Alpine, Texas Short-Term Rental Market
Alpine, TX STRs averaged $166/night at 56.3% occupancy in April 2026, serving as the gateway hub for Big Bend National Park's 561,000 annual visitors.
Quick Answer: Alpine, Texas is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 56%. average monthly revenue is $2,562. average daily rate is $166. the top operator is Trans Pecos Realty Management with 58 listings. market score is 99/100 (grade A).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Alpine is a small West Texas city of approximately 6,039 residents, serving as the primary gateway to Big Bend National Park (561,000 visitors in 2024) and the broader Big Bend region, which drew 518,254 visitors in 2022 spending $191.6 million in Brewster County. Its position as the closest substantial town to the park drives consistent year-round STR demand.
Channel data shows approximately 3,950 active listings: 2,671 on Airbnb only, 226 on VRBO only, and 1,049 cross-listed on both platforms. The April 2026 average daily rate was $166, with 56.3% occupancy and RevPAR of $94. Average monthly revenue was $2,562.
Entire-place listings dominate at 3,668 (93% of supply), with private rooms at 271 (7%) and shared rooms at 7. Bedroom distribution is led by one-bedrooms (1,710), followed by three-bedrooms (892), two-bedrooms (885), four-bedrooms (328), and five-bedrooms (116).
Year-over-year for April 2026: occupancy declined 1.41 percentage points, ADR rose 2.58%, and revenue fell 3.21% versus April 2025. Despite April softness, the 2026 partial-year trend is strong: the 2026 average so far ($2,574/month, $162 ADR, 58.51% occupancy) outpaces the full 2025 annual average ($2,498, $156 ADR, 56.77%). Alpine’s total market score of 99.2 is the highest in this batch, with investability at 96.4 and rental demand at 85.6.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48% | $132 | $1,878 |
| Feb | 56% | $136 | $1,931 |
| Mar | 65% | $151 | $2,708 |
| Apr | 59% | $146 | $2,367 |
| May | 54% | $137 | $2,037 |
| Jun | 55% | $137 | $2,049 |
| Jul | 54% | $137 | $2,084 |
| Aug | 50% | $127 | $1,798 |
| Sep | 51% | $136 | $1,819 |
| Oct | 57% | $147 | $2,298 |
| Nov | 59% | $148 | $2,309 |
| Dec | 53% | $145 | $2,215 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Alpine
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trans Pecos Realty Management | 58 | 5,411 | ★ 4.91 |
| 2 | Big Bend Vacation Rentals | 53 | 7,575 | ★ 4.92 |
| 3 | Evolve | 38 | 849 | ★ 4.70 |
| 4 | Leavetown | 36 | 26 | ★ 4.58 |
| 5 | Happy Homes of Texas | 32 | 1,170 | ★ 4.85 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Alpine?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,710 |
| 2 bed | 885 |
| 3 bed | 892 |
| 4 bed | 328 |
| 5 bed | 116 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $172 |
| Luxury | $307 |
| Professionally Managed | $251 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,914 |
| Entire Place | $2,670 |
| House | $2,809 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 67.7% |
| vrbo | 5.7% |
| both | 26.6% |
Investment Analysis
Alpine offers a compelling entry-price-to-revenue ratio. The typical home value is $250,148 and the median list price is $291,500, with 90 properties for sale — a comparatively large inventory for a city of 6,000 residents. The low entry cost relative to the STR revenue potential drives the exceptional investment scores.
Using the April 2026 average monthly revenue of $2,562, annualized gross revenue projects to approximately $30,744 per year, yielding a gross revenue-to-purchase-price ratio of roughly 12.3% against the typical home value. This is the highest gross yield ratio in this batch. Entire-place listings average $2,670/month (annualized approximately $32,040, a 12.8% gross ratio). Houses average $2,809/month (annualized approximately $33,708, a 13.5% gross ratio).
