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 in the Seattle market area is 72%. average monthly revenue in the Seattle market area is $4,921. average daily rate in the Seattle market area is $268. the top operator in the Seattle market area 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 StaySTRA 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 |
|---|---|
| Jan | 55% |
| Feb | 62% |
| Mar | 68% |
| Apr | 65% |
| May | 71% |
| Jun | 79% |
| Jul | 80% |
| Aug | 77% |
| Sep | 71% |
| Oct | 64% |
| Nov | 60% |
| Dec | 59% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Kent are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Seattle market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Seattle market as a whole, which includes Kent, so these counts are not Kent-only figures.
| # | 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 nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Kent 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 | 60.7% |
| vrbo | 3.8% |
| both | 35.4% |
Home Value Trends (Kent)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Kent 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 Kent — 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
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
What is the average daily rate for STRs in Kent, WA?
What occupancy rates do Kent STRs achieve?
Do I need to live at my property to operate a short-term rental in Kent?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Kent, WA?
When is peak season for Kent STRs?
What is the typical gross yield for a Kent STR investment?
Which property managers operate in the Kent STR market?
Analyze Kent Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Kent.
Free Kent STR Calculator →
