How Much Can You Make on Airbnb in Colorado Springs? Revenue Data and Real Numbers

Key Takeaways

• Colorado Springs Airbnb hosts earn an average of $32,000 to $39,000 per year across all property types.
• The average daily rate in Colorado Springs runs approximately $151, with summer peak rates reaching $180 to $220 per night.
• Annual occupancy averages 69%, with June through August driving the highest bookings.
• Larger properties command dramatically higher revenue: a well-managed 4-bedroom home can generate $55,000 to $75,000 annually.
• Professional management consistently increases net owner income through higher occupancy and optimized pricing, even after fees.

Colorado Springs is one of the strongest short-term rental markets in the Mountain West, and the numbers back that up. With 24.8 million annual visitors to the Pikes Peak region, five military installations generating steady demand, and a tourism calendar that runs twelve months a year, the city gives vacation rental owners a market that very few mid-size cities can match. (Visit Colorado Springs)

This guide breaks down what you can realistically expect to earn, what drives revenue differences between properties, and how your management approach affects the bottom line.

The Colorado Springs STR Market at a Glance

The Colorado Springs short-term rental market holds between 2,200 and 3,900 active listings at any given time, depending on the season. According to Airbtics, the average annual STR revenue in Colorado Springs sits around $37,000, with a median daily rate of approximately $151 and an average occupancy rate of 69%. Rabbu puts average annual revenue in a similar range.

Those figures represent the market middle. Top-performing properties managed by experienced operators routinely outperform averages by 30 to 50 percent. The gap between the median performer and the top decile is almost entirely explained by three factors: property size, location, and management quality.

According to AirDNA’s MarketMinder, Colorado Springs carries an Investability Score of 88 out of 100 and has seen year-over-year revenue growth of approximately 6%, placing it among the strongest mid-market STR investment destinations in the country.

Revenue Breakdown by Property Size

The biggest single variable in your Colorado Springs STR income is bedroom count. More bedrooms allow you to accommodate larger groups, which commands higher nightly rates and typically generates better occupancy because family reunion trips, military graduation weekends, and corporate retreats all need space.

Here is how annual revenue tends to break down by property size in the Colorado Springs market:

Studio and 1-bedroom units: $15,000 to $25,000 annually. These properties serve solo travelers, couples, and short-stay business visitors. They have lower ceiling rates but also lower carrying costs and are easier to manage. Properties near downtown, Old Colorado City, and Manitou Springs perform best at this size.

2-bedroom properties: $25,000 to $40,000 annually. The 2-bedroom segment captures the broadest range of travelers: couples traveling with friends, small families, and weekend groups. Consistent year-round demand makes this size class reliable.

3-bedroom properties: $35,000 to $55,000 annually. This is the sweet spot for Colorado Springs. Three-bedroom homes attract the family market, which tends to book longer stays and leave better reviews. Properties with outdoor spaces, hot tubs, or mountain views hit the higher end of this range.

4-bedroom and larger: $55,000 to $85,000 or more annually. Large group properties are the highest-revenue segment, and Colorado Springs has unusually strong demand for them. Military graduation weekends at the Air Force Academy, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, and Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo all generate multi-family group bookings that fill larger homes at premium rates. A well-positioned 6-bedroom home near Garden of the Gods can generate six figures in annual revenue under professional management.

The Seasonal Revenue Curve

Understanding Colorado Springs seasonality is essential to forecasting your income accurately. The market runs a clear summer peak with a meaningful winter trough, but it is not as dramatic as ski towns or purely tourism-dependent destinations.

Peak season (June, July, August): This is when Colorado Springs earns its highest nightly rates, typically 20 to 40 percent above annual averages. July is the single strongest month. Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (June), summer hiking season, Air Force Academy events, and the Colorado Renaissance Festival (weekends June through August) all stack demand during this window. Average daily rates during peak summer can reach $180 to $220 for a well-positioned 3-bedroom property.

Shoulder season (May, September, October): Solid demand from hikers, military family visitors, and fall foliage travelers keeps occupancy strong. Rates drop 10 to 20 percent from peak but occupancy remains above 60 percent for most property types. These months often generate better net income per booking than peak season because competition for cleaning crews and maintenance is lower.

Low season (November through March): This is the honest weak spot. Occupancy can drop to 45 to 55 percent for many property types, and rates compress. However, Colorado Springs never goes fully quiet. Fort Carson and the other military installations generate year-round TDY (temporary duty) traveler demand. Families visiting cadets at the Air Force Academy book in winter. The Broadmoor World Arena draws hockey and concert audiences. Properties priced correctly and marketed to the right audiences maintain meaningful winter occupancy.

Spring (April): A transition month with rising demand, strong for outdoor recreation visitors and military family travel around spring military events.

What Drives the Difference Between Average and Top Performance

Looking at the average figures is useful for ballpark planning, but the more interesting question is what separates the $37,000 average performer from the property clearing $65,000 on the same number of bedrooms. Four factors explain most of the gap.

Location Relative to Demand Drivers

Properties within walking distance of Garden of the Gods, in Manitou Springs, near Old Colorado City, or with genuine Pikes Peak views consistently outperform properties in featureless suburban neighborhoods. The Broadmoor area and the western neighborhoods near hiking trailheads carry location premiums of 20 to 35 percent in average daily rate compared to equivalent properties on the east side of the city.

