SALT LAKE CITY — A new report from the University of Utah showed an increase in Utah short-term rental listings. 

According to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, the average number of Utah short-term rental listings increased by 39.4% from 2021 to 2023. Short-term rental listings account for 1.9% of all Utah residential units. 

The increase follows a trend that has been occurring over the past decade. 

“The number of short-term rentals (STRs) in Utah steadily increased over the past decade as Airbnb, Booking.com, and VRBO platforms became popular,” said Dejan Eskic, a senior research fellow at the institute. 

According to the report, over 60% of the rentals are within three counties: Salt Lake County, Summit County and Washington County. 

Summit County had the highest concentration of short-term rental listings in 2023, with 6,443 per month. 

Utah short-term rental impacts 

The report said that the number of short-term rentals is impacting the availability of housing. 

“Overall, STRs account for approximately 1.9% of our housing stock in 2023. However, while this number seems relatively low, the rise of short-term rentals in Utah disproportionately impacts the state’s tourism areas, affecting housing affordability and accessibility in these communities,” said Eskic. 

For every 10 new residential units that became available in Summit County in 2023, 14.2 short-term rental units were also available. Similarly, for every 10 new residential units in Grand County, 10.3 new short-term listings were reported. 

Location

The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute attributed the uptick in short-term rental listings to tourism. The report found that 83.1% of them were located within 10 miles of a state park, national park, or monument. 

An additional 24.9% were reported to be within a quarter mile of a ski resort. Nearly half of them were within 10 miles of a ski resort. 

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