Brenham, Texas Short-Term Rental Market
Brenham, TX STRs averaged $203/night at 42.8% occupancy in April 2026, with summer peaks reaching 53% and the area posting a 89.0 investability score.
Quick Answer: Brenham, Texas is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 43%. average monthly revenue is $2,435. average daily rate is $203. the top operator is Evolve with 774 listings. market score is 63/100 (grade C).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Brenham short-term rental market spans a broad area anchored by the city of Brenham in Washington County, midway between Houston and Austin. This market encompasses roughly 22,225 active listings across the region, reflecting the wider Texas Hill Country corridor rather than Brenham city proper. In April 2026, the market averaged $203 per night with 42.8% occupancy, generating an average monthly revenue of $2,435 per listing. RevPAR stood at $87.
Entire-place listings dominate heavily at 20,944 units (94% of the market), with private rooms adding 1,269 listings. Airbnb carries the largest channel presence at 10,311 listings, 2,244 appear exclusively on VRBO, and 9,670 operators are active on both platforms.
Bedroom mix is broadly distributed: one-bedroom units lead at 7,144 listings, followed closely by three-bedroom (5,660) and two-bedroom (5,376) properties, with four-bedroom (2,451) and five-bedroom-plus (1,530) rounding out the supply. This distribution serves the diverse demand mix from weekend road-trippers to large-group reunion travelers.
Year-over-year through April 2026, occupancy edged up 1.1 percentage points while ADR slipped 3.4%, leaving revenue essentially flat at -0.2% versus April 2025. The overall market score of 63.0 out of 100 reflects a market with standout investability (89.0) and good seasonality consistency (75.1), offset by moderate rental demand (58.5) and revenue growth (60.7) scores.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33% | $161 | $1,617 |
| Feb | 41% | $161 | $1,627 |
| Mar | 50% | $211 | $2,695 |
| Apr | 41% | $206 | $2,331 |
| May | 44% | $231 | $2,675 |
| Jun | 53% | $271 | $3,768 |
| Jul | 53% | $275 | $4,009 |
| Aug | 42% | $236 | $2,766 |
| 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 Brenham
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 Brenham?
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 | $211 |
| Luxury | $443 |
| Professionally Managed | $315 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,679 |
| Entire Place | $2,513 |
| House | $2,608 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 46.4% |
| vrbo | 10.1% |
| both | 43.5% |
Investment Analysis
Brenham’s standout metric for investors is its investability score of 89.0 out of 100, the highest of the five scores tracked and a signal of favorable cost-to-revenue dynamics relative to similar markets. The seasonality score of 75.1 adds to the investment case by indicating relatively consistent demand across the calendar, reducing the cash-flow volatility that plagues more seasonal markets.
The market-wide ADR of $203 in April 2026 rises meaningfully across tiers: entire-home listings averaged $211, professionally managed properties averaged $315, and luxury-tier properties averaged $443 per night. This wide spread between the market average and the professionally managed tier ($315 vs. $203) suggests that operational quality and targeted positioning toward higher-end guests can substantially lift per-night rates.
Annualized at the current monthly average, a typical listing projects approximately $29,220 in gross annual revenue ($2,435 x 12). No home-value data is available in the current dataset to compute purchase-price yield ratios for this market.
The 2025 full-year average ADR of $210 and monthly revenue of $2,652 indicate a market running near its recent historical level, with occupancy at 44.6% for the year. Revenue peaked in 2021 at an average of $3,006 per month before retreating. The regulation score of 60.0 reflects one notable compliance obligation: Brenham’s local Hotel Occupancy Tax must be collected and remitted by hosts directly, as Airbnb and VRBO do not remit the local 7% component on behalf of operators.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Brenham guests book an average of 39 days in advance, a relatively short lead time reflecting the market’s weekend road-trip demand profile from Houston and Austin. This suggests that many bookings are last-minute or near-term decisions by in-state Texas travelers choosing a quick getaway.
Average length of stay is 3.8 nights, slightly longer than the national average for comparable markets, consistent with the area’s role as a longer weekend or short-vacation destination rather than a single-night stopover. At 3.8 nights per booking, turnover frequency is moderate, which helps manage cleaning and operational costs.
The 39-day booking window means that pricing strategy should focus heavily on the 14-45 day window. For spring bluebonnet season (March) and summer peak (June-July), operators should set rates early and avoid discounting in the final 30 days, as those remain the strongest demand periods. For off-peak months (January, August-December), more flexible last-minute pricing may be warranted to improve occupancy.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Brenham operates with a minimal STR regulatory footprint. No STR-specific permit, license, or registration program exists at the city level. No STR-specific zoning ordinance was identified, and Brenham imposes no owner-occupancy requirement, no primary-residence requirement, and no cap on rental nights. Enforcement is rated minimal.
The primary compliance obligation is tax. Brenham’s city code requires all STR hosts to collect and remit Hotel Occupancy Tax at the local rate of 7% of room income, on top of the Texas state HOT of 6%, for a combined approximately 13% on stays of 30 days or fewer. A critical point: Airbnb and VRBO do not remit Brenham’s local 7% to the city. Hosts are responsible for registering through the MUNIRevs portal, filing monthly (even in zero-occupancy months), and remitting the local HOT directly. Non-compliance is a misdemeanor with fines up to $500. Cleaning, pet, and booking fees are excluded from the taxable base.
The regulation score of 60.0 reflects this tax obligation as the main compliance complexity. No recent STR-specific ordinance changes were identified. Investors should confirm parcel-level zoning with Brenham Development Services (979-337-7220) and check for any applicable HOA or deed restrictions before operating.
Market Comparison
Brenham’s April 2026 ADR of $203 falls slightly below the approximate US STR median ADR of $220, reflecting this market’s inland, small-town positioning relative to higher-rate coastal and mountain destinations. Its 42.8% occupancy also runs below the US median of approximately 55%, consistent with the market’s moderate rental demand score of 58.5.
The investability score of 89.0, however, stands out as a strong indicator of favorable cost-entry dynamics. Washington County generated $119.9 million in direct visitor spending in 2024, supporting 890 tourism jobs, which provides context for the underlying demand base.
On the operator side, Evolve leads by a wide margin with 774 listings and 27,617 reviews (rating 4.71), representing roughly 3.5% of the 22,225-listing market. Vacasa follows with 238 listings and 8,722 reviews (rating 4.67). FCR Partners, LP manages 103 listings with 172 reviews (rating 4.68), Neal’s Lodges operates 97 listings with 170 reviews (rating 4.79), and 979 Vacation Property Services rounds out the top five with 96 listings and 3,231 reviews (rating 4.62). The top five collectively manage approximately 1,308 listings, roughly 6% of the market, indicating a highly fragmented, independently operated landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions About Brenham, Texas
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