How Much Does an Airbnb Make in West Yellowstone, Montana?

If you own a cabin or condo in West Yellowstone, you have probably wondered what it could earn as a vacation rental. Maybe you already rent it and want to know if you are leaving money on the table.

The short answer is that it depends a lot on the home. But there is good public data to start from, and we will walk through it here in plain language.

Why West Yellowstone has strong rental demand

West Yellowstone sits right at the park's west entrance. That puts your rental on the doorstep of one of the most visited national parks in the country.

Yellowstone National Park recorded 4,762,988 recreation visits in 2025, according to the National Park Service. Many of those visitors need a place to sleep close to the park, and a lot of them want a full kitchen and room for the whole family.

That steady demand is the main reason West Yellowstone homes can do well as short-term rentals. It is also why there is real competition, so the details of your listing matter.

What the data sites say a West Yellowstone Airbnb earns

Several companies track Airbnb and Vrbo listings and publish market averages. Here is what three of them reported for West Yellowstone when we checked in October 2026:

• AirDNA: about $63K in average annual revenue, a $481 average daily rate, and 61% occupancy across 455 active listings. These are trailing 12 month averages across Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com.

• AirROI: about $38,002 in average annual revenue, a $417 average daily rate, and 40.3% average occupancy across 311 active listings. This is based on its August 2025 to July 2026 dataset.

• Awning: about $43K in average annual revenue for entire homes, not counting cleaning fees.

So the published averages run from roughly $38,000 to $63,000 a year. That is a wide range, and it is worth understanding why.

Why the numbers don't match

Each data company scrapes listings a little differently. They count different sets of homes, use different time periods, and treat cleaning fees and blocked nights in their own ways.

An "average" also mixes together very different properties. A one bedroom condo that is only open part of the year sits in the same pool as a large family cabin booked all summer.

The takeaway is simple. Use these averages as a rough starting point, not a promise. Your own home's number comes from comparing it to similar homes nearby.

Size makes a big difference

AirROI's data shows how the market spreads out. Its top 25% of West Yellowstone listings earned $6,760 or more per month, while the median listing earned about $4,142 per month.

AirROI also reports that about 36% of West Yellowstone listings are two bedroom units. Larger homes are less common, and bigger groups often have fewer choices close to the park.

In general, more bedrooms means a higher nightly rate. But bigger homes also cost more to clean, furnish and maintain, so the gross number is not the whole story.

The seasons in West Yellowstone

West Yellowstone is a seasonal market, and your income will not come in evenly. Summer is the big earner.

According to AirROI, June was the peak revenue month in its dataset. Its peak season months (June, August and September) averaged $9,656 in revenue and 61.3% occupancy.

The slow months look very different. AirROI's low season months (January, March and December) averaged $2,347 in revenue and 19.8% occupancy, with March the lowest revenue month.

Winter still brings snowmobilers, cross country skiers and people heading into the park on snowcoach tours. But you should plan your budget around a strong summer and a quieter winter.

What actually moves your number

Two homes on the same street can earn very different amounts. Here are the things that usually make the biggest difference:

• Pricing that changes with demand. Rates should rise for busy summer weeks, holidays and big events, and drop to fill gaps in slower months.

• Photos and listing quality. Guests scroll fast. Clear, bright photos and an honest description help your home get clicked.

• Reviews. Strong reviews help your listing show up higher in search and build trust with new guests.

• Fast, friendly guest messages. Guests often book the host who answers first.

• Clean, reliable turnovers. A missed clean or a broken furnace can cost you a review and future bookings.

• Being listed in more than one place. Airbnb and Vrbo reach different guests.

Good Airbnb management is mostly about getting these details right, every booking, all year.

Gross revenue vs. what you keep

The revenue numbers above are gross booking income. What lands in your bank account is smaller.

Here are the costs most West Yellowstone owners should plan for:

• Platform fees charged by Airbnb or Vrbo.

• Cleaning after every stay.

• Utilities, internet and streaming.

• Snow removal in winter, which is a real cost in West Yellowstone.

• Repairs and maintenance, from hot tubs to plumbing.

• Insurance that covers short-term rental use.

• Management fees, if you hire help.

Lodging taxes are also part of the picture. Guests pay them, but someone has to collect and file them correctly. In West Yellowstone that includes Montana's state lodging taxes and the town's resort tax. We cover that in our separate guide to Montana vs. Idaho lodging taxes for Airbnb owners.

Self-managing vs. hiring a local manager

Some owners do it all themselves and do well. If you live nearby and have time for messages, cleaners and late night lockouts, that can work.

Many cabin owners live hours away, though. For them, a local team that can be at the door quickly is worth a lot.

If you are comparing managers, ask where the team actually lives. Many companies in this area are run from Utah or out of state.

How Fresh Pine helps West Yellowstone owners

Fresh Pine is locally owned. Our owners live in the area, in Ashton and Rigby, and we manage 25+ homes, including homes in West Yellowstone.

Our homes hold a 4.91 star average across 472 guest reviews on Airbnb and Vrbo. We have an in-house cleaning team and our own licensed Idaho contractor (RCE-69661) for repairs.

We also handle state and local lodging taxes for owners and remit them on your behalf. Every month you get a plain-English owner statement, so you can see exactly what your home earned and what you kept.

Our pricing is one simple rate, charged only on your payout. You can learn more about our Airbnb management in Island Park and West Yellowstone.

The bottom line

Public data puts the average West Yellowstone Airbnb somewhere between about $38,000 and $63,000 a year in gross revenue, depending on the source. Your home could land below or above that range.

The best way to know is to compare your property with similar homes nearby, by size, location and season. That is exactly what a good revenue projection should do.

Want real numbers for your cabin? Request a free revenue projection and we'll show you what homes we manage near yours earn, and what you'd keep. Get my free revenue projection

Sources

• National Park Service, Yellowstone 2025 visitation news release: https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/26004.htm

• AirDNA, West Yellowstone, MT short-term rental revenue and daily rates: https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data/app/us/montana/west-yellowstone/revenue

• AirROI, West Yellowstone, Montana Airbnb market data: https://airroi.com/airbnb-data/united-states/montana/west-yellowstone

• Awning, West Yellowstone, MT Airbnb revenue data: https://awning.com/a/airbnb-market-data/West-Yellowstone-MT/revenue