What's the average daily rate for short-term rentals in Salida and Buena Vista?

Salida's average daily rate runs around $293 with about 39% occupancy. Buena Vista's runs $286-$298 with occupancy in the low-to-mid 40s to low 50s percent range. Top-tier properties in both towns significantly outperform the average, commanding $464-$499 or more per night at 74-75%+ occupancy , the top 10% of Salida listings pull toward six-figure annual revenue.

Is Salida Buena Vista a Good Short Term Rental Investment in 2026

Q: Is Salida also under a moratorium?

No. Salida isn't under a moratorium, but it does have hard caps across four zones: 85 licenses in its R1, R2, R3, AG, and PD zones, 99 in Mixed-Use Downtown, 75 in Mixed-Use Neighborhood, and 50 combined across Mixed-Use Highway and Mixed-Use Center , 309 licenses citywide. As of late February 2026, roughly 38% of citywide licenses remained available, though city staff reported high inquiry volume.

Thomas Garner
Jul 24
14 min read

Updated: 15 hours ago

Here's the caveat first, because it matters more than anything else in this article: as of mid-2026, Salida and Buena Vista, Colorado, are not markets where you can buy a house and assume you'll be renting it short-term. Chaffee County caps total unincorporated STR licenses at 310 per year. Salida caps its own pool at 309 licenses split across four zones , 85 in its residential and agricultural zones, 99 downtown, 75 in its Mixed-Use Neighborhood zone, and 50 in its combined Mixed-Use Highway and Mixed-Use Center zones. Buena Vista caps out-of-county owners at 119 licenses , a pool that has been full since at least September 2025, with a waitlist. And on top of all of that, Buena Vista's Board of Trustees passed an emergency moratorium on January 13, 2026, that halts the acceptance, processing, and approval of every new STR license application in town, with no exceptions, running through at least September 30, 2026.

If you're evaluating the Upper Arkansas Valley as an STR market, the honest starting question isn't "what's the ADR?" It's "does this specific property already come with a license, or a credible path to one?" For most buyers in 2026, the answer to the second half of that question is no. This is a market to buy into for an existing, transferable STR license or a resale property that already carries STR rights , not a market where new-entrant supply growth is coming anytime soon.

The Caps and the Moratorium, Explained

Chaffee County, Salida, and Buena Vista each regulate STRs separately, and each has independently concluded that unchecked short-term rental growth was straining housing stock and infrastructure. The result is three overlapping, non-uniform caps depending on exactly where a property sits. Unlike trophy coastal or resort markets where a handful of large national management companies control a large share of inventory, the property management landscape around Salida and Buena Vista is still fragmented , a mix of small, locally based outfits serving Chaffee County specifically, rather than national platforms with standardized, centrally optimized listings.

Unincorporated Chaffee County: 310, or 6%, Whichever Is Fewer

The county's STR ordinance caps the total number of licenses in unincorporated Chaffee County at either 6% of total residential housing units in the county or 310 licenses, whichever is fewer, recalculated each year based on the housing count as of August 1. New STR owners in unincorporated areas are also required to be full-time county residents. This is a hard annual ceiling, not a soft target , once the year's cap is hit, applications stop until the next cycle.

Salida: Four Zones, 309 Licenses Total

Inside city limits, Salida caps STR licenses across four zone categories: 85 for its R1, R2, R3, AG, and PD zones, 99 for its Mixed-Use Downtown district, 75 for its Mixed-Use Neighborhood zone, and 50 for its combined Mixed-Use Highway and Mixed-Use Center zones , a citywide total of 309 licenses. On February 17, 2026, the Salida City Council passed Ordinance 2026-06 on a 4-2 vote (effective March 23, 2026), which realigned those caps to the city's newly adopted zoning districts, trimmed the citywide total by roughly 1.6%, dropped the residency requirement specifically for the Mixed-Use Center zone covering the Two Rivers Commons development downtown, and moved STR applications to a year-round window instead of a narrow spring filing period. As of February 23, 2026 , the most recent public figure we could verify , the city clerk's office reported that 38% of STR licenses citywide still remained available, with the office fielding a steady stream of calls from prospective applicants. That's a meaningfully different picture than Buena Vista: Salida still has open capacity, at least in some zones, even as demand for it is clearly rising.

