Pitkin County hears first updates from short-term rental impact study 

Pitkin County commissioners heard first updates from a study they signed off on in June looking into the impact of short-term rentals, meaning rentals lasting less than 30 days, on Wednesday. 

In this update, commissioners learned high-level details about the 73 active STR licenses that are operating in the county, including their locations, average rents, occupancy rates, and more. 

“The majority (of STRs) are concentrated in the area of Aspen and along the Highway 82 corridor,” Karlyn Russell-Carlton, a research analyst at Economic and Planning System, explained. EPS is contracted by Pitkin County for the impact study. “There are also about 15% in the Crystal River Valley area, but our greatest concentration is going to be in the Aspen Community Plan area.” 

Those 73 rentals were occupied for around 30% of the days they were available on the market, according to data presented by EPS to the commissioners. The cost to rent an STR in Pitkin County varied significantly from hundreds of dollars per night to tens of thousands, even as much as $60,000 per night. The median cost was closer to $3,500 per night at peak times in the winter and $2,200 during peak summer times. 

Operating 73 rentals is low relative to other similar communities, but this is primarily due to Pitkin County STR licensing requirements that ask anyone who is applying for an STR license to be able to demonstrate that they rented out portions of that home prior to 2022. Because of this rule, STR licenses decreased in 2025. 

The study aimed to get an understanding  of qualitative impact beyond the raw data. EPS surveyed property managers of some of the STRs in Pitkin County, asking them about complaints received from neighbors, parking issues, trash generated by guests, and more. EPS noted in its study that the property managers largely noted that the STRs they managed attracted a more “upscale, conscientious” guest who did not have a large impact on the surrounding communities. 

“If we want the people who are using the most in terms of resources and carbon and clogging the highway with service workers to maintain the big house that’s renting for $60,000 a night, are they paying their way?” Commissioner Greg Poschman asked. “It seems like we don’t have a lot of STRS to worry about. We’re not like other communities that are overrun with them; but the problem is, I identify this with the biggest, most expensive places, are they paying their way in community impacts?” 

The commissioners were largely open to the idea of changing the county’s STR policy somewhat to allow for more STRs, considering that the negative impacts of STRs were being successfully mitigated by cautious policy. Expanding access would  allow residents an opportunity that is currently limited to legacy renters. 

However, all of present commissioners including Poschman, Francie Jacober, Kelly McNicholas Kury, and Patti Clapper expressed varying degrees of caution about executing  that policy change. 

“I’m willing to revisit (the policy), but I probably want it associated with some cap of the total number of licenses that we would issue,” said Kury. 

Clapper added, “I agree that we should have a conversation to consider opening it up to people who didn’t have the opportunity. I’m just concerned about the people we know who will come in here and buy a home just to flip it to short-term because now they have the opportunity to.” 

The final report is expected to be delivered to the board this winter.