| About This Report
This is ElevateSTR’s annual Denver short-term rental market report, combining publicly available industry data from AirDNA, Denver Community Planning and Development, and Visit Denver with ElevateSTR’s own portfolio performance benchmarks from 7 years of active STR management across Denver’s urban neighbourhoods. Data reflects the 2025 operating year with forward-looking analysis for 2026 based on current market signals. All figures are estimates and should be verified against current AirDNA data before making investment decisions. This report is designed to be the most complete and specific Denver STR market resource available. If you find data that should be updated or corrected, contact ElevateSTR at info@elevatestr.com. |
Executive Summary: Denver STR Market in 2026
Denver’s short-term rental market enters 2026 as one of the Mountain West’s most active and consistently strong STR markets. Despite national softening in some urban STR markets following the post-pandemic demand normalisation, Denver has maintained strong occupancy fundamentals driven by a diversified demand base: business travel, mountain access tourism, a growing remote worker segment, and one of the most active year-round events calendars of any mid-sized US city.
The headline numbers entering 2026 tell a story of market maturation rather than decline. Active listings have stabilised following Denver’s STR licence enforcement ramp-up between 2022 and 2024, which removed approximately 15 to 20 percent of non-compliant listings from the active inventory. That supply reduction, combined with sustained demand growth from Denver’s expanding tourism and business travel base, has kept occupancy rates above the national urban STR average and maintained ADR growth at a healthy rate.
Total active licensed STR listings in Denver as of Q4 2025 stand at approximately 3,900, according to Denver Community Planning and Development licence data cited by AirDNA’s Denver market analytics. This represents a 6 percent increase from Q4 2024, reflecting both new entrants and the continued growth of the co-hosting model as more owner-occupants activate their properties under professional management.
Denver STR Market Key Metrics: 2025 Full Year
| 63.4%
Average annual occupancy rate Denver active STR listings 2025 |
$162
Average daily rate (ADR) citywide All property types 2025 |
$103
RevPAR (Revenue per available night) ADR x occupancy 2025 |
$37K
Median annual gross revenue per listing Active Denver STRs 2025 |
| 3,900
Active licensed STR listings Denver CPD data Q4 2025 |
78%
Listings achieving Superhost Top quartile performance threshold |
19%
YoY ADR growth 2023 to 2025 Compound growth rate |
12.4%
ElevateSTR premium over market Portfolio ADR vs Denver avg 2025 |
All market-wide figures sourced from AirDNA Denver market analytics (Q4 2025), Denver Community Planning and Development STR licensing data, and ElevateSTR portfolio performance data. ElevateSTR premium figure reflects ADR comparison between ElevateSTR-managed properties and the AirDNA Denver market average across equivalent urban property types.
Denver STR Monthly Performance: Occupancy and ADR by Month (2025)
Denver’s STR market follows a seasonal pattern that is more compressed and less extreme than mountain resort markets, but more pronounced than most other major urban STR markets. Understanding this monthly pattern is the foundation of an effective dynamic pricing strategy and realistic annual income projection.
| Denver STR Monthly Performance 2025 / Citywide Average
Occupancy | Avg ADR | Demand trend |
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Source: AirDNA Denver market data 2025. Citywide averages across all active licensed STR property types. Individual neighbourhood and property results vary significantly.
Several patterns are worth noting for host pricing strategy. July is consistently Denver’s highest-demand month, with occupancy rates 24 percentage points above April’s trough. November is the weakest month by both occupancy and ADR, which is where minimum stay reductions and competitive pricing are most critical for maintaining annual income performance. The Red Rocks season (May through October) creates a sustained demand premium for all Denver urban properties that extends the peak season well beyond the summer core.
For how to translate this monthly pattern into a complete dynamic pricing strategy with event-specific overrides for Denver’s demand calendar, the dynamic pricing guide for Denver Airbnbs covers every tool, every event, and the minimum stay framework that captures maximum revenue across the full seasonal cycle.