Buena Vista: 119 Out-of-County Licenses (Full), 30 In-County Non-Primary, Plus a Live Moratorium

Buena Vista's cap structure is the tightest of the three, and it's currently frozen. In 2025, trustees passed Ordinance 9, which froze out-of-county STR licenses at 119 total and separately capped in-county owners renting out a non-primary residence at 30. By September 2025, all 119 out-of-county slots were taken, with six additional applicants on a waitlist , nearly all of them for homes purchased that same year, with owners applying within a month of closing. That waitlist detail matters: it shows how fast the out-of-county pool filled once the cap took effect.

Then, on January 13, 2026, trustees went further and adopted Emergency Ordinance No. 01, a temporary moratorium on accepting, processing, or approving any new STR license application in Buena Vista , out-of-county, in-county, all categories , through at least September 30, 2026. Town leadership has been explicit that this isn't a permanent ban; it's a pause intended to give an appointed STR Licensing Policy Workgroup time to study the issue and hand trustees a non-binding recommendation on how to rewrite the licensing code going forward. That workgroup presented its recommendations to the Board of Trustees at a work session on July 14, 2026. As of this writing, the specific content of those recommendations and any resulting trustee action have not yet been reported publicly , worth flagging clearly, because it means Buena Vista's post-moratorium licensing framework is still being written in real time. Anyone seriously evaluating a Buena Vista purchase right now should check the town's official STR page or call the town clerk's office directly before assuming anything about what August, September, or October 2026 will look like.

What "Buying Into a Capped Market" Actually Means

None of this makes Salida or Buena Vista uninvestable , it changes what kind of deal you're actually looking for. In a capped market, the value isn't in the real estate alone; it's in the license attached to it. Three things matter more here than in an open market:. That combination , whitewater and fourteeners in summer, hot springs shoulder seasons, skiing in winter , is unusual for a market this size, and it's a real part of why rates here hold up better than in single-season mountain towns.

Verify the license transfers with the sale, in writing, before you're under contract.Chaffee County, Salida, and Buena Vista each have their own rules about whether an STR license follows the property to a new owner automatically, requires a fresh application, or lapses if there's a gap in active operation. Buena Vista's ordinance, for instance, requires two years of continuous ownership before a property becomes eligible for certain license categories , a detail that can quietly Drop a deal if you assume the license just comes along for the ride.

Understand renewal and lapse rules town by town.A license that isn't renewed on time, or that sits inactive past whatever grace period the local ordinance allows, can be forfeited back into the capped pool , at which point it's gone for good under a moratorium, or subject to a waitlist under a cap. Ask sellers for their renewal history, not just their current license status.

Price the scarcity premium honestly.A property with an active, transferable STR license in a capped, moratorium-affected market is worth measurably more than an equivalent property without one , because the alternative, for a buyer who wants short-term rental income, may not exist at all right now. That premium is real, and it should show up in your offer analysis, not come as a surprise at closing when you realize the "STR-ready" listing next door actually has no license at all.

If a listing agent or seller can't produce clear documentation on license status, transferability, and renewal history, treat that as a red flag, not an oversight. In a market this constrained, ambiguity around license status isn't a minor gap , it's the whole ballgame. If you're evaluating the Upper Arkansas Valley as an STR market, the honest starting question isn't "what's the ADR?" It's "does this specific property already come with a license, or a credible path to one?" For most buyers in 2026, the answer to the second half of that question is no.

The Demand Case: Why Investors Look at the Upper Arkansas Valley Anyway

Supply constraints aside, it's worth being clear-eyed about why Salida and Buena Vista attract STR investor interest in the first place, because the demand fundamentals are genuinely strong. Here's the caveat first, because it matters more than anything else in this article: as of mid-2026, Salida and Buena Vista, Colorado, are not markets where you can buy a house and assume you'll be renting it short-term.

