Lincoln, Nebraska Short-Term Rental Market
Lincoln, NE STRs averaged $137/night at 58.7% occupancy in April 2026, generating $2,056 average monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Lincoln, Nebraska is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 67%. average monthly revenue is $3,079. average daily rate is $165. the top operator in Lincoln is Evolve with 11 listings. market score is 91/100 (grade A).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Lincoln, NE is Nebraska’s state capital and home to the University of Nebraska, with a population of 300,619. The STR market is relatively small compared to city size, with approximately 649 active listings, but it posts high quality scores: the StaySTRA total score is 90.6 out of 100, with a rental demand score of 93.6, the highest single metric in this content batch. In April 2026, the latest data month, active STR listings averaged $137 per night (ADR) at 58.7% occupancy, producing a RevPAR of $80. Average monthly revenue per listing reached $2,056.
Listing composition shows 88.4% entire-place units and 11.6% private rooms, with no shared rooms in the active dataset. The bedroom distribution is relatively balanced: one-bedroom units lead at 28.9% of supply, followed by two-bedroom (27.9%), three-bedroom (20.5%), four-bedroom (15.6%), and five-or-more-bedroom (7.1%). Airbnb-only listings account for 59.6% of supply, with 35.6% listed on both Airbnb and VRBO, and 4.8% on VRBO only.
Year-over-year as of April 2026, occupancy gained 2.97 percentage points while ADR slipped 0.67%, producing a 4.56% revenue gain. Annual averages show a gradual ADR trend: 2024 averaged $142 ADR and $2,264 monthly revenue; 2025 averaged $145 ADR and $2,270 monthly revenue. The operator landscape is fragmented, with no dominant large-scale property manager; the top five operators collectively hold approximately 25 listings.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 45% |
| Feb | 54% |
| Mar | 57% |
| Apr | 58% |
| May | 60% |
| Jun | 68% |
| Jul | 70% |
| Aug | 63% |
| Sep | 57% |
| Oct | 53% |
| Nov | 51% |
| Dec | 48% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Lincoln are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Lincoln
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 11 | 225 | ★ 4.77 |
| 2 | Leavetown | 6 | 0 | ★ 0.00 |
| 3 | Ava And Team | 3 | 103 | ★ 4.70 |
| 4 | Traverse | 3 | 17 | ★ 3.90 |
| 5 | Hosteeva | 2 | 22 | ★ 4.30 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Lincoln?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Lincoln 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 | 59.6% |
| vrbo | 4.8% |
| both | 35.6% |
Home Value Trends (Lincoln)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Lincoln 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 Lincoln — 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
Lincoln adopted formal STR regulations effective June 14, 2021 (Ordinance 21075, Lincoln Municipal Code Chapter 5.39). Key requirements as of mid-2026:
License: Every STR unit (any residential dwelling rented for 30 or fewer consecutive days) must obtain a separate city Short-Term Rental License at $250 per unit, renewed annually. Applications require proof of ownership, a floor plan, and agreement to occupancy and safety standards.
Zoning and spacing: STRs are permitted in many zoning districts but subject to district-specific rules. In low-density residential zones, STRs face buffer and spacing requirements limiting proximity to other licensed STRs. A 5-year sunset clause applies in low-density residential zones: after five years, no new STR licenses are issued in those areas, effectively phasing out STRs in those neighborhoods over time. Investors in low-density residential zones should assess how the sunset window affects the license’s useful life.
Taxes: The city’s 4% STR occupation tax stacks on Nebraska’s 5.5% state sales tax, Lincoln’s 1.75% city sales tax, Nebraska’s 1% state lodging tax, and Lancaster County’s 4% lodging tax, for a combined effective rate on STR stays that exceeds 16%. Platforms like Airbnb may collect state-administered portions but may not remit the locally administered 4% city occupation tax, leaving that obligation with the host. The city occupation tax is remitted monthly by the 25th via the city’s Host Compliance/Granicus portal.
Enforcement: The city contracts a third-party monitoring firm to identify unlicensed rentals and issue violations. Enforcement is rated strict. No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies, and there is no annual night cap.
Market Comparison
Lincoln’s April 2026 ADR of $137 is below the approximate U.S. STR median of $220, reflecting its Midwest mid-market positioning and lower housing costs. Its 58.7% April occupancy is above the national median of approximately 55%, consistent with the market’s 93.6 rental demand score. The StaySTRA total score of 90.6 is the second-highest of the ten markets in this content batch.
The operator landscape is highly fragmented. Evolve leads with just 11 listings and a 4.765 rating across 225 reviews. Leavetown holds 6 listings with no reviews recorded. Ava And Team (3 listings, 4.703 rating, 103 reviews) and Traverse (3 listings, 3.900 rating) round out the small-operator field. Hosteeva holds 2 listings. The top five operators combined hold approximately 25 listings of the approximately 649 active in the market, indicating most Lincoln STRs are self-managed by individual owners.
This fragmentation creates an opportunity for operators willing to invest in professional management: the professionally managed ADR of $181 is $44 above the market average, the largest PM premium relative to base ADR among the ten markets in this batch.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lincoln, Nebraska
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