Methodology & sample
The rate, lead-time, and length-of-stay figures below are drawn directly from a professionally managed portfolio of short-term rentals — short-term rentals across Sheridan County, Wyoming and the Bighorn Mountains — measured over the trailing 12 months (Sept 2025 – Sept 2026). This is first-party booking-system data (Guesty), not scraped listing estimates, from a licensed, insured Wyoming vacation rental brokerage. Occupancy and total-portfolio-size figures are held back from this edition while we finish reconciling several Guesty listings that represent the same physical property booked in different configurations — publishing an occupancy rate before that's resolved would understate it. They'll be added once that work is complete.
Average nightly rate by season
Sheridan is a four-season market with a summer spine. Rates roughly double from winter to peak summer, and the shoulders — spring fishing and fall hunting and foliage — hold up better here than in most mountain towns.
| Season | Avg nightly (ADR) | Median stay | Stays sampled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | $87 | 2 nights | 355 |
| Spring (Mar–May) | $95 | 2 nights | 608 |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | $220 | 3 nights | 589 |
| Fall (Sep–Nov) | $122 | 2 nights | 502 |
Average nightly rate by bedroom count
Bedroom count is the single biggest lever on nightly rate. Larger homes capture group travel — reunions, wedding parties, corporate retreats — that a studio simply can't.
| Property size | Avg nightly (ADR) |
|---|---|
| Studio / 1 bedroom | $81 |
| 2 bedroom | $136 |
| 3 bedroom | $165 |
| 4+ bedroom | $214 |
Booking lead time & length of stay
Half of all bookings come in within 8 days of arrival — a mix of planned trips and last-minute local travel — and the middle 50% of bookings land between 1 and 31 days out. The median stay is 2 nights, though longer stays are common around events.
| 1 night | 2 nights | 3 nights | 4+ nights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28.3% | 25.9% | 18.2% | 27.5% |
Year-over-year trend
Trailing 12 months vs. the 12 months prior — portfolio-wide averages, not adjusted for the properties added to management in between.
| Metric | Prior 12 months | Trailing 12 months | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average daily rate (ADR) | $145 | $137 | -5.1% |
| Median booking lead time | 9 days | 8 days | -1 day |
| Median length of stay | 2 nights | 2 nights | flat |
Guest reviews
Across 86 reviewed listings and 4,351+ verified reviews from Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com (as of September 12, 2026), the portfolio holds a 4.8 average rating — every review tied to a completed, verified stay, never a direct-booking guest who wasn't asked to review elsewhere.
Top demand drivers by season
What actually fills calendars in Sheridan County — no guesswork, just the events and seasons that move bookings:
See what your Sheridan property could earn
County-wide averages are a starting point — your number depends on location, size, and how the property is run. Request a free, property-specific income analysis built from real comparable data by the local team behind a professionally managed portfolio of short-term rentals.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average nightly rate for a short-term rental in Sheridan, Wyoming?
Across Wyo Stays' managed portfolio, the trailing-12-month average daily rate is about $137 a night, ranging from roughly $87 in winter to $220 in summer. Rate depends heavily on bedroom count, location, and season — a studio averages around $81/night while a 4+ bedroom home averages around $214/night. Treat any single figure as a range, not a guarantee for a specific property.
What's the best season for short-term rental demand in Sheridan?
Summer — roughly June through August — is the peak rate window in Sheridan County, driven by WYO Rodeo week, Bighorn Mountain travel, fishing, and weddings; the trailing-12-month data shows summer ADR running more than double the winter rate. Fall adds a hunting-season and foliage bump, while winter is the softest period outside the ski and holiday windows.
How far in advance do guests book a Sheridan vacation rental?
Across the trailing 12 months, the median booking lead time was 8 days (25% of bookings come in within a day of arrival, and 25% book more than a month out) — a mix of last-minute local travel and planned trips. Median length of stay is 2 nights, though nearly 28% of stays run 4 nights or longer, largely event- and season-driven.
How much can my Sheridan property earn on a short-term rental?
It depends on bedroom count, location, condition, amenities, and management quality. The ADR-by-bedroom-count figures above give portfolio averages, but nightly rate alone doesn't determine annual income — occupancy, seasonality, and how a listing is priced and marketed matter just as much. The most accurate answer for a specific home is a property-level projection built from real comparable data, which Wyo Stays provides free to owners.
Is a short-term rental a good investment in Sheridan County?
Sheridan County pairs steady year-round demand drivers — rodeo, mountains, hunting, fishing, and relocation — with a limited supply of professionally managed vacation rentals. That combination supports healthy summer rates and a real (if smaller) shoulder-season market for well-run properties. As with any real estate investment, returns depend on the specific property, financing, and how professionally it is operated.
Do I need a license to run a short-term rental in Sheridan?
As of 2026, neither the City of Sheridan nor Sheridan County has a short-term-rental-specific permit program, but Wyoming requires a real estate broker license to manage rentals on an owner's behalf, and lodging tax must be collected and remitted. Local rules can change, so verify current requirements before listing.
Where does this data come from?
The rate, lead-time, and length-of-stay figures are drawn directly from Wyo Stays' own booking system (Guesty) across its managed short-term rental portfolio in Sheridan County and the Bighorn Mountains, over the trailing twelve months. It is first-party operating data from a licensed Wyoming brokerage — not scraped listing estimates. Occupancy and portfolio-size figures are held back from this edition pending a data-quality reconciliation; they will be added once that work is complete.
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