Kemp, Texas Short-Term Rental Market
Kemp-area STRs on Cedar Creek Lake averaged $203/night at 42.8% occupancy in April 2026 across more than 20,000 active listings.
Quick Answer: Kemp, Texas is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 53%. average monthly revenue is $3,860. average daily rate is $271. the top operator is Evolve with 774 listings. market score is 63/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Texas East Area regional market, which includes Kemp. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Kemp.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Kemp sits at the northern tip of Cedar Creek Lake in Kaufman County, roughly 50 miles southeast of Dallas. The town itself has approximately 1,302 residents, but the STR market data reflects the broader Cedar Creek Lake recreation corridor, one of North Texas’s most popular boating and fishing destinations. Visitors are predominantly Dallas-Fort Worth metro residents seeking weekend lake access, boating, and fishing on the approximately 33,000-acre reservoir.
As of April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $203, occupancy of 42.8%, and RevPAR of $87. These figures reflect the shoulder-season position of April in a lake-recreation market where summer weekends are the primary demand driver.
The listing base is substantial for a rural lake market: 20,944 entire-place listings, 1,269 private-room listings, and 12 shared-room units, totaling roughly 22,225 active units. Entire-place properties represent 94.2% of supply, consistent with the vacation-cabin and lake-house character of the area. One-bedroom listings lead at 7,144, followed by 3-bedroom (5,660) and 2-bedroom (5,376). Larger units include 2,451 four-bedroom and 1,530 five-bedroom listings.
On a channel basis, Airbnb-only listings number 10,311, VRBO-only 2,244, and dual-listed 9,670, indicating broad platform coverage. Year-over-year for April 2026, occupancy grew 1.1 percentage points while ADR fell 3.4%, netting to essentially flat revenue (down 0.2%). The market’s investability score is a notably high 89.0 out of 100, and seasonality scores 75.1, reflecting pronounced but predictable seasonal patterns.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33% | $161 | $1,617 |
| Feb | 41% | $161 | $1,627 |
| Mar | 50% | $211 | $2,695 |
| Apr | 41% | $206 | $2,332 |
| May | 44% | $231 | $2,694 |
| Jun | 53% | $271 | $3,778 |
| Jul | 53% | $275 | $4,009 |
| Aug | 42% | $236 | $2,765 |
| Sep | 39% | $215 | $2,247 |
| Oct | 42% | $205 | $2,398 |
| Nov | 41% | $201 | $2,222 |
| Dec | 37% | $190 | $2,096 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Kemp
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 774 | 27,617 | ★ 4.71 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 238 | 8,722 | ★ 4.67 |
| 3 | FCR Partners, LP | 103 | 172 | ★ 4.68 |
| 4 | Neal’s Lodges | 97 | 170 | ★ 4.79 |
| 5 | 979 Vacation Property Services | 96 | 3,231 | ★ 4.62 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Kemp?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 7,144 |
| 2 bed | 5,376 |
| 3 bed | 5,660 |
| 4 bed | 2,451 |
| 5 bed | 1,530 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $281 |
| Luxury | $538 |
| Professionally Managed | $442 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,174 |
| Entire Place | $4,002 |
| House | $4,276 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 46.4% |
| vrbo | 10.1% |
| both | 43.5% |
Investment Analysis
The Kemp-area STR market generated average monthly revenue of $2,435 per listing in April 2026, implying annualized gross revenue of approximately $29,219 at current run rates. Houses average $2,608 per month, entire-place listings $2,513, and apartments $1,679.
Rate tier differentiation is significant. The all-listings ADR of $203 rises to $211 for entire-home listings, $315 for professionally managed properties, and $443 for luxury-tier listings. Professional management commands a 55% ADR premium over the market average, the largest tier spread in this set. Luxury listings trade at a 118% premium over the base.
Year-over-year through April 2026, occupancy is up 1.1 percentage points, but ADR has compressed 3.4%, leaving overall revenue effectively flat at minus 0.2%. The 2025 full-year average revenue of $2,652/month compares to $2,613 in 2024 and $2,544 in 2023, indicating a slow recovery from post-pandemic normalization.
No housing price data is available in the database for this area, so a direct gross-yield calculation is not possible. Investors should source current Cedar Creek Lake lakefront and lake-access property values independently. The investability score of 89.0 out of 100 is among the higher readings in the Texas lake-market segment, supported by low regulatory friction and consistent demand from the DFW metro.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
The Kemp-area market shows an average booking lead time of 39 days as of April 2026, meaning guests typically book roughly five and a half weeks in advance. This is modestly longer than the typical drive-to weekend market, possibly reflecting the volume of multi-night lake stays that require more planning.
Average length of stay is 3.81 nights, the longest in this comparison set. A nearly 4-night average means units turn over fewer than 8 times per month at full occupancy, reducing cleaning and restocking frequency relative to shorter-stay markets. For operators, longer average stays improve operational efficiency and reduce wear per occupied day.
The combination of a 39-day lead time and a 3.81-night average stay suggests a guest base planning extended weekend lake trips rather than impulse overnight bookings. Pricing strategies that hold rates firm for peak summer weekends at least 60 days out, then release remaining inventory at dynamic rates inside 30 days, align with this booking pattern. Minimum-stay requirements of 3 or 4 nights over peak summer weekends capture the natural demand shape while reducing single-night bookings that undermine operational margins.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Kemp does not have a dedicated short-term rental ordinance. No STR registration, permit, license, owner-occupancy requirement, or night-cap was found in the city’s published code or Municode materials. Short-term rentals operate under general Texas state law and standard local zoning and nuisance codes.
On taxes, the Texas state Hotel Occupancy Tax of 6% applies to all rentals of fewer than 30 consecutive days and must be remitted to the Texas Comptroller. Platforms such as Airbnb collect and remit this tax automatically in many cases. Whether the City of Kemp levies an additional municipal Hotel Occupancy Tax (Texas cities may add up to 7%) could not be confirmed from public sources, as the city’s full tax ordinance is not publicly accessible. Investors should verify the local HOT rate directly with the City of Kemp before operating.
Properties in gated lake communities or homeowners associations (such as Beacon Hill and similar Cedar Creek Lake subdivisions) may face private deed restrictions or HOA rules that restrict or prohibit short-term rentals. These are private covenants and not tracked in public regulatory databases. Enforcement is rated minimal given the town’s small size and absence of a formal STR framework.
Bottom line: low regulatory friction at the city level, but confirm the local Hotel Occupancy Tax rate and any HOA covenants for lake-community properties before purchasing for STR use.
Market Comparison
Kemp-area STRs posted a $203 ADR in April 2026, below the approximate U.S. STR median of $220, reflecting the rural lake-market positioning rather than a coastal or urban premium address. Occupancy at 42.8% trails the U.S. median of approximately 55%, though April is a shoulder month and summer months approach 53% occupancy based on historical averages.
The market’s investability score of 89.0 out of 100 stands out as a notable strength, indicating favorable operator conditions relative to most comparable markets. Low regulatory friction and consistent DFW demand support that reading.
The professional management segment is led by Evolve with 774 listings, 27,617 reviews, and a 4.71 average rating, making it the dominant operator in this market. Vacasa ranks second with 238 listings, 8,722 reviews, and a 4.67 rating. FCR Partners, LP holds 103 listings (4.68 rating), Neal’s Lodges operates 97 listings (4.79 rating), and 979 Vacation Property Services rounds out the top five with 96 listings and a 4.62 rating. The top five manage approximately 1,308 listings against a total market of roughly 22,225 units, meaning over 94% of inventory is independently operated.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kemp, Texas
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