Lincoln, Nebraska Short-Term Rental Market
Lincoln, NE STRs averaged $137/night at 58.7% occupancy in April 2026, generating $2,056 average monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Lincoln, Nebraska is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 67%. average monthly revenue is $3,079. average daily rate is $165. the top operator is Evolve with 11 listings. market score is 91/100 (grade A).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Lincoln, NE is Nebraska’s state capital and home to the University of Nebraska, with a population of 300,619. The STR market is relatively small compared to city size, with approximately 649 active listings, but it posts high quality scores: the Apivex total score is 90.6 out of 100, with a rental demand score of 93.6, the highest single metric in this content batch. In April 2026, the latest data month, active STR listings averaged $137 per night (ADR) at 58.7% occupancy, producing a RevPAR of $80. Average monthly revenue per listing reached $2,056.
Listing composition shows 88.4% entire-place units and 11.6% private rooms, with no shared rooms in the active dataset. The bedroom distribution is relatively balanced: one-bedroom units lead at 28.9% of supply, followed by two-bedroom (27.9%), three-bedroom (20.5%), four-bedroom (15.6%), and five-or-more-bedroom (7.1%). Airbnb-only listings account for 59.6% of supply, with 35.6% listed on both Airbnb and VRBO, and 4.8% on VRBO only.
Year-over-year as of April 2026, occupancy gained 2.97 percentage points while ADR slipped 0.67%, producing a 4.56% revenue gain. Annual averages show a gradual ADR trend: 2024 averaged $142 ADR and $2,264 monthly revenue; 2025 averaged $145 ADR and $2,270 monthly revenue. The operator landscape is fragmented, with no dominant large-scale property manager; the top five operators collectively hold approximately 25 listings.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45% | $94 | $1,248 |
| Feb | 54% | $90 | $1,233 |
| Mar | 57% | $104 | $1,606 |
| Apr | 58% | $110 | $1,632 |
| May | 60% | $127 | $2,018 |
| Jun | 68% | $128 | $2,345 |
| Jul | 70% | $123 | $2,428 |
| Aug | 63% | $124 | $2,102 |
| Sep | 57% | $138 | $2,080 |
| Oct | 53% | $130 | $1,950 |
| Nov | 51% | $131 | $1,795 |
| Dec | 48% | $110 | $1,601 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Lincoln
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 11 | 225 | ★ 4.77 |
| 2 | Leavetown | 6 | 0 | ★ 0.00 |
| 3 | Ava And Team | 3 | 103 | ★ 4.70 |
| 4 | Traverse | 3 | 17 | ★ 3.90 |
| 5 | Hosteeva | 2 | 22 | ★ 4.30 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Lincoln?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 187 |
| 2 bed | 181 |
| 3 bed | 133 |
| 4 bed | 101 |
| 5 bed | 46 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $174 |
| Luxury | $308 |
| Professionally Managed | $208 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,581 |
| Entire Place | $3,268 |
| House | $3,364 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 59.6% |
| vrbo | 4.8% |
| both | 35.6% |
Investment Analysis
Lincoln’s investment case centers on high, consistent occupancy demand rather than premium ADR. The typical home value of $293,233 (Zillow, April 2026) against $2,056 average monthly revenue implies an annualized gross of approximately $24,672, yielding a gross return of roughly 8.4% before expenses. Net returns after platform fees, management costs, taxes (which exceed 16% combined), maintenance, and vacancy will be substantially lower.
ADR tier differentiation is notable: entire-home listings averaged $146, professionally managed listings averaged $181 (a $44/night premium over the $137 all-listings ADR), and luxury-tier properties averaged $259. Revenue by property type shows houses averaging $2,265/month and entire-place listings averaging $2,196/month, compared to $1,756/month for apartments.
Apivex rates Lincoln’s investability at 81.8 out of 100, the second-strongest investability score in this batch. Rental demand at 93.6 reflects the durable demand base from university enrollment, state government employment, and major event weekends including University of Nebraska football home games. Revenue growth scores 53.9, signaling stable rather than accelerating income. The housing market shows fast-moving conditions: median days to pending of just 13 days, a sale-to-list ratio of 0.924, and a median sale price of $274,083 against a median list price of $296,667 (779 for-sale units available).
The 5-year sunset clause in low-density residential zones (see Regulatory Summary) is the primary long-term regulatory risk for new investors.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
The average booking lead time in Lincoln is 48.8 days, approximately seven weeks ahead of arrival. This is a moderate lead window consistent with a market that serves university events, government travel, and regional leisure visitors who plan somewhat in advance. Football game weekends, however, likely generate short-notice bookings and very high per-night pricing in September and October.
Average length of stay is 4.0 nights, consistent with event-driven demand supplemented by mid-week business travel. The combination of a 4.0-night stay and moderate lead time suggests operators should use event-calendar-aware pricing: set high floors on known event weekends (football home games, graduation, state government sessions) and use dynamic tools for the remaining inventory. At $137 ADR over 4.0 nights, the average gross booking is approximately $548 before fees.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Lincoln adopted formal STR regulations effective June 14, 2021 (Ordinance 21075, Lincoln Municipal Code Chapter 5.39). Key requirements as of mid-2026:
License: Every STR unit (any residential dwelling rented for 30 or fewer consecutive days) must obtain a separate city Short-Term Rental License at $250 per unit, renewed annually. Applications require proof of ownership, a floor plan, and agreement to occupancy and safety standards.
Zoning and spacing: STRs are permitted in many zoning districts but subject to district-specific rules. In low-density residential zones, STRs face buffer and spacing requirements limiting proximity to other licensed STRs. A 5-year sunset clause applies in low-density residential zones: after five years, no new STR licenses are issued in those areas, effectively phasing out STRs in those neighborhoods over time. Investors in low-density residential zones should assess how the sunset window affects the license’s useful life.
Taxes: The city’s 4% STR occupation tax stacks on Nebraska’s 5.5% state sales tax, Lincoln’s 1.75% city sales tax, Nebraska’s 1% state lodging tax, and Lancaster County’s 4% lodging tax, for a combined effective rate on STR stays that exceeds 16%. Platforms like Airbnb may collect state-administered portions but may not remit the locally administered 4% city occupation tax, leaving that obligation with the host. The city occupation tax is remitted monthly by the 25th via the city’s Host Compliance/Granicus portal.
Enforcement: The city contracts a third-party monitoring firm to identify unlicensed rentals and issue violations. Enforcement is rated strict. No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies, and there is no annual night cap.
Market Comparison
Lincoln’s April 2026 ADR of $137 is below the approximate U.S. STR median of $220, reflecting its Midwest mid-market positioning and lower housing costs. Its 58.7% April occupancy is above the national median of approximately 55%, consistent with the market’s 93.6 rental demand score. The Apivex total score of 90.6 is the second-highest of the ten markets in this content batch.
The operator landscape is highly fragmented. Evolve leads with just 11 listings and a 4.765 rating across 225 reviews. Leavetown holds 6 listings with no reviews recorded. Ava And Team (3 listings, 4.703 rating, 103 reviews) and Traverse (3 listings, 3.900 rating) round out the small-operator field. Hosteeva holds 2 listings. The top five operators combined hold approximately 25 listings of the approximately 649 active in the market, indicating most Lincoln STRs are self-managed by individual owners.
This fragmentation creates an opportunity for operators willing to invest in professional management: the professionally managed ADR of $181 is $44 above the market average, the largest PM premium relative to base ADR among the ten markets in this batch.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lincoln, Nebraska
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