Knoxville, Tennessee Short-Term Rental Market
Knoxville STRs averaged $182/night at 58.4% occupancy in April 2026, generating $3,014 in average monthly gross revenue.
Quick Answer: Knoxville, Tennessee is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 66%. average monthly revenue is $3,701. average daily rate is $198. the top operator is Dogwood Cabins with 84 listings. market score is 93/100 (grade A).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Knoxville, Tennessee short-term rental market counted 3,567 active listings as of the April 2026 snapshot, serving a city of 198,708 residents and a county tourism draw of approximately 7.4 million annual visitors. Entire-place listings make up 91.6% of supply (3,269 units), with 296 private rooms and 2 shared rooms. The channel distribution shows heavy dual-platform use: 1,727 Airbnb-only listings, 245 Vrbo-only, and 1,595 listed on both simultaneously.
Bedroom distribution skews toward smaller units: 1-bedroom listings lead at 1,195, followed by 2-bedroom (1,077) and 3-bedroom (827). Larger properties include 311 four-bedroom and 145 five-bedroom units, catering to groups visiting the Smokies or attending University of Tennessee events.
In April 2026, the market averaged $182/night ADR and 58.4% occupancy, producing $106.48 RevPAR. Year-over-year, occupancy slipped 1.14 percentage points, though ADR rose 2.74% and overall revenue grew 5.34%, indicating that rate increases more than offset modest occupancy softness. Knoxville’s overall market score of 93.3 out of 100, with rental demand at 95.6, positions it among the stronger mid-sized STR markets nationally.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43% | $128 | $1,652 |
| Feb | 53% | $128 | $1,703 |
| Mar | 63% | $146 | $2,475 |
| Apr | 59% | $148 | $2,436 |
| May | 63% | $159 | $2,696 |
| Jun | 70% | $169 | $3,207 |
| Jul | 71% | $162 | $3,197 |
| Aug | 63% | $151 | $2,720 |
| Sep | 59% | $162 | $2,554 |
| Oct | 65% | $172 | $3,145 |
| Nov | 58% | $167 | $2,695 |
| Dec | 55% | $153 | $2,480 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Knoxville
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dogwood Cabins | 84 | 820 | ★ 4.66 |
| 2 | Halo Hospitality | 83 | 9,002 | ★ 4.81 |
| 3 | Haven Vacation Rentals | 74 | 8,674 | ★ 4.69 |
| 4 | Evolve | 69 | 3,602 | ★ 4.71 |
| 5 | Smoky Cabins Vacation Rentals | 49 | 3,212 | ★ 4.84 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Knoxville?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,195 |
| 2 bed | 1,077 |
| 3 bed | 827 |
| 4 bed | 311 |
| 5 bed | 145 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $207 |
| Luxury | $341 |
| Professionally Managed | $248 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,902 |
| Entire Place | $3,861 |
| House | $4,011 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 48.4% |
| vrbo | 6.9% |
| both | 44.7% |
Investment Analysis
Knoxville presents a compelling case for STR investment. The April 2026 snapshot shows average monthly gross revenue of $3,014, which annualizes to approximately $36,167 per listing. Against a typical home value of $371,202, that implies an estimated gross yield of approximately 9.7%. Net returns after expenses will be lower, but the gross figure is above the national average for comparably priced markets.
Tier differentiation is significant. All-listings ADR of $182 compares to $190 for entire-home listings and $223 for professionally managed properties, a 22% premium over the market average. Luxury-tier listings average $309/night, nearly 70% above the market-wide rate, pointing to strong upside for premium-positioned assets.
The YoY revenue growth of 5.34% in April 2026 is encouraging, driven by ADR gains rather than occupancy expansion. The 2024 and 2025 annual averages both approached $3,000/month in revenue at around 58% occupancy and $180-$182 ADR, suggesting the market has found a stable equilibrium after the 2021 peak of 68.4% occupancy and $2,986/month. Median days to pending of just 18 days on housing transactions reflects a competitive resale market, which may limit acquisition opportunism but also signals strong demand fundamentals.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Knoxville STRs book an average of 44 days in advance, a lead window of roughly six weeks. This is slightly longer than the Klamath Falls market (39 days) and above the typical 30-day national baseline, suggesting guests plan Knoxville trips more deliberately, consistent with University of Tennessee game weekends and Smoky Mountains itineraries that require advance reservation.
Average length of stay is 3.82 nights, slightly above a standard long weekend. This pattern likely reflects guests who treat Knoxville as a base for 3-5 day Smokies and Appalachian trail itineraries, combined with out-of-state visitors who travel farther and stay longer.
For pricing strategy, the 44-day lead window supports setting firm peak-season rates through late summer and fall well in advance, particularly for football weekends when demand is predictable. Last-minute inventory gaps in shoulder months (January, February) may benefit from dynamic discounting. The 3.82-night average stay also supports minimum-night policies of 3-4 nights during high-demand periods to reduce turnover costs per booking.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Knoxville has regulated short-term rentals since January 2018 under a two-permit structure. A Type 1 permit ($70 initial, $50 renewal, annual) applies to owner-occupied STRs in residentially zoned areas. The owner must be a natural person (LLCs and corporations are ineligible), must demonstrate the unit is their principal residence with at least two supporting documents, and must notify abutting neighbors and the local neighborhood organization. A Type 2 permit ($120 initial, $50 renewal, annual) covers STRs in non-residentially zoned areas where residential use is permitted; these allow non-owner-occupied operation, but no single person or entity may hold more than two Type 2 permits city-wide.
There is no cap on annual nights. Occupancy is capped at two persons per bedroom plus two, with a maximum of 12. A local agent must be reachable and able to respond to complaints within 45 minutes. Permits are not transferable on sale.
On taxes, the city occupancy privilege tax was raised from 3% to 4%, effective January 1, 2025. State and local sales taxes of approximately 9.25% and a Knox County hotel/motel tax also apply. Platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo typically collect and remit these. Enforcement is rated moderate. No permit cap or max-nights-per-year limit was documented.
Market Comparison
Knoxville’s April 2026 occupancy of 58.4% exceeds the US STR median of approximately 55%, and its total market score of 93.3 out of 100 ranks it among the top-performing mid-sized STR markets in the Southeast. Rental demand scores 95.6, reflecting the combination of Smoky Mountains gateway traffic, UT athletics, and a growing urban tourism base.
The ADR of $182 sits below the national median of approximately $220, which is typical for secondary Southern cities with primarily drive-market guests. However, the 5.34% year-over-year revenue growth and ADR trend of $180-$204 from 2024-2025 indicate upward pricing momentum.
On the operator side, the top three property managers collectively hold just 241 listings (6.8% of the 3,567-listing market), meaning individual hosts dominate supply. Dogwood Cabins leads at 84 listings (4.66 rating, 820 reviews). Halo Hospitality follows with 83 listings at a 4.81 rating across 9,002 reviews, suggesting a high-volume, well-reviewed operation. Haven Vacation Rentals holds 74 listings at a 4.69 rating and 8,674 reviews. The fragmented operator landscape means individual host quality variance is high, and well-managed properties have a clear differentiation opportunity.
Frequently Asked Questions About Knoxville, Tennessee
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