The Arkansas River corridor running through both towns is the busiest commercial whitewater stretch in Colorado, anchored by Browns Canyon National Monument , roughly 21,600 federally protected acres designated in 2015, running about 13 miles along the river south of Buena Vista. The Class III run through the canyon, along with the more technical stretch known locally as "The Numbers," draws rafting and kayaking traffic all summer and supports a dense cluster of outfitters, guide services, and gear shops in both towns.

Buena Vista also sits at the doorstep of the Collegiate Peaks , nine fourteeners in the Sawatch Range, including Mount Princeton, Mount Yale, and Mount Harvard, several of which are popular non-technical climbs that draw hikers who need a bed in town before and after a summit push. Mount Princeton Hot Springs and Cottonwood Hot Springs sit just outside Buena Vista and give the market a shoulder-season draw that pure adventure-sports towns often lack. In winter, Monarch Mountain , a family-oriented, independently owned ski area operating since 1939 , sits roughly 20 miles from Salida and 40 from Buena Vista, giving both towns a genuine four-season demand base rather than a single-sport summer spike.

That combination , whitewater and fourteeners in summer, hot springs shoulder seasons, skiing in winter , is unusual for a market this size, and it's a real part of why rates here hold up better than in single-season mountain towns. In winter, Monarch Mountain , a family-oriented, independently owned ski area operating since 1939 , sits roughly 20 miles from Salida and 40 from Buena Vista, giving both towns a genuine four-season demand base rather than a single-sport summer spike.

Rates, Occupancy, and Who's Actually Making Money

Current third-party market data backs up the demand story, with a wide spread between average and top-performing properties. In Salida, average daily rate runs around $293 with occupancy near 39%, translating to roughly $35,339 in average annual revenue per listing. The top 10% of Salida listings, though, command $464 or more per night at 74%+ occupancy , properties like larger riverside or ranch-style homes pulling six figures in annual revenue. In Buena Vista, average daily rate sits in the $286-$298 range depending on the data source, with occupancy between roughly 43% and 52% and average annual revenue around $35,339 / $34,255 per listing; the top 10% there clear $499 or more nightly at 75%+ occupancy, with the highest-grossing individual listings pulling well over $200,000 a year.

The gap between median and top-tier performance is the real story in the data: it isn't just about being in the right town; it's about the property itself , bedroom count, river or mountain positioning, and professional management all show up directly in the revenue split. A capped-supply market amplifies this further, because a scarce license attached to a mediocre property still underperforms, while the same scarce license attached to a well-positioned, well-managed one captures a disproportionate share of demand that has nowhere else in town to go.

The Ownership Landscape: Fragmented, Not Consolidated

Unlike trophy coastal or resort markets where a handful of large national management companies control a large share of inventory, the property management landscape around Salida and Buena Vista is still fragmented , a mix of small, locally based outfits serving Chaffee County specifically, rather than national platforms with standardized, centrally optimized listings. That fragmentation matters for an independent owner: it means the market hasn't been consolidated by outside capital, and an owner willing to invest in direct-booking infrastructure, a real brand, and dedicated listing optimization is competing against smaller, less sophisticated operators rather than a well-funded national platform. In a market where new licenses are frozen or scarce, that's a meaningful edge , the properties that win aren't necessarily the newest; they're the ones marketed like a real business instead of left on autopilot inside a generic OTA listing.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I currently apply for a new short-term rental license in Buena Vista?

As of January 13, 2026, Buena Vista's Board of Trustees adopted an emergency moratorium halting the acceptance, processing, and approval of all new STR license applications in town, scheduled to run through at least September 30, 2026. An appointed workgroup presented recommendations to trustees on July 14, 2026, but no resulting action has been reported publicly yet. Check the town's official STR page or call the clerk's office directly before assuming anything has changed.

Is Salida also under a moratorium?

No. Salida is not under a moratorium, but it does cap STR licenses across four zones: 85 in its R1, R2, R3, AG, and PD zones, 99 downtown, 75 in its Mixed-Use Neighborhood zone, and 50 combined across its Mixed-Use Highway and Mixed-Use Center zones, 309 citywide. As of the most recent public figure available, in late February 2026, roughly 38% of citywide licenses remained available, though city staff reported a high volume of inquiries, suggesting capacity could tighten quickly.

