Lexington, South Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Lexington, SC STRs averaged 67.2% occupancy and $182/night in April 2026 across approximately 2,625 active listings near Lake Murray.
Quick Answer: Lexington, South Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Columbia, SC market area is 69%. average monthly revenue in the Columbia, SC market area is $3,473. average daily rate in the Columbia, SC market area is $184. the top operator in the Columbia, SC market area is Heartwood Furnished Homes with 218 listings. market score is 93/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the Columbia, SC regional market, which includes Lexington. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Lexington.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Lexington, South Carolina short-term rental market held approximately 2,625 active listings as of April 2026, serving a Lake Murray tourism region west of Columbia. Entire-place listings account for 2,283 units (87.0% of tracked listings), with 330 private rooms and 12 shared rooms. One-bedroom units are most common with 771 listings, followed by three-bedroom (729), two-bedroom (679), four-bedroom (304), and five-plus bedroom (135) units, indicating a mix that serves weekend lake visitors and longer-term corporate or relocation stays.
Channel distribution shows Airbnb as the dominant platform. Among tracked listings, 1,374 are Airbnb-only, 1,124 appear on both platforms, and 127 are VRBO-only. The dual-listing rate of 42.8% is moderate for a mid-size regional market.
In April 2026, occupancy reached 67.2% and the average daily rate was $181.79, producing a RevPAR of $122.14. This April performance is near the historical July peak of 67.2%, making it one of the market’s stronger months. Year-over-year, occupancy rose 3.18%, ADR rose 1.11%, and revenue grew 3.46%. The 2025 full-year average was $174 ADR at 60.5% occupancy, producing approximately $2,962 in average monthly revenue per active listing.
Market scores are strong across most dimensions. The total score is 93.3 out of 100, with investability at 91.3, rental demand at 88.0, and seasonality at 85.1, indicating relatively year-round stable demand for the region. Revenue growth scores 69.7 and regulation scores 59.7, reflecting the new county permitting requirements that took effect in 2025.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 50% |
| Feb | 62% |
| Mar | 65% |
| Apr | 63% |
| May | 59% |
| Jun | 66% |
| Jul | 67% |
| Aug | 65% |
| Sep | 58% |
| Oct | 58% |
| Nov | 57% |
| Dec | 50% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Lexington are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Columbia, SC market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Columbia, SC market as a whole, which includes Lexington, so these counts are not Lexington-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heartwood Furnished Homes | 218 | 14,846 | ★ 4.74 |
| 2 | Evolve | 51 | 1,938 | ★ 4.70 |
| 3 | Patriot Family Homes | 44 | 2,367 | ★ 4.30 |
| 4 | Casago | 32 | 514 | ★ 4.22 |
| 5 | Be Our Guest | 29 | 1,631 | ★ 4.64 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Lexington?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Lexington 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 | 52.3% |
| vrbo | 4.8% |
| both | 42.8% |
Home Value Trends (Lexington)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Lexington 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 Lexington — 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
Short-term rentals are permitted in the Lexington area but the regulatory framework depends on location within or outside the Town of Lexington corporate limits.
For properties in unincorporated Lexington County (most lake-area properties), a Short-Term Rental Zoning Permit is required under the county’s ordinance that took effect January 1, 2025. The permit costs $320 per property per year, renewed annually. County rules require: guests must be at least 25 years old, a minimum two-night stay, no more than two occupants per bedroom, at least one parking space, a state health department septic inspection before permit issuance, a nuisance abatement plan, and a local representative able to be on-site within 45 minutes. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence mandate and no annual night cap.
For properties inside Town of Lexington limits, the county ordinance does not apply. Instead, the town treats STRs as home occupations requiring a business license and a home occupation permit through Town Hall.
On taxes, properties within the Town of Lexington pay a 3% local accommodations tax (effective January 1, 2025) in addition to South Carolina’s statewide 7% accommodations tax, for a combined rate of approximately 10%. Properties in unincorporated Lexington County pay a 3% county accommodations tax plus state and local-option sales taxes, landing at approximately 11% to 12% combined.
Enforcement in Lexington County is handled by the Sheriff’s Department. Operating without a permit is a first-offense fine of $500 and/or up to 30 days in jail, with escalating penalties. Enforcement is assessed as moderate. The county STR ordinance and town accommodations tax are both new as of January 1, 2025.
Market Comparison
Lexington, SC’s April 2026 occupancy of 67.2% sits above the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, and revenue grew 3.46% year-over-year, indicating a healthy if not rapidly expanding market. The April 2026 ADR of $181.79 is below the approximate U.S. median of $220, reflecting the mid-tier pricing typical of Southeastern lake markets.
The market’s total score of 93.3 and investability score of 91.3 rank it among the stronger mid-size regional markets tracked. Demand drivers include Lake Murray (one of the Southeast’s largest man-made reservoirs and a nationally ranked bass fishing destination), day-trip traffic from Columbia, and steady corporate demand from the Columbia metro.
The operator side is highly concentrated at the top. The five largest property managers collectively hold 374 listings, representing approximately 14.2% of the 2,625 total active listings. Heartwood Furnished Homes dominates significantly, with 218 listings and a 4.74 rating across 14,846 reviews, likely reflecting a corporate furnished-housing model. Evolve follows with 51 listings at a 4.70 rating. Patriot Family Homes holds 44 listings at a 4.30 rating across 2,367 reviews, suggesting military or government relocation housing. Casago operates 32 listings at a 4.22 rating.
The mix of corporate housing operators (Heartwood), military housing specialists (Patriot), national platforms (Evolve, Casago), and boutique operators reflects the market’s layered demand base.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lexington, South Carolina
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