Knoxville, Tennessee Short-Term Rental Market
Knoxville area short-term rentals averaged $214 ADR, 58.5% occupancy and $3,356 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Knoxville, Tennessee is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Knoxville market area is 58%. average monthly revenue in the Knoxville market area is $3,356. average daily rate in the Knoxville market area is $214. the top operator in the Knoxville market area is Dogwood Cabins with 84 listings. market score is 93/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the wider Knoxville market, which covers 12 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Knoxville.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The performance figures on this page describe the Knoxville area STR market. Short-term rental data for this submarket is shared with nearby Maryville, about 15 miles away, so the numbers reflect the wider Knoxville metro area rather than the city limits alone. As of September 2026, the average daily rate across all listings was $214 and occupancy was 58.5%. Average monthly revenue per listing was $3,356. Compared with a year earlier, occupancy rose 7.2%, ADR rose 1.8%, and revenue rose 9.1%, so most of the latest gain came from more booked nights rather than higher rates.
Over a longer view, the market has been steady. Annual occupancy peaked at 68.4% in 2021, eased to 58.2% in both 2024 and 2025, and sits at 57.9% for the first nine months of 2026. ADR has climbed from $124 in 2020 to $186 so far in 2026, and average monthly revenue is $3,044 this year against $3,019 in 2025.
Demand comes from several sources. Knox County drew roughly 7.4 million visitors in 2022, up 8.8% year over year, and visitors are largely regional drive-market leisure travelers from the Southeast and Midwest. University of Tennessee football and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, dining and nightlife around Market Square, and the city’s position as the northern gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, roughly an hour away, all feed bookings. Business and convention travelers at the Knoxville Convention Center and festival attendees add midweek and shoulder-season demand. Knoxville has a population of 198,708, and Knox County is Tennessee’s fourth-largest tourism-producing county.
Bedroom, channel, and listing-type counts are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Knoxville, so this profile omits them. The sections below use the average, entire-place, house, apartment, luxury, and professionally managed figures for the Knoxville area STR market.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 43% |
| Feb | 53% |
| Mar | 63% |
| Apr | 59% |
| May | 63% |
| Jun | 70% |
| Jul | 70% |
| Aug | 63% |
| Sep | 59% |
| Oct | 65% |
| Nov | 58% |
| Dec | 55% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Knoxville are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Knoxville market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Knoxville market as a whole, which includes Knoxville, so these counts are not Knoxville-only figures.
| # | 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 nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Knoxville 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 | 48.4% |
| vrbo | 6.9% |
| both | 44.7% |
Home Value Trends (Knoxville)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Knoxville 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 Knoxville — 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 Knoxville, but a permit is required before advertising or operating. The city has regulated rentals under 30 days since its ordinance took effect in January 2018. Operators obtain a Short-Term Rental Unit Operating Permit from the Business License and Tax Office. Permits are annual, are not transferable on sale, and also require a City and County business license at $15 each.
There are two permit types. A Type 1 permit costs $70 new and $50 to renew. It covers owner-occupied principal residences in residentially zoned districts, and the owner must be a natural person, so LLCs do not qualify. Owners must prove primary residence with at least two documents and notify abutting neighbors and the neighborhood group. A Type 2 permit costs $120 new and $50 to renew. It applies in non-residential zoning where residential use is permitted and allows non-owner-occupied operation, but one person or entity may hold only two Type 2 permits city-wide. Rentals are barred in districts where residential use is not allowed, and properties that operated before the January 2018 ordinance have no grandfathered right.
There is no cap on nights per year. Occupancy is limited to two persons per bedroom plus two, never more than 12, and a local agent must respond to complaints within 45 minutes. The city occupancy tax rose from 3% to 4% effective January 1, 2025. State and local sales tax of about 9.25% and a Knox County hotel/motel tax also apply, and platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO typically collect and remit them. Enforcement severity is rated moderate. Tennessee’s 2019 state STR Act limits how localities can regulate existing operations. Confirm current rules with the city before buying.
Market Comparison
The Knoxville area STR market runs at 58.5% occupancy and a $214 ADR, with occupancy up 7.2% and ADR up 1.8% from a year earlier, which points to steady demand.
The tier data shows where the upside is. Entire homes at $225 per night sit just above the all-listings ADR, professionally managed listings at $267 are well above it, and luxury listings at $386 are far above it. Revenue growth of 9.1% year over year is supported by a 7.2% occupancy gain, which is a healthier mix than a rate-only increase.
For investors, the market has a reasonable entry point with a typical home value of $370,699 and a strong draw from the University of Tennessee, downtown Knoxville, and Smoky Mountains access. The trade-offs are seasonal swings of 27.6 occupancy points between January and July and a permit system that limits non-owner-occupied operation to eligible non-residential zoning. Top operator data is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Knoxville, so this profile omits it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Knoxville, Tennessee
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