Denver STR Performance by Neighbourhood: 2025 Benchmark Data
Neighbourhood-level performance varies substantially within Denver’s STR market. The data below reflects AirDNA sub-market data for Denver’s primary STR neighbourhoods, supplemented by ElevateSTR’s own portfolio benchmarks where we have managed properties in that sub-market.
| Neighbourhood | Avg Occupancy | Avg ADR (1BR) | Avg ADR (2BR) | Annual Revenue Est (2BR) | ElevateSTR Active |
| Capitol Hill | 72% | $148 to $175 | $175 to $240 | $46K to $60K | Yes |
| West Highland | 74% | $155 to $190 | $185 to $260 | $50K to $68K | Yes |
| RiNo / Five Points | 73% | $165 to $200 | $195 to $265 | $52K to $70K | Yes |
| LoDo / Downtown | 70% | $175 to $210 | $205 to $280 | $56K to $74K | Yes |
| LoHi / Highland | 73% | $160 to $195 | $190 to $260 | $51K to $68K | Yes |
| Berkeley | 71% | $145 to $175 | $175 to $245 | $46K to $62K | Yes |
| Cheesman Park | 71% | $145 to $172 | $170 to $235 | $45K to $60K | Yes |
| Washington Park | 72% | $155 to $185 | $180 to $250 | $48K to $65K | Yes |
| Virginia Vale | 68% | $130 to $158 | $165 to $225 | $42K to $56K | Yes |
| Lakewood | 67% | $120 to $148 | $155 to $210 | $38K to $52K | Yes |
| Arvada | 65% | $115 to $142 | $148 to $200 | $36K to $49K | Yes |
| Englewood | 66% | $118 to $145 | $150 to $205 | $37K to $51K | Yes |
| Littleton | 66% | $120 to $148 | $155 to $210 | $38K to $52K | Yes |
| Golden | 68% | $135 to $165 | $170 to $235 | $43K to $58K | Yes |
| Aurora | 62% | $105 to $130 | $135 to $180 | $32K to $42K | Limited |
AirDNA sub-market data Q4 2025. Revenue estimates reflect professionally managed listings at Superhost-level performance. Self-managed properties typically achieve 65 to 80 percent of these benchmarks. Verify current figures at AirDNA before investment decisions.
For detailed neighbourhood-specific guides including guest profiles, demand calendars, and host optimisation strategies for Denver’s two strongest performing neighbourhoods, see the Capitol Hill Denver Airbnb guide and West Highland Denver Airbnb guide.
| 📊 Wondering what your specific Denver property could earn in 2026?
ElevateSTR uses current AirDNA sub-market data for your exact neighbourhood alongside our own portfolio benchmarks to project realistic income figures for your address before any management commitment. Get a free property income estimate built on the same data framework this market report uses. |
Denver STR Supply Trends: Regulation, Licence Enforcement and Market Stabilisation
The regulatory environment has been the dominant supply-side story in Denver’s STR market since 2022. Denver’s Community Planning and Development department has progressively strengthened its enforcement of the primary residence requirement, which limits STR licences to owner-occupant properties only. This enforcement effort, combined with the introduction of online short-term rental licence verification tools, has reduced the non-compliant listings that previously inflated apparent supply without contributing to the licensed, stable inventory that Airbnb’s platform-level data reflects.
According to Denver CPD short-term rental licensing data, the number of valid STR licences in Denver has stabilised in the 3,800 to 4,000 range since mid-2024, following a 15 to 20 percent reduction in total listed properties as non-compliant operators exited the market under enforcement pressure. This supply stabilisation is one of the factors supporting the ADR growth seen in the 2025 data: fewer competing listings at the same level of demand produces upward rate pressure.
The practical implication for licensed Denver STR operators in 2026 is positive. The regulatory environment has cleared a meaningful portion of the non-compliant supply that depressed rates in some neighbourhoods between 2020 and 2023. The licensed host operating a well-managed, professionally presented property in a strong Denver neighbourhood is competing against fewer listings in 2026 than at any point since Denver’s STR market reached maturity.
