The single most-asked question from prospective Vermont vacation rental owners is simple: how much can I actually make? This guide answers it with real 2026 market data, broken down by town and home size, along with the variables that will swing your number up or down.
A caveat: Vermont vacation rental revenue varies more than national averages because the state has two very concentrated demand peaks (peak foliage and ski season) and one surprisingly strong summer. A well-priced home in a top Vermont market can earn in four months what a year-round Sun Belt home earns all year. Get the seasonality right and your numbers look terrific. Get it wrong and they look thin.
Key takeaways
- A well-managed 3-bedroom Vermont vacation rental in Quechee, Woodstock, or Killington typically grosses $65,000–$110,000 per year in 2026.
- A 4–5 bedroom premium home can gross $110,000–$200,000+ per year depending on amenities and location.
- 40–55% of annual revenue comes from just 8–10 peak weeks (foliage + Christmas/New Year + Presidents' Day + Dartmouth events).
- Dynamic pricing, multi-platform distribution, and strong shoulder-season strategy are the three biggest revenue levers.
The three inputs that determine your revenue
Every Vermont short-term rental's annual revenue is driven by three variables:
- Average Daily Rate (ADR) — how much guests pay per night, on average across the year
- Occupancy — the percentage of available nights that get booked
- Length of availability — how many nights per year the home is on the market
Multiply those together and you get gross revenue. All three move together — push the ADR too high and occupancy falls; drop it too low and you burn inventory.
Typical 2026 numbers by town and bedroom count
These are ranges based on well-run, professionally-managed homes across the Stay Vermont footprint. Self-managed homes with below-average presentation typically land at the low end or below. Premium-amenity homes (pool, hot tub, estate grounds, walkable-to-village) can exceed the top of the range.
Quechee
| Bedrooms | Avg Daily Rate | Occupancy | Annual Gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 BR cottage | $275–$375 | 50–60% | $55,000–$80,000 |
| 3 BR home | $425–$550 | 50–60% | $85,000–$115,000 |
| 4 BR home | $575–$750 | 55–65% | $125,000–$170,000 |
| 5+ BR estate | $800–$1,500+ | 50–60% | $165,000–$300,000+ |
Woodstock
| Bedrooms | Avg Daily Rate | Occupancy | Annual Gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 BR | $300–$425 | 50–60% | $60,000–$90,000 |
| 3 BR | $475–$625 | 50–60% | $95,000–$130,000 |
| 4 BR | $650–$875 | 55–65% | $140,000–$195,000 |
| 5+ BR | $900–$1,700+ | 50–60% | $180,000–$340,000+ |
Killington
| Bedrooms | Avg Daily Rate | Occupancy | Annual Gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio/1 BR condo | $175–$275 | 45–55% | $32,000–$52,000 |
| 2 BR condo | $300–$450 | 50–60% | $62,000–$95,000 |
| 3 BR home | $475–$675 | 50–60% | $95,000–$140,000 |
| 4–5 BR ski house | $750–$1,200 | 55–65% | $160,000–$245,000 |
Ludlow (Okemo)
| Bedrooms | Avg Daily Rate | Occupancy | Annual Gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 BR | $285–$400 | 50–60% | $58,000–$85,000 |
| 3 BR | $450–$600 | 50–60% | $90,000–$125,000 |
| 4+ BR | $625–$900 | 55–65% | $135,000–$195,000 |
Pomfret / Barnard / Reading (rural upscale)
| Bedrooms | Avg Daily Rate | Occupancy | Annual Gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 BR farmhouse | $425–$575 | 45–55% | $75,000–$110,000 |
| 4 BR | $625–$850 | 50–60% | $120,000–$170,000 |
| 5+ BR estate | $950–$1,800+ | 45–55% | $175,000–$340,000+ |
Where the revenue actually comes from (seasonality)
A typical well-run Vermont vacation rental earns its year like this:
| Period | Share of annual revenue |
|---|---|
| Peak foliage (late Sep – mid Oct) | 18–25% |
| Christmas + New Year week | 10–14% |
| Ski season weekends (Dec–Mar) | 22–28% |
| Presidents' Day week | 4–6% |
| Dartmouth events (graduation, homecoming, hockey playoffs) | 3–5% |
| Summer (June–Aug) | 18–22% |
| Shoulder (Apr–May mud season, early Nov, late Mar–early Apr) | 7–12% |
Two implications for owners:
- Peak-week pricing is where the year is won or lost. A $475 Woodstock home that should be at $825 for foliage weekend leaves roughly $1,400 on the table in two days. Compound that across the 8–10 true peak weeks and it's the difference between a good year and a great one.
