Vail, CO
Colorado's most prestigious ski resort village
Vail is the most recognized ski resort brand in the world and commands the highest nightly rates among Colorado ski markets outside Telluride. Lionshead and Vail Village core properties are SKI-in/ski-out and earn exceptional premiums. Epic Pass accessibility has dramatically grown the addressable visitor market, and summer hiking, cycling, and the GoPro Games drive meaningful shoulder demand.
Across 105 active STR-viable listings analyzed this month, Vail shows a 0.9% median cap rate at a $3.9M median list price, 25% occupancy, and $641/night. That ranks #55 of 57 markets in STRROI's live ranking. At typical prices, cash flow is tight: most listings only pencil out with a large down payment, a below-list purchase, or above-market nightly rates.
Vail real estate market right now
As of October 16, 2026, STRROI is tracking 105 homes for sale in Vail that could run as short-term rentals, at a median list price of $3,900,000. The middle half are priced between $1.5M and $9.7M. That works out to a median of $1,380 per square foot for a typical 2,304 square foot home. Homes here have been on the market 156 days on average, longer than the 101 days typical across the 56 markets in STRROI's ranking, which usually leaves more room to negotiate on price. 14 of them were listed in the last 30 days.
These numbers cover the homes for sale STRROI analyzes as potential short-term rentals in Vail, mainly ZIP 81657. They are not every home sale in the area, so they can differ from MLS-wide figures. Month-by-month price history starts Oct 2026 and fills in as the market is re-checked each month.
What's for sale in Vail right now
Of the 105 homes for sale we analyzed in Vail, none project positive monthly cash flow with 20% down at a 7.5% rate, and none rate Buy or better on STRROI's 1-10 scale. 5+ bedroom homes are the most common (31 for sale, median $11.8M). Returns are strongest in 1-bedroom homes at a 1.5% median cap rate, and weakest in 5+ bedroom homes at 0.3%. By property type, townhouses lead at a 1.3% median cap rate across 15 listings.
- Avoid: 105
| Beds | For sale | Median price | Cap rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | $599K | 1.5% |
| 2 | 14 | $1.1M | 1.5% |
| 3 | 28 | $2.0M | 1.2% |
| 4 | 25 | $5.4M | 0.7% |
| 5+ | 31 | $11.8M | 0.3% |
| Type | For sale | Median price | Cap rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Condos | 41 | $1.5M | 1.2% |
| Multi-family | 26 | $6.1M | 0.8% |
| Single-family homes | 23 | $10.5M | 0.4% |
| Townhouses | 15 | $2.0M | 1.3% |
Top-ranked homes for sale in Vail this month
Scored 1-10 against real Airbnb comps. Addresses, photos and the full underwriting are in the app.
- #1Avoid · 2/101 bd · 1 ba condoZIP 81657 · listed at $275K
- Cap rate
- 3.7%
- Cash flow
- -$685/mo
- Nightly
- $257 at 25%
- #2Avoid · 2/103 bd · 3 ba condoZIP 81657 · listed at $855K
- Cap rate
- 2.8%
- Cash flow
- -$2,790/mo
- Nightly
- $533 at 25%
- #3Avoid · 2/103 bd · 2 ba condoZIP 81657 · listed at $884K
- Cap rate
- 2.7%
- Cash flow
- -$2,964/mo
- Nightly
- $533 at 25%
How Vail compares
Vail ranks #5 of 6 Mountain West markets in STRROI's live ranking; Steamboat Springs leads the region with a median cap rate of 3.0%. Its 0.9% cap rate is 2.0 points below the 2.9% median across all 57 ranked markets, and its $3.9M typical list price is pricier than the Mountain West median of $2.3M.
| Rank | Market | Cap rate | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| #28 | Steamboat Springs, CO | 3.0% | $1.5M |
| #31 | Moab, UT | 2.7% | $590K |
| #41 | Breckenridge, CO | 2.3% | $1.0M |
| #51 | Jackson Hole, WY | 1.7% | $3.2M |
| #55 | Vail, CO | 0.9% | $3.9M |
| #57 | Park City, UT | 0.4% | $3.1M |
Rank is national, by median cap rate across active STR-viable listings. Cash flow uses STRROI's default financing assumptions. See the full ranking
Estimated Annual Performance
* Estimates based on market averages. Individual property performance varies. Always run a full underwriting analysis.
Why Investors Choose Vail
Vail STR investing, answered
Is Vail, CO a good short-term rental market?
Vail is a Mountain West STR market with a 0.9% median cap rate, 25% annual occupancy, and $641/night across STR-viable listings, based on 105 active listings. It ranks #55 of 57 markets by median cap rate in STRROI's live ranking. This month none of its 105 homes for sale rate Buy or better.
What is the average Airbnb occupancy rate in Vail?
STR-viable properties in Vail average about 25% occupancy across the year. Peak season is Dec - Mar (ski), July (summer events). Occupancy here reflects availability-adjusted booking performance, not raw calendar occupancy, so it represents what a full-time operated rental can realistically achieve.
How much do short-term rentals earn in Vail?
At $641/night and 25% occupancy, a typical Vail STR grosses roughly $58,491 per year before expenses, leaving an estimated $35,095 in net operating income. Across analyzed listings the median cap rate is 0.9%. Individual results depend on property, amenities, and management.
What types of properties work best for STR in Vail?
Among homes for sale right now, 1-bedroom homes post the strongest median cap rate by size (1.5%), and townhouses lead by property type (1.3%). With guests, the best-performing STR types here are Condo, Ski-in/Ski-out, Townhouse, Single Family. Matching the local guest profile and the amenities that drive bookings matters more than raw square footage.
How many homes for sale in Vail cash flow as an Airbnb?
0 of 105 STR-viable listings (0%) project positive monthly cash flow after the mortgage, assuming 20% down at a 7.5% rate on a 30-year loan. The top-ranked listing this month is a 1-bedroom condo in ZIP 81657 listed at $275K, projecting a 3.7% cap rate and -$685 a month.
What is the median home price in Vail, CO right now?
The median list price of the 105 homes for sale STRROI tracks in Vail is $3,900,000, and the middle half are priced between $1.5M and $9.7M. The median price per square foot is $1,380. These are homes that could run as short-term rentals, mainly ZIP 81657, not every sale in the area. Against a 0.9% median cap rate, that price level sets the return baseline you'd underwrite against.
How long do homes stay on the market in Vail?
Homes for sale in Vail have been listed 156 days on average, longer than the 101 days typical across the 56 markets in STRROI's ranking, which usually leaves more room to negotiate on price. 14 of them were listed in the last 30 days.
Market averages, not guarantees. Cap rates, occupancy, and nightly rates are market-wide averages based on active STR listings and historical data. Individual property performance depends on location, amenities, management, and listing quality. Always run a full underwriting analysis before purchasing.Stats sourced from 105 active listings · last updated Oct 16, 2026
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