The tier ADR spread: $166 all-market, $172 entire-home tier, $251 professionally managed, $307 luxury. Professionally managed operators achieve 51% more per night than the all-market average, and luxury operators achieve 85% more. The large PM premium suggests significant upside for operators investing in professional management and property quality in this market.
The 2026 year-to-date annual average ($2,574/month) represents continuation of a growth trend that took revenue from $1,547/month in 2017 to $2,498 in 2025, a 61% increase over eight years. Revenue growth score of 78.6 supports continued upward trajectory.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Alpine guests book an average of 36 days in advance and stay approximately 4.2 nights per booking. These figures reflect the destination nature of Big Bend travel.
A 36-day lead time aligns with the planning horizon of Big Bend hiking trips: visitors coordinate with park campsite reservations (which require advance booking), group itineraries, and spring break timing. Operators who price aggressively in the 30-to-45-day window capture the bulk of spring-season bookings. For the shoulder months of fall and winter (October-January), demand arrives with slightly shorter lead times as flexible travelers respond to weather conditions.
The 4.2-night average stay is consistent with the 4-day average stay reported across the Big Bend region in visitor surveys. Most Big Bend visitors come for multi-day hiking trips with at least two to three park days, making stays shorter than typical destination-resort markets but longer than urban transient markets. Operators can offer 3-or-4-night minimums during peak March weeks and 2-night minimums during softer months to capture the widest demand range.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Alpine, Texas permits short-term rentals (defined as residential properties rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days to non-permanent residents) and has an established regulatory framework.
Operators must obtain a Short-Term Rental Special Use Permit from Building Services (309 W. Sul Ross Ave., or by phone at 432-837-3281) before beginning operations, with annual renewal required. The permit fee is not publicly posted on the city website; operators should contact Building Services to confirm the current fee. The city maintains a public registry of 60-plus permitted STRs.
STRs are legally classified as hotels in Alpine and must collect and remit a 7% city Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) monthly. The 6% Texas state HOT also applies, bringing the combined obligation to 13%. As of April 2025, state law requires platforms including Airbnb and VRBO to collect and remit the 6% state HOT directly, reducing host administrative burden for the state-level tax. City-level HOT must still be filed monthly, even when revenue is zero. Records must be retained for at least four years for city inspection.
No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement was identified. The public registry lists designated operators separate from business owners, indicating non-owner-occupied properties are permitted. No maximum nights-per-year cap or STR-specific zoning overlay was found. Enforcement uses a voluntary-compliance model: violations receive a 10-day cure notice before any fines are issued. Enforcement severity is minimal.
Market Comparison
Alpine’s April 2026 occupancy of 56.3% is slightly above the US STR median of approximately 55%. Its ADR of $166 is below the US STR median of approximately $220, reflecting modest pricing in this rural West Texas market. However, the gross yield ratio of approximately 12.3% against a $250,148 typical home value is exceptional by any national comparison standard.
Within Texas, Alpine competes primarily as a unique destination rather than a conventional suburban or urban STR market. Its Big Bend gateway status gives it demand characteristics more similar to national park gateway towns (Moab UT, Estes Park CO, Gatlinburg TN) than Texas urban markets.
The top operator is Trans Pecos Realty Management with 58 listings and 5,411 reviews (4.91 average rating), an elite local operator with an extraordinarily high rating. Big Bend Vacation Rentals ranks second with 53 listings and 7,575 reviews (4.92 rating), also exceptional. Both top operators specialize in the Big Bend region and reflect the high hospitality standards guests expect for national park travel. Evolve holds third with 38 listings and 849 reviews (4.70 rating). Leavetown (36 listings, 4.58 rating) and Happy Homes of Texas (32 listings, 4.85 rating) round out the top five. The top five collectively manage 217 listings in a market of approximately 3,950 total, indicating significant professional management for a market of this size.
Frequently Asked Questions About Alpine, Texas
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