Lakewood, Washington Short-Term Rental Market
Lakewood, WA STRs averaged $149/night at 57.2% occupancy in April 2026, near Joint Base Lewis-McChord with approximately 55,000 personnel.
Quick Answer: Lakewood, Washington is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Tacoma/Olympia market area is 73%. average monthly revenue in the Tacoma/Olympia market area is $3,834. average daily rate in the Tacoma/Olympia market area is $205. the top operator in the Tacoma/Olympia market area is Evolve with 103 listings. market score is 61/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Tacoma/Olympia regional market, which includes Lakewood. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Lakewood.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Lakewood, WA short-term rental market covers this Pierce County city adjacent to Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), one of the largest combined military bases in the United States with approximately 55,000 personnel. The JBLM presence generates consistent year-round demand from military personnel, government contractors, and their visiting relatives, distinguishing Lakewood from purely seasonal resort markets. In April 2026, the all-listing average daily rate was $149, with occupancy at 57.2% and revenue per available rental (RevPAR) at $85. Year-over-year through April 2026, occupancy was essentially flat at -0.5% compared with April 2025, ADR rose 3.6%, and monthly revenue was nearly unchanged at -0.1%.
Approximately 3,780 active listings are tracked in the market. Entire-place units account for 3,025, private rooms for 750, and shared rooms for 5. One-bedroom properties dominate at 1,729 listings, followed by two-bedroom (828), three-bedroom (702), four-bedroom (352), and five-or-more-bedroom (166) units. The significant private-room inventory (19.8% of listings) reflects the military and contractor traveler segment that values individual room rentals in shared homes. The channel mix is heavily Airbnb: 2,206 listings are Airbnb-only, 1,416 appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, and 158 are VRBO-only.
The StaySTRA scorecard rates Lakewood at 60.9 out of 100 overall, led by a rental demand score of 82.2 and seasonality score of 75.8. Revenue growth scores 61.8, investability 55.5, and regulation 65.1. The 2025 annual average occupancy was 62.4% and ADR was $161.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 55% |
| Feb | 61% |
| Mar | 62% |
| Apr | 62% |
| May | 67% |
| Jun | 75% |
| Jul | 77% |
| Aug | 75% |
| Sep | 67% |
| Oct | 59% |
| Nov | 58% |
| Dec | 59% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Lakewood are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Tacoma/Olympia market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Tacoma/Olympia market as a whole, which includes Lakewood, so these counts are not Lakewood-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 103 | 4,792 | ★ 4.73 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 65 | 2,028 | ★ 4.63 |
| 3 | Amera Property Management | 25 | 636 | ★ 4.89 |
| 4 | Tip Top Management | 19 | 2,244 | ★ 4.88 |
| 5 | Blizzard Realty | 13 | 224 | ★ 4.76 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Lakewood?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Lakewood 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 | 58.4% |
| vrbo | 4.2% |
| both | 37.5% |
Home Value Trends (Lakewood)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Lakewood 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 Lakewood — 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
Lakewood, WA actively regulates short-term rentals. Operating legally requires three concurrent registrations: a Short-Term Rental Permit processed as a Type II administrative land use decision through the Planning and Public Works department, a City of Lakewood Business License (renewed annually), and registration under the city’s Rental Housing Safety Program (RHSP).
Before a property can be rented, it must pass a city and Pierce County Fire District inspection confirming building and fire code compliance; any deficiencies must be corrected before the first rental. The approved STR permit number and business license must be displayed on every listing posted to Airbnb, VRBO, or other platforms. A local contact must be reachable in person or by phone and able to respond to complaints within one hour.
Annual business license renewal requires a signed, notarized affidavit confirming ongoing compliance.
Permitted zones include most residential (R1 through R4) and mixed/commercial-residential zones (MR, MF, ARC, NC, TOC, CBD). STRs are prohibited in commercial zones (C1 through C3), industrial zones (IBP, I1, I2), institutional zones, and open-space recreation zones (OSR1, OSR2).
On taxes: lodging is subject to a 7% city hotel/motel lodging excise tax plus the 10.1% combined retail sales tax, so guests pay approximately 17% in combined taxes. The permit application fee is not published in available data; confirm with the Planning and Public Works department. Enforcement is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
Lakewood’s April 2026 occupancy of 57.2% and 2025 annual average of 62.4% are both above the US STR median of approximately 55%, driven by the JBLM military demand base. The $149 April ADR and $161 annual average are below the US STR median of approximately $220, reflecting the suburban market character and price-sensitive military and contractor traveler segment.
The rental demand score of 82.2 confirms the structural demand consistency. The investability score of 55.5 is moderate, reflecting the combination of regulatory complexity (three permit requirements plus inspection) and the compressed ADR relative to property values.
On the operator side, Evolve leads with 103 listings and 4,792 reviews (4.73 average rating). Vacasa follows with 65 listings (4.63 rating). Regional operators Amera Property Management (25 listings, 4.89 rating) and Tip Top Management (19 listings, 4.88 rating) have high ratings with meaningful review volume, suggesting well-established local management. Blizzard Realty manages 13 listings (4.76 rating). The relatively small operator scale overall reflects the suburban, non-resort character of this market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lakewood, Washington
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