Investors ask me this every week: should I buy a short-term rental in Hurricane or Cedar City? The honest answer is they're not the same product, and the right pick depends on what kind of investor you are. After running my own rentals in both areas and walking dozens of clients through this comparison, here's the side-by-side that actually matters.
The Core Difference
Hurricane is a vacation destination. Cedar City is a year-round economy with a national park overflow component. That structural difference shapes every other number in the comparison.
Hurricane's STR demand is driven by Sand Hollow Reservoir, OHV trails, Zion National Park overflow, and event tourism. ADRs are higher. Occupancy is more seasonal. Operating overhead is higher.
Cedar City's STR market is regulated tightly enough that nightly rentals are mostly off the table inside city limits. Mid-term rentals and Brian Head/Parowan/county-area STRs fill the gap. ADRs are lower. Occupancy is steadier. Operating overhead is lower.
Headline Returns: Hurricane Wins on Gross, Cedar Closer on Net
For a comparable 4-bedroom, well-amenitized property:
| Metric | Hurricane (Sand Hollow zone) | Brian Head / Cedar-area STR | Cedar City Mid-Term Rental |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg purchase price | $650K–$900K | $400K–$650K | $400K–$525K |
| Annual gross revenue | $90K–$135K | $55K–$90K | $28K–$38K |
| Operating costs (% of rev) | 35–45% | 30–40% | 22–30% |
| Net cash flow | $30K–$55K | $20K–$38K | $14K–$22K |
| Cash-on-cash (25% down) | 6–11% | 7–13% | 9–14% |
| Appreciation profile | Strong | Moderate | Moderate–steady |
Hurricane wins gross revenue. But after operating costs, financing, and price-per-door, the cash-on-cash gap closes meaningfully. For an investor focused purely on income efficiency, the smaller properties in Cedar-area or Brian Head can compete.
Operating Reality
The day-to-day workload is different.
Hurricane STR. Higher guest volume. Higher turnover. More cleaning cycles. More wear on pools, hot tubs, and outdoor amenities. Active dynamic-pricing management. Frequent guest communication. Either a strong self-managed system or a 20–25% fee property manager.
Cedar City mid-term. 30+ day stays. 4–8 turnovers per year vs. 60–100 for an STR. Less maintenance load. Less guest management. Often furnished once and left in place. Self-management is realistic for most owners.
Brian Head STR. Heavy winter (ski) demand layered on summer tourism. Two distinct operating modes. Snow management adds operating cost. Cleaning logistics in winter are tougher.
If your time has high opportunity cost, mid-term Cedar simplifies operations dramatically.
Regulatory Reality
This is where many investors miss the deciding factor.
Hurricane has clear, active STR ordinances and approved overlay zones. The city wants STR business and regulates it. Risk: rules tighten over time. Mitigation: buy in resort-zoned subdivisions where STR is the explicit purpose.
Cedar City does not currently issue new STR permits in residential zones inside city limits. Underwriting nightly rentals there is generally a non-starter. Mid-term rentals (30+ days) are legal and growing as a category.
Brian Head and unincorporated Iron County allow STRs but have their own rule sets. Verify by parcel.
If regulatory durability matters to you, Hurricane resort-zoned > Brian Head > Cedar mid-term > Cedar STR.
Appreciation and Exit
Hurricane's growth has tracked Sand Hollow's emergence as a year-round destination. Strong long-term appreciation profile. Exit liquidity is solid — vacation buyers compete for a relatively small pool of permitted STR inventory.
Cedar City has a more moderate appreciation curve, but with stable demand drivers (SUU, hospital, relocation). Exit is to a broader buyer base — primary residence, investor, mid-term operator. That broader buyer pool generally produces faster sales when needed.
Who Should Pick Which
Buy Hurricane STR if you're optimizing for: - Higher gross income and ADR - Long-term appreciation in a destination market - Building a portfolio in a regulatorily mature STR market - You can absorb seasonal cash-flow swings
Buy Cedar City mid-term if you're optimizing for: - Lower entry price and lower management workload - Steady, year-round occupancy - Higher cash-on-cash on a smaller capital base - Exit liquidity to multiple buyer types
Buy Brian Head STR if you're optimizing for: - Mountain/ski exposure with summer overflow - Lower-priced entry into a permit-friendly market - A property you also want to use personally
CTA
If you want a property-specific underwriting comparing a Hurricane and Cedar opportunity head-to-head — same down payment, same time horizon, full operating-cost model — send me both addresses and I'll deliver a side-by-side analysis within 48 hours.
FAQ
Which has higher revenue, Hurricane or Cedar City STR? Hurricane, by a meaningful margin on gross. The gap narrows on net cash flow and narrows further on cash-on-cash because Hurricane's purchase prices are higher.
Can you actually run an Airbnb in Cedar City? Inside city limits in residential zones, generally no. Mid-term rentals (30+ days) are legal and increasingly common. Brian Head and unincorporated areas have more flexibility.
Where do my investor clients buy first? Most start with Hurricane resort-zoned because the regulatory path is well-defined and the income is highest. Investors with smaller capital often start with Brian Head or Cedar mid-term and scale.
Is Sand Hollow saturated? Hot subdivisions have tightened on permit availability. The market is competitive but not saturated — well-amenitized properties still pull premium ADR and occupancy. Underperforming properties get exposed faster than they did 3 years ago.
Does the Hurricane regulatory environment feel stable? The current STR framework has been consistent for several years. Rules can always change, but the city has shown a stable approach to permitted STR in resort-zoned areas. Underwrite assuming your specific zone keeps its current rules — and have a long-term-rental fallback.
What about appreciation? Hurricane has stronger appreciation tied to Sand Hollow demand. Cedar has more moderate, steady appreciation tied to SUU and economic base growth. Different curves, different risk profiles.
By Gerardo Lopez | MyHome Co.
Related reading: Where STRs Are Allowed in Southern Utah | Sand Hollow STR Numbers | Cedar City Rental Market
Related: See our complete Southern Utah STR investing guide for the full picture.
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