Anchorage, AK short-term rental market report (2026)
Anchorage Municipality, Alaska. Rules, revenue, home values, demand, climate, reach and risk, each figure with its source.
- RulesRelaxed (1/5)
- 4-BR typical value$556K
- FEMA riskRelatively High
- Demand drivers within 50 mi1
- People within 300 mi592,746
- ClimateSki-plus-summer
Everything STR HUB holds on Anchorage, AK in one place, in the order an investor needs it: whether you can operate, what the numbers are, why and when people come, who can reach it, and what could go wrong.
Every figure comes from a named dataset listed under Sources and method, dated September 21, 2026. Where we do not hold a figure, that part of the report is left out rather than estimated. The Opportunity Score here is partial: it was calculated without revenue data, with the cash-flow component assumed to be below average, so it can understate the market.
Can you operate in Anchorage?
| Rule | What we hold on file |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Municipality of Anchorage (Municipal Clerk's Office) |
| Permit or licence | STR Registration Number issued by the Municipal Clerk's Office under Anchorage Municipal Code 10.90, per Assembly Ordinance AO 2025-115(S-2). The registration portal opened May 1, 2026; existing/active STRs (including previously permitted Bed & Breakfasts) had until July 30, 2026 to register; registration renews annually by May 1 and the registration number must appear on all listings/advertisements. |
| Permit fee | Free ($0) — this replaces the prior $145/year Bed & Breakfast permit. |
| Cap on rentals | None — STRs are permitted by right in all residential zones and some commercial zones. |
| Owner occupancy | Not required; the registration form asks whether the owner lives on-site, but this information does not gate eligibility to register. |
| Minimum stay | Applies to rental stays of fewer than 30 consecutive days. |
| Lodging and sales taxes | Alaska has no state sales or bed tax; whether Anchorage itself levies any municipal lodging/bed tax was not confirmed from available sources. |
| Penalties | Beginning July 31, 2026, unregistered STRs may not legally post listings or advertisements on any platform without a valid registration number; specific fine amounts for noncompliance were not confirmed. |
Rules for Anchorage last verified September 20, 2026. Rules change, and a city rating does not cover HOA or deed restrictions. Confirm current requirements with the jurisdiction before you buy or list.
The numbers
We have not verified revenue figures for this market yet.
Home values in Anchorage Municipality
Zillow Home Value Index: county-wide typical values for Anchorage Municipality, not list prices. A specific property can sit well above or below them.
What it costs to own
Screening figures, not a bill or a quote. The tax rate is a county-wide median for owner-occupied homes (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018-2022); second homes and rentals are often taxed more heavily, and a purchase usually resets the assessed value. Expected annual loss is from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Housing market momentum
County-level, for-sale housing market: it says nothing directly about STR bookings. A relative ranking among tracked markets, not a forecast. Sources: Realtor.com Economic Research, U.S. Census Bureau, Zillow Home Value Index.
Why people come
One demand driver sits within 50 miles of Anchorage. Ordered by published attendance. Attendance appears only where a source publishes it.
Outdoor activities
- Alyeska Resort
- When
- Ski season roughly December to April; summer tram and hiking season.
- STR angle
- Alaska's destination ski resort, a short drive from Anchorage. Girdwood cabins and condos rent to skiers in winter and to summer road-trippers heading down the Seward Highway.
When they come
Ski-plus-summer climate: at least three months bring six inches or more of snowfall, and May to September is comfortable. 3 of 12 months have an average high between 60°F and 88°F, and 5 months average six inches or more of snow. Warmest month: July (average high 69°F). Coldest: January (average low 11°F).
- Jan21°11°ColdSnow
- Feb24°14°ColdSnow
- Mar33°19°ColdSnow
- Apr45°27°Cold
- May58°41°Cool
- Jun67°50°Comfortable
- Jul69°54°Comfortable
- Aug66°52°Comfortable
- Sep55°43°Cool
- Oct42°32°Cold
- Nov27°18°ColdSnow
- Dec22°12°ColdSnow
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high (°F) | 21 | 24 | 33 | 45 | 58 | 67 | 69 | 66 | 55 | 42 | 27 | 22 |
| Average low (°F) | 11 | 14 | 19 | 27 | 41 | 50 | 54 | 52 | 43 | 32 | 18 | 12 |
| Precipitation (in) | 1.8 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 5.2 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.1 |
| Snowfall (in) | 10.9 | 15.7 | 10.2 | 5.3 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 3.5 | 18.3 | 18.2 |
| Sunshine (hours a day) | 2.5 | 3.8 | 7.1 | 9.7 | 11.0 | 12.5 | 11.0 | 9.4 | 6.5 | 4.9 | 3.1 | 1.4 |
This is climate and events, not booking data. Monthly normals are 2019-2023 averages from the Open-Meteo Historical Weather API (ERA5 reanalysis) at the market pin. We do not hold monthly occupancy or rate data for this market.
