’s stronger occupancy rate of 62.6%.
Tier differences are notable. The luxury ADR of $281 is 77% above the all-listings average of $159. Professionally managed listings average $188 per night, an 18% premium over the market average. Entire-place listings at $181 ADR also outperform the blended average, reflecting the downward pull of private rooms priced at lower rates.
Revenue trend: 2025 annual average was $3,254 per month, fractionally below 2024’s $3,275. Both years are well above the 2017-2019 range of $2,100 to $2,137. The post-2021 normalization (from the pandemic peak of $2,744) has stabilized, but no growth has resumed. Revenue growth scores 54.4 on a 100-point scale, and investability scores just 48.9, reflecting the regulatory constraint and compressed yields.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Kent guests book approximately 34.6 days in advance on average, a shorter planning window than most leisure-focused markets. The roughly five-week lead time reflects the business-travel and event-driven demand profile: corporate travelers and event attendees typically confirm lodging closer to their trip date than vacation planners.
The average length of stay of 5.1 nights is notably longer than many suburban markets. This extended stay pattern strongly suggests a significant share of bookings are extended business trips, relocation stopovers, or construction and project-based travel rather than weekend leisure. A 5.1-night average means fewer bookings per month but also lower per-stay turnover costs.
For pricing strategy, the short booking window and longer stay length suggest that minimum-stay requirements of 3 to 5 nights would align well with actual guest behavior, reducing cleaning costs per dollar of revenue. Operators targeting the corporate segment may also benefit from offering weekly and monthly rate discounts, which the demand data suggests are a natural fit for Kent’s guest base.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Kent regulates short-term rentals under an ordinance adopted November 19, 2019. STRs are legal but are defined as a residential, occupant-tied use, not a standalone investment category.
The key requirement is residency: the property owner or a non-transient tenant must live at the home for at least six months per year. This effectively bars purely absentee investor rentals. If the entire home is not rented, no more than three rooms may be offered as short-term rentals simultaneously.
Each individual guest stay is capped at 30 consecutive nights. Stays beyond 30 days fall under long-term tenancy rules and outside the STR framework.
Operators must obtain a City of Kent business license. The initial license fee is $51 with an annual renewal. Hosts must meet Washington state safety standards and are encouraged to provide host contact information, 24/7 availability during stays, and a copy of the local noise ordinance.
The applicable tax stack includes Washington state and local retail sales tax (approximately 10.1% in Kent), the King County Convention and Trade Center lodging tax (2.8% outside Seattle), and a local special hotel/motel lodging tax (approximately 1%). Kent’s occupancy tax rate in the data is 1%. Platforms collect and remit most of these taxes automatically. Enforcement is complaint-driven, with violation fines generally ranging from $250 to $500. No major changes to the 2019 framework were identified through mid-2026.
Market Comparison
Against national STR benchmarks (approximate U.S. median occupancy around 55% and median ADR around $220), Kent’s April 2026 occupancy of 62.6% is well above the national median, while its ADR of $159 is notably below. This pattern reflects a corporate/extended-stay market where high utilization is achieved at lower nightly rates.
The operator landscape is led by Blueground with 508 listings, a signal that the corporate furnished-apartment segment is significant here. Blueground’s 4.36 rating and only 265 reviews (relative to its listing count) suggests relatively recent scale or low review frequency, typical of corporate-stay operators. Evolve follows with 181 listings and 4,933 reviews at 4.55. Vacasa holds 151 listings and 8,263 reviews at 4.47. Snowball Rentals (139 listings, 4.78 rating) and Vince (132 listings, 12,247 reviews at 4.57) round out the top five. Together, the top five control 1,111 listings, approximately 7.3% of total supply, indicating a fragmented market despite Blueground’s lead.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kent, Washington
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