Tuscaloosa, Alabama Short-Term Rental Market
Tuscaloosa caps STR licenses, and September 2026 shows $497 ADR, 38.5% occupancy and $4,289 monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Tuscaloosa, Alabama is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Tuscaloosa market area is 38%. average monthly revenue in the Tuscaloosa market area is $4,289. average daily rate in the Tuscaloosa market area is $497. the top operator in the Tuscaloosa market area is Bama B&B Rentals with 104 listings. market score is 92/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the wider Tuscaloosa market, which covers 2 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Tuscaloosa.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Tuscaloosa is a university city of 111,038 residents that draws about 750,000 annual visitors. The short-term rental figures below are for September 2026, the latest month in the series, and describe the Tuscaloosa area STR market. In September 2026 the average daily rate across all listings was $497, occupancy was 38.5%, and average monthly revenue per listing was $4,289. Compared with a year earlier, occupancy is up 34.1%, ADR is down 2.4%, and revenue is up 30.9%, so the revenue gain came from more booked nights rather than higher rates.
Demand is anchored by the University of Alabama and Crimson Tide football at Bryant-Denny Stadium, which seats about 100,000. Visit Tuscaloosa reported a record $1 billion in county visitor spending in 2025, including 1.1 million paid accommodation room nights. Hotel and short-term rental revenue together totaled $136.2 million, and sports tourism added 160 or more events with $24 million in event economic impact.
The tracked supply is mostly entire places. The Tuscaloosa area STR market shows 1,167 entire-place listings against 54 private rooms. By bedroom count, 3-bedroom homes are the largest group at 477 listings, followed by 2-bedroom at 295, 4-bedroom at 208, 1-bedroom at 162 and 5-bedroom at 77. On channels, 571 listings are on both Airbnb and Vrbo, 538 are on Airbnb only and 112 are on Vrbo only.
Annual results have been steady rather than explosive. Full-year 2025 averaged 36.2% occupancy, a $342 ADR and $3,162 in monthly revenue. The first nine months of 2026 average 38.7% occupancy, a $316 ADR and $2,996 in monthly revenue. The Tuscaloosa market score is 92.2 overall, with investability at 97.1 and regulation at 63.4, which reflects the license caps covered below.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 27% |
| Feb | 45% |
| Mar | 41% |
| Apr | 43% |
| May | 29% |
| Jun | 47% |
| Jul | 49% |
| Aug | 45% |
| Sep | 40% |
| Oct | 32% |
| Nov | 31% |
| Dec | 28% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Tuscaloosa are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Tuscaloosa market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Tuscaloosa market as a whole, which includes Tuscaloosa, so these counts are not Tuscaloosa-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bama B&B Rentals | 104 | 1,773 | ★ 4.92 |
| 2 | Gameday Vacay | 63 | 340 | ★ 4.91 |
| 3 | TapAway | 54 | 1,269 | ★ 4.97 |
| 4 | Evolve | 16 | 273 | ★ 4.91 |
| 5 | Sure Home Stays US | 7 | 695 | ★ 4.83 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Tuscaloosa?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Tuscaloosa are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 44.1% |
| vrbo | 9.2% |
| both | 46.8% |
Home Value Trends (Tuscaloosa)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Tuscaloosa are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Tuscaloosa — how far ahead guests book and how to price around it — is available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are permitted in Tuscaloosa, but the city regulates them actively and enforcement is rated strict. Operators need both a Short-Term Rental License and a general Business License from the City of Tuscaloosa, and both renew annually. The ordinance is in Code of Ordinances Chapter 7 Article XII and Chapter 24 Zoning Article XXII. A short-term rental is defined as transient occupancy of a dwelling for less than 30 days. A permit cost is not published in the profile.
The city uses Tourist Overlay Districts with hard caps. Active licenses are capped at 150 per year in the Downtown-Campus District and 100 per year elsewhere within city limits, so availability is limited and competitive. Residential-zoned dwellings within the Downtown-Campus District may operate as a short-term rental no more than 45 days per calendar year, which is a significant limit for investors targeting that area. Short-term rentals in historic districts are allowed only by Special Exception through the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Neither owner occupancy nor primary residence is required. Operators must carry insurance with a short-term rental rider, or a commercial policy with $1,000,000 minimum liability, naming the City of Tuscaloosa as an additional interested party. A 24/7 emergency contact is required, and properties must meet building and fire codes. Detached homes under three stories need inspection by a licensed home inspector, plus a biennial home inspection.
The 11% lodging tax applies to stays under 180 days and is paid monthly, due by the 20th. Airbnb typically collects and remits the city portion. Confirm current rules with the city before buying.
Market Comparison
Tuscaloosa’s September 2026 occupancy of 38.5% sits alongside a $497 ADR, so the market earns its revenue from rate rather than volume.
Tuscaloosa’s year-over-year occupancy growth of 34.1% is strong. The seasonal profile shows ADR ranging from $220 in February to $434 in October.
The operator landscape is led by local and regional managers. Bama B&B Rentals has 104 listings and a 4.918 rating, Gameday Vacay has 63 listings and a 4.907 rating, and TapAway has 54 listings and a 4.969 rating. Evolve has 16 listings and Sure Home Stays US has 7. The top three together hold 221 of roughly 1,221 tracked listings, or 18.1%, so the market is not dominated by a single operator and independent hosts remain competitive.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tuscaloosa, Alabama
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