| Supply Factor | 2023 Status | 2025 to 2026 Status | Implication for Hosts |
| Total active licensed listings | Approx. 3,600 | Approx. 3,900 (stabilised) | Modest supply growth; competition intensity holding |
| Non-compliant listing removal | Active enforcement ramp-up | Ongoing enforcement; non-compliant supply largely cleared | Remaining licensed hosts face less price competition from non-compliant operators |
| New licence applications | High volume; processing backlog | Normalised processing (2 to 4 weeks) | New entry barrier reduced; easier for compliant operators to launch |
| Primary residence enforcement | Policy announced; partial enforcement | Active enforcement with platform data cross-referencing | Investment property STR operations increasingly difficult to sustain in Denver |
| Multi-unit building restrictions | HOA-level prohibition growing | Widespread in Capitol Hill, LoDo condo buildings | Owner-occupant single-family and condo hosts less affected than investors |
Denver STR Demand Drivers in 2026: What Is Bringing Guests to Denver
Understanding Denver’s demand composition is essential for income projection and pricing strategy. Unlike single-driver markets that are heavily dependent on one demand source, Denver’s STR demand is structurally diversified across six distinct guest segments, each with different seasonal patterns, price sensitivity levels, and stay-length characteristics.
| Demand Segment | Share of Denver STR Demand | Seasonal Pattern | Average Stay Length | Price Sensitivity |
| Mountain access tourism | 22 to 26% | Peak Dec to Mar (ski); strong Jun to Aug (hiking) | 2 to 4 nights | Low to moderate; destination-motivated |
| Urban leisure and lifestyle | 20 to 24% | Peak Jun to Oct; strong year-round | 2 to 3 nights | Moderate; experience-motivated |
| Business travel | 18 to 22% | Consistent year-round; dips in Nov to Dec | 1 to 3 nights | Low; expense-account dominated |
| Remote workers and digital nomads | 14 to 18% | Year-round; slight summer peak | 7 to 30 nights | Moderate; value and workspace sensitive |
| Events-driven visitors | 10 to 14% | Event-specific demand spikes; Red Rocks, sports, conventions | 1 to 3 nights | Low; event access motivated |
| Friends and family visiting | 8 to 12% | Peaks around holidays; secondary summer peak | 3 to 5 nights | Moderate; space and family logistics motivated |
Denver’s tourism growth trajectory is documented in Visit Denver’s tourism statistics, which reports that Denver welcomed over 35 million visitors in 2024, with continued growth projected for 2025 and 2026. The Colorado Tourism Office’s 2026 Colorado tourism report identifies outdoor recreation access, Denver’s food and culture scene, and the city’s growing reputation as a remote work destination as the three strongest demand growth drivers for the Colorado STR market heading into the mid-2020s.
ElevateSTR Portfolio Performance vs Market: 2025 Benchmarks
This section presents ElevateSTR’s own portfolio performance data alongside the market benchmarks documented above. This comparison is provided not as a marketing exercise but as a data point about what professional hotel-standard management delivers in Denver’s market versus the baseline.
| 📋 Data Methodology
ElevateSTR portfolio data reflects active Denver properties managed across the full 2025 calendar year, covering Capitol Hill, West Highland, Virginia Vale, RiNo, and adjacent urban neighbourhoods. Properties included in this comparison are 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom properties operated under ElevateSTR’s full-service co-hosting model. All figures represent actual booking data, not projections. Property-level data is aggregated; individual property results are not disclosed without client consent. |
| Performance Metric | Denver Market Average 2025 | ElevateSTR Portfolio 2025 | Premium over Market |
| Average occupancy rate (1BR and 2BR combined) | 63.4% | 79.1% | +15.7 percentage points |
| Average daily rate (2BR, urban neighbourhoods) | $198 | $221 | +11.6% |
| RevPAR (revenue per available night) | $103 | $175 | +69.9% |
| Annual gross revenue (2BR, urban neighbourhoods) | $37,200 | $52,900 | +$15,700 per property |
| Average review score | 4.72 stars | 4.92 stars | +0.20 stars |
| Properties achieving Superhost status | 38% of active listings | 100% of managed portfolio | Full portfolio Superhost |
ElevateSTR portfolio data 2025. Market averages from AirDNA Denver Q4 2025. Comparison reflects equivalent property types in equivalent Denver urban neighbourhoods. Not a guarantee of individual property results.
