Lafayette, Louisiana Short-Term Rental Market
Lafayette bans STRs in RS zones; September 2026 ADR $130, 55.6% occupancy, $1,975 monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Lafayette, Louisiana is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Lafayette market area is 56%. average monthly revenue in the Lafayette market area is $1,975. average daily rate in the Lafayette market area is $130. the top operator in the Lafayette market area is Acadiana with 110 listings. market score is 80/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the wider Lafayette market, which covers 4 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Lafayette.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Lafayette, Louisiana restricts short-term rentals before it rewards them. Since full enforcement began on October 6, 2024, STRs are banned in the residential (RS) districts that cover roughly 75% of the city’s residential area, and the profile requires owner-occupied, primary residence operation. Investors need to confirm zoning and eligibility before looking at any performance number.
As of September 2026, the Lafayette area STR market shows an average daily rate of $130 (all listings), occupancy of 55.6%, and average monthly revenue of $1,975 per listing. Entire-place listings earn a higher ADR of $134. Compared with September 2025, occupancy is up 17.2%, ADR is up 7.1%, and revenue is up 16.9%, a strong rebound after the 2024 enforcement removed hundreds of listings.
The Lafayette area STR market tracks 1,017 listings. Entire places make up 868 of them and private rooms 149. By bedroom count, 419 are one bedroom, 274 are two bedrooms, 225 are three bedrooms, 65 are four bedrooms, and 32 are five bedrooms. By channel, 585 listings are on Airbnb only, 30 on Vrbo only, and 402 on both platforms.
Demand comes from Cajun and Creole cultural tourism, Festival International de Louisiane, Festivals Acadiens et Creoles, oil and gas business travelers, and University of Louisiana at Lafayette visitors. Lafayette Parish recorded $62 million in direct visitor spending in 2022, and the Lafayette MSA recorded a total tourism economic impact of $537 million. The city has a population of 122,280. StaySTRA’s market score for the area is 80.4 overall, with seasonality scoring 98.5 and investability 86.2, while revenue growth scores 40.3.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 48% |
| Feb | 57% |
| Mar | 58% |
| Apr | 58% |
| May | 49% |
| Jun | 55% |
| Jul | 56% |
| Aug | 51% |
| Sep | 56% |
| Oct | 57% |
| Nov | 52% |
| Dec | 54% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Lafayette are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Lafayette market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Lafayette market as a whole, which includes Lafayette, so these counts are not Lafayette-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acadiana | 110 | 570 | ★ 3.59 |
| 2 | Courtesy Properties | 47 | 2,742 | ★ 4.97 |
| 3 | Lodgeful | 38 | 1,905 | ★ 4.84 |
| 4 | ReHive | 28 | 935 | ★ 4.88 |
| 5 | Acadiana Rentals | 21 | 135 | ★ 3.83 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Lafayette?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Lafayette 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 | 57.5% |
| vrbo | 2.9% |
| both | 39.5% |
Home Value Trends (Lafayette)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Lafayette 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 Lafayette — 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
Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government approved its short-term rental ordinance on September 5, 2023. Licensing took effect January 1, 2024, permit applications opened April 1, 2024, and full enforcement of the ban in residential (RS) zones began October 6, 2024, shutting down hundreds of listings ahead of festival season.
Short-term rentals are permitted, but a license is required. Operators need a Short-Term Rental License plus a Sales and Use Tax license. The license costs $100, is non-refundable and non-transferable, and renews every 2 years. The profile also requires owner-occupied and primary residence operation.
Zoning is the major constraint. STRs are prohibited in RS districts, which cover roughly 75% of the city’s residential area, and in Industrial (PI-L, PI-H), Development Resource, and Public districts. They are allowed as an accessory use in Residential-Mixed (RM), mixed-use, and commercial zones. In RM zones, operators are capped at 4 guest rooms and 2 persons per room, and paid events and private parties are prohibited.
Each STR must designate a local STR Agent reachable 24/7 who can respond to concerns within 30 to 60 minutes. The minimum stay is one full night, and there is no annual cap on rented nights. Operating without a required permit in restricted zones can bring fines of $500 to $1,000 per day, and revoked permits cannot be reissued for one to two years. Enforcement severity is rated moderate.
Lafayette Parish levies a 4% occupancy tax on STR bookings, in addition to the 4.45% Louisiana state sales tax and applicable parish and city sales taxes. Confirm current rules with the city-parish before buying.
Market Comparison
Lafayette’s occupancy was 55.6% in September 2026, with an ADR of $130, and luxury listings reach $193. The market is driven by volume rather than rate.
Entry cost is modest. The typical home value is $228,144, and the seasonal annual revenue of $19,218 produces a gross yield of 8.4%. Occupancy is also steady, with a 9.8 point swing from January to April.
Growth is strong right now, with revenue up 16.9% year over year, occupancy up 17.2%, and ADR up 7.1%. The market still carries more regulatory risk than most, given the RS district ban and the owner-occupancy requirement.
In the Lafayette area STR market, the largest operators by listings are Acadiana with 110 listings (3.59 rating), Courtesy Properties with 47 (4.97 rating), Lodgeful with 38 (4.84 rating), ReHive with 28 (4.88 rating), and Acadiana Rentals with 21 (3.83 rating). The gap in ratings suggests guest experience is a real way to stand out from the largest operator.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lafayette, Louisiana
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