Higden, Arkansas Short-Term Rental Market
Higden, AR STRs averaged $159/night at 44.0% occupancy in April 2026, with a top investability score of 96.5 on Greers Ferry Lake.
Quick Answer: Higden, Arkansas is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 44%. average monthly revenue is $1,961. average daily rate is $159. the top operator is Evolve with 434 listings. market score is 85/100 (grade A).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Higden is a small lakeside town of approximately 114 residents in Cleburne County, Arkansas, situated on Greers Ferry Lake, a 40,000-acre Corps of Engineers reservoir. The local economy is driven almost entirely by lake tourism and waterfront second-home rentals. Greers Ferry Lake draws an estimated several million visitors annually lake-wide for boating, swimming, camping, and watersports, while the Little Red River below Greers Ferry Dam offers some of Arkansas’s best cold-water rainbow and brown trout fishing.
In April 2026, the market posted a 44.0% occupancy rate and a $159 average daily rate, generating an average monthly revenue of $1,961 per active listing. Revenue was up 4.6% year-over-year and occupancy gained 5.1 percentage points, while ADR declined 1.8% year-over-year.
Entire-place listings dominate at 6,660 units (96.8% of the market), with private rooms at 219 units and shared rooms at 1. By bedroom count, the distribution is even across the 1 to 3 bedroom range: 2-bedroom units lead at 2,014, followed by 1-bedroom (1,997), 3-bedroom (1,921), 4-bedroom (647), and 5-bedroom (296). Both Airbnb and dual-channel listings are well represented: 3,238 listings appear on both platforms, 3,041 are Airbnb-only, and 601 are VRBO-only.
The market’s total score is 85.1 out of 100. Its standout dimension is an investability score of 96.5, the highest of the five markets in this batch. Revenue growth (67.7) and regulation (68.5) are mid-range, while rental demand (60.2) is the weakest dimension.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32% | $132 | $1,364 |
| Feb | 40% | $132 | $1,298 |
| Mar | 51% | $153 | $2,029 |
| Apr | 43% | $151 | $1,813 |
| May | 49% | $161 | $2,038 |
| Jun | 57% | $176 | $2,694 |
| Jul | 57% | $178 | $2,879 |
| Aug | 44% | $163 | $2,085 |
| Sep | 42% | $155 | $1,800 |
| Oct | 50% | $156 | $2,184 |
| Nov | 45% | $152 | $1,890 |
| Dec | 38% | $146 | $1,697 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Higden
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 434 | 17,398 | ★ 4.78 |
| 2 | Arkansas Vacation | 38 | 768 | ★ 4.74 |
| 3 | King Rhodes | 32 | 413 | ★ 4.75 |
| 4 | Buffalo Outdoor Center | 27 | 308 | ★ 4.91 |
| 5 | Ivy Vacations | 25 | 3,144 | ★ 4.90 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Higden?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,997 |
| 2 bed | 2,014 |
| 3 bed | 1,921 |
| 4 bed | 647 |
| 5 bed | 296 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $161 |
| Luxury | $295 |
| Professionally Managed | $197 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,373 |
| Entire Place | $1,988 |
| House | $2,090 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 44.2% |
| vrbo | 8.7% |
| both | 47.1% |
Investment Analysis
Higden’s investability score of 96.5 out of 100 reflects the combination of low property entry costs in rural Arkansas and consistent lake-recreation demand anchored by one of the state’s most visited waterways. The market’s revenue trajectory has been stable: 2023 averaged $2,079 per month, 2024 came in at $2,101, and 2025 rose to $2,119, indicating modest but consistent growth.
In April 2026, the overall ADR was $159. Entire-home listings averaged $160.64, essentially at market average. Professionally managed properties averaged $197.47 per night, a 24% premium over the market ADR. Luxury-tier properties averaged $295.37 per night.
Monthly revenue averaged $1,961 per listing in April 2026. Houses averaged $2,090 and entire-place listings averaged $1,988. Apartments averaged $1,373. On an annualized basis, April 2026 performance implies approximately $23,500 per year at current rates. The 2025 annual average of $2,119 per month implies approximately $25,400 annualized.
No housing price data was available in our dataset for this area, so a precise gross yield calculation cannot be provided. Given the rural lakefront nature of this market, property values vary significantly between basic lake-access cabins and waterfront homes. Buyers should research Cleburne County property records and recent lakefront sales independently to assess the entry cost relative to these income projections.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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In April 2026, the average booking lead time for Higden STRs was 39.0 days, and the average length of stay was 3.68 nights. These metrics reflect a regional Arkansas drive market with moderate advance planning.
A 39-day lead time suggests guests typically book about 5 to 6 weeks in advance, shorter than many mountain or coastal destination markets. This is consistent with spontaneous lake-vacation behavior among regional travelers from Arkansas and neighboring states. Operators should hold rates firm for about 3 weeks out, then consider selective last-minute adjustments to fill gaps.
The 3.68-night average stay reflects a mix of 3-night long weekends and 4 to 5 night stays typical of a lake cabin market. This means 7 to 8 booking cycles per month on average, requiring efficient turnover management. Peak summer weekends, particularly around July 4th, can support longer minimums without sacrificing occupancy.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Higden and Cleburne County operate with no short-term-rental-specific permit, registration, or zoning requirement. Arkansas Act 1072 (2019) bars municipalities and counties from prohibiting STRs outright while permitting reasonable health-and-safety regulation; no such local regulation was found for Higden or Cleburne County. STRs are clearly permitted, and no owner-occupancy, primary-residence, or annual night-cap rules apply.
On the tax side, Arkansas applies a combined state lodging tax stack to STRs: a 6.5% state sales tax, a 1% short-term rental tax, and a 2% statewide tourism tax, totaling approximately 9.5% before any applicable local or county sales taxes. Operators who book entirely through marketplace platforms such as Airbnb or VRBO do not need to register separately, as those platforms collect and remit Arkansas state lodging taxes on the host’s behalf.
Operators booking outside the major platforms must register with the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Local Advertising and Promotion (A&P) lodging taxes may also apply and should be confirmed with the Cleburne County Quorum Court.
Enforcement is rated minimal, consistent with the absence of any local STR program in this small rural jurisdiction.
Market Comparison
Higden’s April 2026 ADR of $159 is below the U.S. STR median ADR of approximately $220, reflecting the rural inland Arkansas positioning and the lower-cost property base on Greers Ferry Lake. Its 44.0% April occupancy is below the U.S. median of approximately 55%, but April is a pre-peak shoulder month; peak months reach above 57%.
The market’s total score of 85.1 places it in the upper tier of tracked markets, led by an investability score of 96.5, suggesting that the cost-to-income ratio is highly favorable for buyers who can acquire lakefront or lake-access properties at rural Arkansas prices.
Among professional operators, Evolve leads with 434 listings and 17,398 reviews at a 4.78 average rating. Arkansas Vacation manages 38 listings with 768 reviews at a 4.74 rating. King Rhodes holds 32 listings with 413 reviews at a 4.75 rating. Buffalo Outdoor Center operates 27 listings with 308 reviews at a 4.91 rating. Ivy Vacations rounds out the top five with 25 listings and 3,144 reviews at a 4.90 rating. The top five operators together manage approximately 556 listings, with Evolve’s 434 representing roughly 6.3% of the total tracked inventory on its own.
Frequently Asked Questions About Higden, Arkansas
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