What is Chaffee County's short-term rental cap?

Unincorporated Chaffee County caps STR licenses at 310 per year or 6% of total residential housing units, whichever is fewer, recalculated annually based on the county's housing count each August 1. New owners in unincorporated areas must also be full-time county residents. This is a hard annual ceiling rather than a soft target: once a given year's cap is hit, applications stop until the next cycle opens.

Does an existing STR license automatically transfer when a property sells?

Not necessarily, and the rules differ by jurisdiction. Buena Vista, for example, requires two years of continuous ownership before certain license categories become eligible, which can affect how quickly a license attaches to a new owner. Chaffee County, Salida, and Buena Vista each have their own rules on whether a license follows the property automatically, requires a fresh application, or lapses after a gap in operation. Always get transferability confirmed in writing from the relevant town or county office before closing.

Why would anyone still want to buy an STR here if new licenses are capped or frozen?

Because the demand fundamentals are strong and largely uncorrelated with the supply cap: Browns Canyon National Monument whitewater, the Collegiate Peaks fourteeners, Mount Princeton and Cottonwood hot springs, and Monarch Mountain skiing give the corridor genuine four-season demand. A scarce, already-licensed property in a capped market can command a real premium precisely because supply can't easily expand to meet that demand.

What's the average daily rate for short-term rentals in this area?

Current third-party data puts Salida's average daily rate around $293 with about 39% occupancy. Buena Vista's average daily rate runs $286-$298 depending on the data source, with occupancy roughly 43-52%. Top-tier properties in both towns significantly outperform the average: Salida's top 10% command $464 or more per night at 74%+ occupancy, while Buena Vista's top 10% clear $499 or more nightly at 75%+ occupancy, with some individual listings pulling well over $200,000 a year. Average annual revenue per listing was not cleanly sourced for this piece and should be verified directly rather than assumed.

Are national property management platforms dominant in Salida and Buena Vista?

No. The management landscape remains fragmented, made up mostly of small, locally based companies rather than large national platforms with standardized, centrally optimized listings. That leaves room for an owner willing to invest in direct-booking infrastructure, a real brand, and dedicated listing optimization to differentiate meaningfully from less sophisticated local competition, which is a real edge in a market where new licenses are frozen or scarce.

Where can I get the most current information on caps and the Buena Vista moratorium?

Go directly to the source: Buena Vista's official STR page and town clerk's office for moratorium status, Salida's city clerk's office for current license availability by zone, and the Chaffee County Community Planning & Natural Resources department for the unincorporated county cap. All three update independently, and third-party summaries, including this article, can lag behind trustee and council action.

About the Authors

Crest & Cove Creative is a short-term rental marketing agency founded by Thomas Garner and Jacob Mishalanie. We build direct-booking brands, listing optimization systems, and market-specific content strategies for independent STR operators nationwide, including emerging corridors like Salida and Buena Vista, Colorado. That fragmentation matters for an independent owner: it means the market hasn't been consolidated by outside capital, and an owner willing to invest in direct-booking infrastructure, a real brand, and dedicated listing optimization is competing against smaller, less sophisticated operators rather than a well-funded national platform.