- Shoulder-season strategy matters more than most owners think. Getting five additional mud-season or early-November bookings can meaningfully lift annual revenue, even at lower rates, because those are nights that would otherwise sit empty.
The variables that push you to the top of the range
In our experience running homes across Quechee, Woodstock, Killington, and the Upper Valley, the following factors reliably push revenue into the top quartile:
- Hot tub — a true needle-mover; 10–20% revenue lift in ski towns
- Pool — 15–25% lift for summer-heavy properties
- Fireplace or wood stove — guests love it; modest but real bump
- Pet-friendly — opens up a meaningful segment (18%+ of guests travel with pets)
- Walk-to-village location (Quechee, Woodstock, Ludlow, Killington base)
- Mountain or river views
- Ski-in / ski-out or <5 min to lifts (Killington, Okemo)
- Fenced yard for pet and family travelers
- Professional photography — a single hour of bad photos can cost tens of thousands
- Dynamic pricing with event-aware overlays — the difference between baseline and peak-aware pricing is usually 10–20%
- Direct-booking engine alongside OTA listings
The variables that drop you to the bottom
- Outdated interiors — guests notice, and reviews punish it
- Shared driveways or poor snow access
- Distance from any ski resort >30 minutes
- Below-average cleaning quality — the single fastest way to destroy a listing
- Slow host response time — Airbnb deprioritizes listings that respond slowly
- Manual / static pricing — 10–20% of revenue left on the table
A realistic projection for your home
Any broad range is only useful as a starting point. To get a real number for a specific Vermont home, a professional manager will typically consider:
- Comparable homes within 10 miles at similar size and amenity level
- Prior-year STR Insights and AirDNA data for the zip code
- The home's specific condition, photos, and standout features
- Town-specific demand patterns (Woodstock and Quechee draw different guests than Killington)
- Owner personal-use dates (every blocked week reduces the revenue ceiling)
Our team will run a free, written revenue projection for any Vermont home. No pitch, no commitment. Request one here.
The bottom line
Vermont is one of the most revenue-productive vacation rental markets per available night in the country during peak weeks — and one of the most seasonal. Owners who rent professionally, price dynamically, and invest thoughtfully in amenities routinely outperform generic market averages by 15–30%. Owners who don't, or who self-manage passively, leave meaningful money on the table every year.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the average Vermont Airbnb make per year? A well-run 3-bedroom Vermont Airbnb in Quechee, Woodstock, or Killington typically grosses $85,000–$130,000 per year in 2026. Smaller homes and rural areas earn less; 4+ bedroom premium homes earn more.
What's the best Vermont town for Airbnb income? In order of raw revenue potential: Killington (ski demand), Woodstock (year-round), Quechee (Upper Valley draw), Ludlow (Okemo ski), Stowe, and Burlington. Net returns depend on property price and operating costs.
What percentage of Vermont Airbnb revenue comes from peak foliage? Typically 18–25% of annual revenue in the Upper Valley and southern Green Mountains, concentrated in a 3–4 week window from late September to mid-October.
Do I need a hot tub to rank competitively in Killington? Not strictly — but a hot tub adds 10–20% to typical revenue in ski markets. It's one of the highest-ROI amenity investments.
How accurate are online Airbnb earnings estimators? They're directional, not precise. They miss property-specific amenities, condition, and seasonality. For real planning, get a manager to do a bespoke projection with comparable data.
