Ruskin, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Ruskin zoning limits nightly rentals, while September 2026 showed $147 ADR, 51.8% occupancy and $2,124 monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Ruskin, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Tampa market area is 52%. average monthly revenue in the Tampa market area is $2,124. average daily rate in the Tampa market area is $147. the top operator in the Tampa market area is Evolve with 141 listings. market score is 56/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Tampa regional market, which includes Ruskin. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Ruskin.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
As of September 2026, the Hillsborough County STR market that includes Ruskin posted an average daily rate of $147, occupancy of 51.8% and average monthly revenue of $2,124. Performance figures on this page describe that wider Tampa Bay area market, which includes Ruskin. Bedroom, channel, and listing-type counts and top operators are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Ruskin, so this profile omits them.
Year over year, September 2026 occupancy rose 5.9%, ADR rose 2.2% and revenue rose 3.3%. Entire-place listings averaged $158 per night in the latest month, above the $147 all-listings figure, and entire-place revenue reached $2,251 per month against $2,124 across all listings. Houses averaged $2,358 per month and apartments $1,753.
Ruskin itself is an unincorporated community on Tampa Bay’s South Shore with a population of 29,834. It has no dedicated tourism board or visitor counts, so visitation is folded into Tampa Bay and Hillsborough County figures. Guests are largely regional drive-market travelers drawn to the Little Manatee River, E.G. Simmons Regional Park, camping, kayaking, fishing and seasonal manatee viewing, plus snowbirds and visitors to the nearby Sun City Center retirement community. The area is more residential, agricultural and retirement oriented than a destination resort town, and demand is modest compared with coastal or Orlando markets.
Annual history shows steady rather than explosive movement. Average ADR climbed from $97 in 2017 to $168 in 2025, while occupancy peaked at 70.1% in 2021 and has since stayed between 60.8% and 66.0%. Through the first nine months of 2026, ADR averages $172 and occupancy 60.8%. Investors should weigh these figures against the zoning limits described below, which decide where nightly rentals are legal at all.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 65% |
| Feb | 75% |
| Mar | 76% |
| Apr | 61% |
| May | 59% |
| Jun | 62% |
| Jul | 64% |
| Aug | 59% |
| Sep | 55% |
| Oct | 61% |
| Nov | 61% |
| Dec | 65% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Ruskin are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Tampa market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Tampa market as a whole, which includes Ruskin, so these counts are not Ruskin-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 141 | 4,612 | ★ 4.54 |
| 2 | Sailport Waterfront Suites | 90 | 239 | ★ 4.28 |
| 3 | Emperor Rentals | 68 | 5,087 | ★ 4.83 |
| 4 | One Stone Property Group | 67 | 4,521 | ★ 4.61 |
| 5 | Bojano Stays | 61 | 121 | ★ 4.05 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Ruskin?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Ruskin 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 | 54.2% |
| vrbo | 5.3% |
| both | 40.5% |
Home Value Trends (Ruskin)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Ruskin 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 Ruskin — 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
Ruskin is unincorporated, so Hillsborough County and Florida rules apply rather than a city ordinance. Short-term rentals are permitted, but zoning is the main constraint. Under the county Land Development Code, a rental of 7 consecutive days or less counts as a short-term (transient) rental, and nightly rentals are only allowed on parcels in commercial, lodging or mixed-use districts that permit transient accommodation. Standard residential zones cannot legally host rentals shorter than 7 nights, though rentals of 7 nights or more are generally allowed there. Owners should confirm a parcel’s zoning with the County Land Development Office at 813-272-5600 before operating, because renting nightly in a non-approved zone risks fines.
A compliant operator needs a Florida DBPR Vacation Rental license under FS 509.241, a Hillsborough County Business Tax Receipt and a Tourist Development Tax account. The license renews annually. The county Tourist Development Tax is 6%, on top of Florida sales tax.
There is no cap on nights per year, and neither an owner-occupancy nor a primary-residence requirement applies. Florida Statute 509.032 prevents the county from banning vacation rentals or limiting their duration or frequency, but it does not override the zoning rule on where nightly rentals may occur. Enforcement severity is rated moderate.
No Ruskin-specific ordinance changes have been identified. Investors should re-verify current DBPR license fees and confirm parcel zoning before purchase.
Market Comparison
The Hillsborough County STR market that includes Ruskin posted 51.8% occupancy and a $147 ADR in September 2026, which is the trough month of the seasonal profile. This data set carries no national benchmark, so the comparison here is against the market’s own history.
The seasonal picture is better than the latest month suggests. September is the trough, and the monthly occupancy profile reaches 75.9% in March and 75.1% in February. Annual occupancy has averaged between 60.8% and 66.0% since 2022, while ADR has risen from $146 in 2022 to $172 in 2026.
That combination of reasonable occupancy and a modest rate points to a value-priced, drive-market destination. Ruskin sits on the South Shore of Tampa Bay and draws regional outdoor-recreation travelers, snowbirds and visitors to Sun City Center, not the destination-resort demand found in coastal or Orlando markets. The luxury tier at $274 and the professionally managed tier at $185 show that upper-tier pricing is achievable, but the average listing competes on price.
Other towns in the same market share this metric series, so comparing them with Ruskin on performance alone will not separate them. Zoning, home price and property type are the better differentiators.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ruskin, Florida
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