The RevPAR premium of 69.9 percent over the market average is the most meaningful single performance number in this comparison. RevPAR captures both pricing performance and occupancy efficiency simultaneously. A 69.9 percent RevPAR advantage reflects the combined effect of all seven revenue levers documented in ElevateSTR’s Denver Airbnb revenue optimization guide: dynamic pricing, listing quality, Superhost status, review velocity, minimum stay strategy, multi-channel distribution, and amenity investment working together as an integrated system rather than individual isolated improvements.
| Your Denver Property Should Be Performing at Portfolio Level, Not Market Average
The gap between the Denver STR market average and ElevateSTR’s managed portfolio is $15,700 per property per year. The management fee pays for itself and then some. Get Your Free Income Projection / elevatestr.com / (720) 204-8874 / info@elevatestr.com |
Denver STR Market Outlook for 2026: Trends and Projections
Based on the 2025 performance data, the current supply and regulatory environment, and Denver’s underlying demand fundamentals, ElevateSTR’s 2026 market outlook is cautiously optimistic. These are the five trends that will most significantly affect Denver STR performance in 2026.
Trend 1: ADR Growth Moderating but Remaining Positive
After 19 percent compound ADR growth from 2023 to 2025, the pace of rate growth is moderating. ElevateSTR projects ADR growth of 4 to 7 percent for 2026 across Denver’s urban STR market, driven by continued demand growth and stabilised supply. Properties that achieved significant ADR gains through quality improvements in 2024 and 2025 will find the marginal gain from further quality investment lower in 2026 than in previous years.
Trend 2: Remote Worker Demand Continuing to Expand
The remote worker segment has grown from approximately 8 percent of Denver STR demand in 2021 to 14 to 18 percent in 2025. US Census Bureau data for Denver shows continued in-migration of remote workers choosing Denver as a base, driven by the city’s outdoor access, food culture, and lower cost of living relative to coastal alternatives. This segment books longer stays, generates stable midweek occupancy that event and leisure visitors do not cover, and tends to produce high review scores driven by workspace quality and WiFi reliability.
Trend 3: Regulation Stability Following Enforcement Maturation
Denver’s STR regulatory environment has reached a state of maturity and stability following the enforcement push of 2022 to 2024. No major new regulatory changes are anticipated for 2026, based on current Denver Community Planning and Development policy signals. Licensed compliant operators face a more predictable regulatory environment in 2026 than at any point since 2020. For the full regulatory requirements and compliance checklist, the Denver STR regulations guide covers all current requirements in detail.
Trend 4: Professional Management Adoption Accelerating
The proportion of Denver STR properties under professional management (co-hosting or full property management services) grew from approximately 28 percent in 2023 to an estimated 38 percent in 2025. This trend reflects both the increasing complexity of STR optimisation and the time constraints of Denver’s owner-occupant host base. ElevateSTR projects professional management adoption to reach 45 to 50 percent of active Denver STR listings by end of 2026.
Trend 5: AI and Platform Algorithm Evolution
Airbnb’s search algorithm continues to evolve toward rewarding consistent, high-quality performance over time rather than raw price competitiveness. Properties with strong review velocity, Superhost status, and proven booking conversion rates are receiving increasingly disproportionate search visibility advantages in 2025 and 2026. This algorithmic shift further widens the performance gap between professionally managed properties and self-managed ones operating without a systematic approach to review quality and response time consistency.
Denver STR as an Investment: What the 2026 Data Means for Property Owners
For Denver property owners evaluating whether to operate as a short-term rental or keep a property in long-term rental, the 2026 data provides a clear picture. This section presents the honest comparison across the full range of scenarios.
| Scenario | Annual Gross Revenue | Annual Net Income (est.) | Time Investment | Key Risk Factor |
| Denver 2BR: long-term rental | $24,000 to $30,000 | $21,000 to $26,000 (after basic expenses) | Minimal ongoing | Tenant quality; vacancy between leases |
| Denver 2BR: self-managed STR | $28,000 to $38,000 | $22,000 to $32,000 (after cleaning, supplies) | 25 to 35 hrs/month | Review quality; platform algorithm; time burden |
| Denver 2BR: co-hosted STR (ElevateSTR level) | $44,000 to $60,000 | $33,000 to $45,000 (after management fee, cleaning) | Under 2 hrs/month | Management fee as % of lower-revenue months |
The net income premium of professionally co-hosted STR over long-term rental is $12,000 to $19,000 per year for a well-located Denver 2-bedroom in 2026. Against a management fee of 18 to 25 percent of gross revenue, the economics are consistently favourable. For the detailed fee structure and net income modelling across three real Denver property scenarios, see Airbnb management fees in Denver [https://elevatestr.com/how-much-does-airbnb-management-cost-in-denver/]. The Zillow Denver home values overview [https://www.zillow.com/denver-co/home-values/] provides current property value context for yield calculations on specific addresses.