Who can reach it
Largest counties within 150 miles
| County | Population |
|---|---|
| Anchorage Municipality, AK | 290,674 |
| Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK | 108,661 |
| Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK | 59,235 |
County populations (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018-2022) summed for every county whose centre lies within each straight-line radius. Straight lines are shorter than roads, so read these as generous upper bounds, not drive-time counts.
What could go wrong
| Hazard | FEMA rating | Score (0-100) |
|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 99.5 |
| Winter weather | Very High | 98.8 |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 78.6 |
| Coastal flooding | Very Low | 28.0 |
| Hail | Very Low | 7.2 |
| Tornado | Very Low | 0.4 |
| River flooding | Very Low | 0.2 |
This is a county-level index, not an insurance quote or a flood-zone determination. A coastal or wildfire-fringe rental can carry far more exposure than its county average suggests. FEMA does not model hurricane for this county, which is not the same as zero risk. Get property-level flood, wind and wildfire quotes before you buy.
Market context
Housing and jobs in Anchorage Municipality
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2018-2022. Vacation-home share is housing units held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. All three describe the whole county, not one town or neighbourhood.
What is within 15 km of the Anchorage pin
Counts of features mapped in OpenStreetMap within 15 km of the market pin. A fixed radius favours dense metros, and map coverage varies by area.
Similar markets
The 4 tracked markets whose numbers sit closest to Anchorage's. Each links to its own report.
Closest by normalised distance across the figures both markets hold (typical 4BR value, revenue, occupancy, regulation rating, vacation-home share, tourism job share, 4+ bedroom share, amenity score, population within 300 miles, comfortable months and FEMA risk score). At most 2 of the 4 come from Alaska, so the list is not just the neighbours. Similar numbers do not mean similar rules: check each market's regulation section.
See Anchorage on the map
Open Anchorage on the National STR Map to see it against its neighbours, switch overlays and run the deal calculator on your own assumptions.
Anchorage STR questions, answered from the data
Is Airbnb legal in Anchorage?
STR HUB rates Anchorage's short-term rental rules 1/5 (Relaxed) on a scale from 1 (relaxed) to 5 (very strict). That rating was derived from the regulation text we hold and has not yet been reviewed by a person. Permit rule on file: STR Registration Number issued by the Municipal Clerk's Office under Anchorage Municipal Code 10.90, per Assembly Ordinance AO 2025-115(S-2). The registration portal opened May 1, 2026; existing/active STRs (including previously… Cap on file: None — STRs are permitted by right in all residential zones and some commercial zones. Rules change, so confirm current requirements with the local jurisdiction before you buy or list.
How much does a 4-bedroom home cost in Anchorage?
The typical 4-bedroom home in Anchorage Municipality is valued at $556,019 (Zillow Home Value Index), and the typical home of any size at $435,444, with all-home values up 5.4% over the past year. These are county-wide typical values, not list prices.
What brings visitors to Anchorage?
One demand driver sits within 50 miles of Anchorage: Alyeska Resort. Attendance is shown only where a source publishes it, and each driver's source is linked in the report.
What natural hazards affect Anchorage?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Anchorage Municipality "Relatively High" overall, with a score of 97.4 out of 100 (a national percentile). The highest-scoring hazards we track there are earthquake and winter weather. It is a county-wide index, not an insurance quote or a flood-zone determination.
When is the weather best in Anchorage?
3 of 12 months have an average high between 60°F and 88°F (June, July and August). Ski-plus-summer climate: at least three months bring six inches or more of snowfall, and May to September is comfortable. These are 2019-2023 climate normals, not booking data.
Sources and method
- Regulation summary and strictness rating: STR Agent HUB regulation research (official source: muni.org).
- Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), county level. Data provided by Zillow Group.
- Housing, employment and population figures: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2018-2022.
- Natural hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, county level.
- Amenity counts: © OpenStreetMap contributors.
- Climate normals: Open-Meteo Historical Weather API (CC BY 4.0), 2019-2023 averages.
- Demand drivers: each entry links its own published source in the list above.
Figures come from the STR HUB national dataset dated September 21, 2026 and this page is regenerated whenever that dataset is rebuilt. County-level figures describe Anchorage Municipality as a whole, not one street or neighbourhood. The Opportunity Score (0-100) is a screening heuristic that weighs revenue (35%), regulatory climate (25%), tourism employment (15%), nearby amenities (15%) and large-home supply (10%) relative to the other tracked markets.
Confirm before you act. Short-term rental rules change. Confirm current requirements with the jurisdiction, and work with a licensed local agent who knows which properties can legally operate. This report is screening data, not investment, legal or tax advice.
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