Sources

Ark Valley Voice, "Buena Vista Trustees Pass Temporary Short Term Rental License Moratorium" , confirms Emergency Ordinance No. 01, adopted January 13, 2026, moratorium on all new STR license applications through at least September 30, 2026.
Chaffee County Times, "Trustees vote for STR license moratorium in Buena Vista" , corroborates moratorium adoption date and scope.
Chaffee County Times, "Buena Vista Board caps out-of-county rental licenses" (published September 1, 2025) , confirms the 119 out-of-county license cap was fully allocated with 6 applicants on a waitlist as of that date.
Live In Buena Vista.com (Mark Krasnow, Realtor), "Updated - Buena Vista Short Term Rental (STR) Licensing Information" (page updated September 9, 2025) , confirms 119 out-of-county cap, 30 in-county non-primary-residence cap (with roughly 11 unfilled at that time), and the two-year ownership requirement.
Ark Valley Voice, "BV Trustees to Consider Short-Term Rental Committee Recommendations, Election Intentions" , confirms trustees reviewed STR Licensing Policy Workgroup recommendations at a work session on July 14, 2026; specific recommendations and any resulting vote were not publicly reported as of this writing and should be independently reconfirmed.
Ark Valley Voice, "Chaffee County Approves Short-term Rental Ordinance With 6 Percent Cap" , confirms the mechanism for the unincorporated county's 310-license/6%-of-housing-stock cap, recalculated annually as of August 1. This is the origin ordinance (2021); we found no evidence in current search results that the cap mechanism itself has changed, but current-year utilization/waitlist figures could not be independently verified and should be confirmed directly with Chaffee County Community Planning at str@chaffeecounty.org or.
City of Salida, "Short Term Rentals" official page, and Ark Valley Voice coverage of Ordinance 2026-06 , confirm Salida's four zone-based caps: 85 licenses (R1/R2/R3/AG/PD zones), 99 (Mixed-Use Downtown), 75 (Mixed-Use Neighborhood), and 50 (combined Mixed-Use Highway/Mixed-Use Center) , 309 total citywide.
Ark Valley Voice, "Salida City Council Passes Ordinance 2026-06 Short Term Rental License Update on First Reading" (published February 5, 2026) and "Salida City Council Passes R2 Medium-Density Residential For 5-H LLC Project, STR Amended" (published February 23, 2026) , confirm the ordinance passed second reading February 17, 2026 on a 4-2 vote, effective March 23, 2026; realigned caps to new zoning districts with a roughly 1.6% overall reduction; removed the residency requirement specifically for the Mixed-Use Center zone (Two Rivers Commons); allowed year-round applications; and reported that 38% of citywide STR licenses remained available as of that February 23, 2026 article , the most current utilization figure we could verify.
AirROI, Salida, CO Airbnb market data , ADR $293/night, 39.1% occupancy, ~$35,339 average annual revenue; top 10% of listings at $464+/night, 74%+ occupancy.
AirROI, Buena Vista, CO Airbnb market data , ADR $291-$298/night depending on report date, 43-45.5% occupancy, ~$35,339$34,255 average annual revenue; top 10% of listings at $499+/night, 75%+ occupancy.
AirDNA-sourced market summary, Buena Vista, CO , ADR $286/night, 52% occupancy, ~$33,759 average annual revenue (some AirDNA-derived summaries Keep this figure "monthly," which appears to be a mislabel given the order of magnitude relative to ADR × occupancy; treated here as annual, consistent with AirROI's per-listing annual figures. A somewhat higher-occupancy, lower-ADR read than AirROI's figures; both are cited to show the range across data providers).
Correction to brief: the brief's estimated top-property figure of "$473+" was not independently verified as an exact number for either town. Verified current figures are $464+/night for Salida's top 10% and $499+/night for Buena Vista's top 10%; this article uses those town-specific verified numbers instead.
BLM, Browns Canyon National Monument official page , confirms designation February 19, 2015, approximately 21,589 acres, and status as Colorado's most popular commercial whitewater stretch.
Wikipedia and outfitter sources (Mount Yale, Mount Harvard) , confirm the nine named Collegiate Peaks fourteeners in the Sawatch Range near Buena Vista, including Mount Princeton (14,204 ft), Mount Yale (14,197 ft), and Mount Harvard (14,420 ft, the range's highest).
Monarch Mountain official site (skimonarch.com) , confirms the resort has operated since 1939 and sits roughly 20 miles from Salida and 40 miles from Buena Vista.

Work with Crest & Cove Creative

A Salida or Buena Vista listing written before confirming an actual license or a credible path to one is marketing a property that may not legally be able to rent short-term at all.

We write Upper Arkansas Valley copy that starts with your license status, then builds the pitch around what the parcel can actually offer.

Reach out at crestcove.co or (256) 998-7502.