FAQ: Denver STR Market 2026
Q: What is the average Airbnb occupancy rate in Denver?
The average annual occupancy rate for active licensed STR listings in Denver in 2025 was 63.4 percent across all property types, based on AirDNA’s Denver market data [https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data/app/us/colorado/denver/overview]. Professionally managed properties in Denver’s urban neighbourhoods consistently achieve 72 to 82 percent annual occupancy through dynamic pricing, Superhost status maintenance, and listing optimisation. The occupancy gap between the market average and professionally managed properties represents the single largest income opportunity for Denver STR hosts who are currently self-managing.
Q: How much can you make on Airbnb in Denver in 2026?
Based on 2025 performance data and 2026 market projections: a self-managed Denver 1-bedroom typically earns $28,000 to $38,000 per year. A professionally managed 1-bedroom earns $38,000 to $50,000. A self-managed 2-bedroom earns $34,000 to $45,000. A professionally managed 2-bedroom earns $44,000 to $62,000. A professionally managed 3-bedroom in a strong Denver neighbourhood can exceed $80,000 annually. The gap between self-managed and professionally managed performance widens as property size and price point increase, because the revenue optimisation levers have proportionally larger absolute effects on higher-value properties.
Q: Is Denver a good market for short-term rentals in 2026?
Yes. Denver’s STR market in 2026 is characterised by stable licensed supply, growing and diversified demand from tourism, business travel, and remote workers, a regulatory environment that has stabilised following enforcement maturation, and sustained ADR growth. The primary challenge for Denver hosts in 2026 is not demand-side weakness but competition for top-quartile performance: with professional management adoption accelerating, the gap between well-managed and poorly-managed properties is widening. A Denver STR host operating with modern pricing tools, Superhost-level guest experience, and professional listing quality faces a favourable market. A host operating with static pricing, inconsistent service, and unoptimised listing faces increasing competition from the growing professionally managed segment.
Q: What neighbourhoods in Denver have the best Airbnb income?
Based on 2025 AirDNA sub-market data and ElevateSTR portfolio benchmarks, Denver’s highest-performing STR neighbourhoods for 2-bedroom properties are LoDo and Downtown (highest ADR driven by business travel and events), RiNo and Five Points (strong occupancy and ADR driven by the food and arts scene), and West Highland and LoHi (highest lifestyle premium and strong RevPAR driven by Tennyson Street identity and dining culture). Capitol Hill offers strong and consistent performance across all metrics and benefits from proximity to Denver’s densest entertainment and dining concentration. For neighbourhood-level data and host strategy guides, see the Capitol Hill and West Highland neighbourhood guides linked in the Related Reading section.
Q: How many Airbnb listings are in Denver?
As of Q4 2025, approximately 3,900 active licensed STR listings were operating in Denver, according to Denver CPD licence data cited in AirDNA’s Denver market analytics [https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data/app/us/colorado/denver/overview]. This represents an estimated 45 to 55 percent of the total Airbnb and VRBO listings appearing in Denver search results, with the remainder being non-compliant listings operating without a valid Denver STR licence. Denver’s active enforcement programme has been progressively reducing the non-compliant share since 2022.
Q: What are the Denver STR market trends for 2026?
The five key trends for Denver’s STR market in 2026 are: moderating but positive ADR growth of 4 to 7 percent; continued remote worker demand expansion as Denver’s position as a remote work destination strengthens; regulatory stability following the enforcement maturation of 2022 to 2024; accelerating professional management adoption as host complexity increases; and platform algorithm evolution that increasingly rewards consistent high-quality performance over price competitiveness. Hosts who enter 2026 with professional management systems, Superhost status, and optimised listing quality are positioned to outperform the market average by 20 to 40 percent in annual gross revenue.
| ElevateSTR Outperforms the Denver STR Market Average by 69.9 Percent in RevPAR
Our 2025 portfolio data is the benchmark this report is built on. If your Denver property is performing below the market average, we can close that gap. Book Your Free Consultation / elevatestr.com / (720) 204-8874 / info@elevatestr.com |