Amenity Stack

Hot tubs are the single highest-return amenity investment in Colorado Springs. A properly maintained hot tub adds an estimated $5,000 to $10,000 in annual revenue and significantly improves occupancy during shoulder and winter seasons. Covered outdoor spaces, fire pits, game rooms, and strong WiFi all show measurable returns. Properties in the 4-bedroom and larger segment that include sport courts, pickleball setups, or swimming pools (less common in Colorado Springs than in Arizona, but impactful when present) generate the highest absolute revenues.

Pricing Strategy

Static pricing — setting a flat rate and leaving it — is the single easiest way to underperform the market. A property with static pricing leaves money on the table during peak events (when it could charge 2x to 3x normal rates) and fails to capture bookings during slow periods because it is overpriced relative to the actual demand level. Dynamic pricing through AI-driven optimization captures demand spikes at premium rates and fills slow periods with competitive offers, generating measurable revenue improvements over static approaches.

Multi-Platform Distribution

Most self-managing hosts list primarily on Airbnb and stop there. Professional managers distribute across Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, Expedia, TripAdvisor, Google Vacation Rentals, TravelStaytion, Hopper, and Marriott Homes and Villas. Research from Hoste’s own distribution data shows that approximately one-third of bookings come from Airbnb, one-third from other platforms, and one-third from Google and direct channels. A host relying solely on Airbnb is leaving a third of their potential bookings on the table.

The Impact of Professional Management on Net Owner Income

The math that most self-managing hosts do incorrectly is subtracting the management fee without accounting for the revenue improvement. Here is a more accurate way to run the numbers.

A typical 3-bedroom Colorado Springs property self-managed generates roughly $40,000 per year in gross revenue. That host spends approximately 20 to 30 hours per month on guest communication, scheduling, pricing, maintenance coordination, and platform management.

The same property managed by a full-service operator like Hoste typically generates $48,000 to $54,000 gross — a 20 to 35 percent improvement driven by multi-platform distribution, AI-powered pricing, and professional listing optimization. After a 20 percent management fee on the higher revenue figure, the owner nets $38,400 to $43,200 — roughly comparable to or better than the self-managed scenario — while recovering those 20 to 30 hours per month entirely.

For remote owners, investors with multiple properties, or anyone with a demanding day job, the math favors professional management even before valuing the time saved. Find out what your Colorado Springs property could earn with a free earnings estimate from Hoste.

Military Demand: Colorado Springs’ Underappreciated Revenue Driver

One factor that makes Colorado Springs meaningfully different from typical STR markets is the presence of five military installations: Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, the United States Air Force Academy, and NORAD/Cheyenne Mountain Complex. Together these installations employ tens of thousands of active-duty personnel and generate consistent demand for temporary lodging.

TDY (temporary duty) travelers, families visiting during basic training graduations, and visitors during USAFA commissioning week (late May, when thousands of family members descend on the city) create reliable demand spikes that savvy operators price into their calendars weeks in advance. Military demand is also concentrated in housing types that serve extended stays, making it particularly valuable for filling the winter occupancy gaps that pure tourism-dependent markets struggle with.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to start making money on a new Colorado Springs Airbnb?

Most well-positioned properties that launch with professional photography, a complete and optimized listing, and proper pricing reach their first booking within days of going live. However, meaningful review accumulation — which drives occupancy and ADR growth — typically takes three to six months. Most properties hit their full revenue potential in their second full operating season.

Do I need to furnish my property before I can list it?

Yes, short-term rentals must be fully furnished. Budget $15,000 to $35,000 for a 3-bedroom property to furnish it to a level that generates strong reviews. Cutting corners on mattress quality, kitchen equipment, and outdoor furniture reliably shows up in reviews and suppresses future bookings. Hoste can connect owners with local staging and furnishing resources as part of our property care services.

What occupancy rate should I expect in year one?

A new listing with strong photos, competitive pricing, and active management can reach 60 to 70 percent occupancy in its first full year. Properties without professional photos or with static pricing often achieve 45 to 55 percent occupancy in year one.

Are there properties in Colorado Springs that should not be short-term rentals?

Yes. Properties in zoning districts that prohibit non-owner-occupied STRs are not viable investment rentals under current city code. Properties with HOA restrictions against short-term rentals face the same issue regardless of zoning. And properties with structural or code issues need to be resolved before STR use — not after your first guest encounter a problem.

How does management fee percentage affect my actual take-home income?

A lower management fee percentage does not automatically mean higher net income. A company charging 15 percent on a self-managed baseline of $40,000 returns $34,000 to the owner. A company charging 22 percent but generating $55,000 in gross revenue returns $42,900. Always evaluate management proposals on projected net income, not fee percentage alone.

Summary

Colorado Springs offers STR investors a compelling combination of strong average revenues, year-round demand drivers, and a market that has continued growing even as many STR markets softened. The average host earns $32,000 to $39,000 per year, but the variables that drive outcomes — property size, location, amenities, pricing strategy, and distribution reach — give well-managed properties a clear path to significantly higher returns.

The gap between average and excellent is mostly a management gap. If your current income does not reflect what the market is capable of delivering, or if you are evaluating a Colorado Springs property for the first time, a free earnings estimate from Hoste gives you a grounded starting point. See also our guide on Colorado Springs STR regulations if you are working through the compliance requirements before you launch.