Lehigh Acres, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Lehigh Acres, FL STRs averaged $301/night at 48.8% occupancy in April 2026, generating $4,163 monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Lehigh Acres, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 55%. average monthly revenue is $4,159. average daily rate is $294. the top operator is Roelens Realty & Property Management with 611 listings. market score is 48/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Cape Coral/Fort Myers regional market, which includes Lehigh Acres. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Lehigh Acres.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Lehigh Acres is a large unincorporated community in Lee County, FL, within the Fort Myers and Cape Coral metro area. The area draws vacation renters seeking affordable access to Southwest Florida beaches and nature amenities. In April 2026, the latest data month, active STR listings averaged $301 per night (ADR) at 48.8% occupancy, producing a RevPAR of $147. Average monthly revenue per listing reached $4,163.
Listing composition is dominated by entire-place stays at 96.5% of the market dataset, with private rooms at 3.5% and shared rooms under 1%. Three-bedroom units form the largest bedroom segment at 36.1% of supply, followed by two-bedroom (27.7%), one-bedroom (16.8%), four-bedroom (15.3%), and five-or-more-bedroom (4.1%) properties. The market shows high dual-platform listing rates: 60.9% of listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, with 22.2% Airbnb-only and 16.9% VRBO-only.
Year-over-year as of April 2026, ADR gained 4.87% while occupancy slipped 2.92%, producing a near-flat revenue change of -0.19%. Annual averages reflect modest ADR growth: 2025 posted $260 ADR and $3,885 monthly revenue; 2024 showed $251 ADR and $3,758 monthly revenue. The pattern is consistent ADR appreciation with occupancy softening, a common signature in post-peak Florida vacation rental markets.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67% | $231 | $3,721 |
| Feb | 82% | $256 | $4,512 |
| Mar | 80% | $280 | $5,313 |
| Apr | 53% | $250 | $3,530 |
| May | 49% | $222 | $2,970 |
| Jun | 60% | $248 | $3,627 |
| Jul | 61% | $230 | $3,724 |
| Aug | 44% | $206 | $2,662 |
| Sep | 40% | $189 | $2,063 |
| Oct | 52% | $206 | $2,453 |
| Nov | 59% | $210 | $2,779 |
| Dec | 61% | $241 | $3,292 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Lehigh Acres
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roelens Realty & Property Management | 611 | 8,126 | ★ 4.58 |
| 2 | Evolve | 445 | 11,614 | ★ 4.62 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 312 | 4,497 | ★ 4.45 |
| 4 | Sun Palace | 278 | 3,965 | ★ 4.60 |
| 5 | Royal Shell Vacations | 251 | 1,889 | ★ 4.64 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Lehigh Acres?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 3,310 |
| 2 bed | 5,474 |
| 3 bed | 7,116 |
| 4 bed | 3,013 |
| 5 bed | 814 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $300 |
| Luxury | $526 |
| Professionally Managed | $358 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,700 |
| Entire Place | $4,244 |
| House | $4,426 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 22.2% |
| vrbo | 16.9% |
| both | 60.9% |
Investment Analysis
Lehigh Acres offers a lower entry cost compared to most Florida coastal markets. The typical home value of $284,779 (Zillow, April 2026) against $4,163 average monthly revenue implies an annualized gross of approximately $49,956, yielding a gross return of roughly 17.5% before expenses. Net returns after platform fees, management costs, taxes, utilities, maintenance, and vacancy will be substantially lower, but this gross ratio reflects the favorable price-to-revenue relationship in this market.
ADR tiers illustrate the premium available above the $301 all-listings average: entire-home listings averaged $308, professionally managed listings averaged $365 (a $64/night premium), and luxury-tier properties averaged $546 per night. Operators willing to invest in professional management or higher-quality amenities can capture meaningfully more than the market average.
Apivex rates Lehigh Acres’ investability at 69.1 out of 100 and revenue growth at 76.4, the two strongest scores in this market’s profile. The total market score of 47.8 is weighed down by the seasonality score of 53.9, reflecting a wide seasonal swing (see Seasonal Patterns). Housing market data shows 1,029 for-sale units with a median sale price of $269,083, a median list price of $299,900, a sale-to-list ratio of 0.897 (transactions close roughly 10% below list), and 53 median days to pending, all indicators of a buyer-favorable market.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
The average booking lead time in Lehigh Acres is 63.0 days, exactly nine weeks ahead of arrival. This is a longer lead window than most suburban markets, likely reflecting the planning habits of snowbird visitors and winter leisure travelers who book Southwest Florida trips well in advance. Operators should hold peak winter rates firmly through the full nine-week lead window and avoid premature discounting.
Average length of stay is 5.7 nights, longer than a standard weekend trip and consistent with planned multi-night vacation stays. Longer average stays reduce cleaning turnover frequency and lower per-booking costs relative to high-turnover short-stay markets. At $301 ADR over 5.7 nights, the average gross booking revenue is approximately $1,716 before fees. Operators targeting longer stays (7-14 nights) through appropriate minimum-night settings during peak season may reduce operating overhead while maintaining strong total revenue.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Lehigh Acres is an unincorporated community within Lee County, FL, with no city-level STR ordinance. Lee County and Florida state law govern all STR activity. Short-term rentals are clearly permitted.
Key obligations for operators:
1. Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling license: required annually, approximately $170 per year for a single unit. Renewal is annual.
2. Tax remittance: Lee County levies a 5% Tourist Development Tax on stays of six months or less, stacked on Florida’s 6% state sales and transient rental tax for a combined 11%. Platforms like Airbnb typically collect and remit the state portion; operators should confirm county tax remittance directly with Lee County.
3. No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies.
4. No cap on nights per year: Florida Statute 509.032(7)(b) preempts local governments from banning STRs or capping their frequency or duration.
Florida SB 280 (2024), which would have further centralized STR regulation under DBPR, was vetoed by Governor DeSantis in June 2024, leaving the existing framework intact as of mid-2026. Enforcement is rated moderate. Investors should verify parcel-level zoning with Lee County Growth Management and check HOA or subdivision deed restrictions, which can independently prohibit or limit rentals.
Market Comparison
Lehigh Acres’ April 2026 ADR of $301 is well above the approximate U.S. STR median of $220, reflecting Florida vacation rental pricing and the area’s three-bedroom-heavy supply mix. The 48.8% April occupancy is below the national median of approximately 55%, consistent with post-peak snowbird season timing rather than a structural weakness: February and March occupancies of 82.4% and 79.8% significantly outpace national norms.
The operator landscape is led by Roelens Realty and Property Management, a Southwest Florida-rooted operator with 611 listings backed by 8,126 reviews at a 4.580 rating. Evolve holds 445 listings with 11,614 reviews at 4.624. Vacasa ranks third with 312 listings (4.447 rating). Sun Palace (278 listings, 4.599 rating) and Royal Shell Vacations (251 listings, 4.644 rating) round out the top five, both recognized regional Southwest Florida STR operators. The strong presence of regional specialists alongside national platforms reflects the established vacation rental character of the broader Lee County market.
Compared to nearby Fort Myers Beach or Sanibel Island, Lehigh Acres offers lower entry prices at a $284,779 typical home value, though it lacks direct beachfront access, which limits the ADR ceiling relative to coastal Lee County properties.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lehigh Acres, Florida
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