Abilene, Texas Short-Term Rental Market
Abilene, TX STRs averaged $203/night at 42.8% occupancy in April 2026, with no local STR permit requirement and a 15% combined hotel occupancy tax.
Quick Answer: Abilene, Texas is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Texas East Area market area is 53%. average monthly revenue in the Texas East Area market area is $3,860. average daily rate in the Texas East Area market area is $271. the top operator in the Texas East Area market area is Evolve with 774 listings. market score is 63/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Texas East Area regional market, which includes Abilene. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Abilene.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Abilene, Texas is a mid-sized West Texas city of about 128,000 residents anchored by Dyess Air Force Base, three universities, and a regional commercial hub role. Its STR market is notable for a very accessible entry price relative to most Texas metros. As of April 2026, the market averaged $203/night ADR with 42.8% occupancy, yielding a RevPAR of $86.95 and average monthly revenue of $2,435.
Year-over-year trends in April 2026 show occupancy slightly up (+1.1%), ADR down 3.4%, and revenue essentially flat (-0.2%). The market is stable rather than growth-oriented at the revenue level, but the investability score of 89.01 out of 100 reflects the strong entry-cost case.
The listing base is large: 20,944 entire-place listings, 1,269 private-room listings, and 12 shared-room listings make up approximately 22,225 active listings. Channel distribution shows 10,311 Airbnb-only, 2,244 VRBO-only, and 9,670 on both platforms. By bedroom count, 1-bedroom units lead at 7,144 listings, followed by 3-bedroom (5,660) and 2-bedroom (5,376) properties.
The market’s overall score of 62.99 is supported by its standout investability (89.01) and good seasonality profile (75.07), with rental demand (58.49) as the relative drag.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 33% |
| Feb | 41% |
| Mar | 50% |
| Apr | 41% |
| May | 44% |
| Jun | 53% |
| Jul | 53% |
| Aug | 42% |
| Sep | 39% |
| Oct | 42% |
| Nov | 41% |
| Dec | 37% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Abilene are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Texas East Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Texas East Area market as a whole, which includes Abilene, so these counts are not Abilene-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 774 | 27,617 | ★ 4.71 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 238 | 8,722 | ★ 4.67 |
| 3 | FCR Partners, LP | 103 | 172 | ★ 4.68 |
| 4 | Neal’s Lodges | 97 | 170 | ★ 4.79 |
| 5 | 979 Vacation Property Services | 96 | 3,231 | ★ 4.62 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Abilene?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Abilene 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 | 46.4% |
| vrbo | 10.1% |
| both | 43.5% |
Home Value Trends (Abilene)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Abilene 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 Abilene — 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
Abilene is one of the more permissive STR markets in Texas. As of 2026, the city has not enacted a dedicated short-term rental ordinance. There is no city-issued STR permit, registration system, or inspection regime specific to short-term rentals. Operators must comply with standard housing safety codes, building codes, and applicable zoning for their property type, but no STR license is required.
The primary compliance obligation is tax collection. All STR stays under 30 consecutive nights are subject to a combined Hotel Occupancy Tax of approximately 15%: 6% to the State of Texas, 7% to the City of Abilene, and 2% as a county venue tax. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit the city portion automatically; hosts may need to register separately with the Texas Comptroller for the state portion if not handled by the platform.
There are no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirements, no cap on annual rental nights, and no specific guest-count or parking mandates in city code. Enforcement is complaint-driven rather than proactive.
No owner-occupancy requirements apply. The city’s permissive stance could change, as Texas municipalities retain the authority to regulate STRs. Verifying with Abilene Planning and Development Services at (325) 676-6237 before investing is advisable. HOA rules in specific subdivisions may impose additional restrictions.
Market Comparison
Abilene’s $203 ADR is slightly below the US median STR ADR of approximately $220, reflecting its West Texas mid-market positioning. Its 42.8% occupancy is below the national median of approximately 55%, consistent with a market where demand is spread across a large inventory base.
The investability score of 89.01 out of 100 places Abilene among the highest-investability markets in the dataset, driven primarily by the low entry cost relative to STR revenue generation potential.
Professional management is significant here. Evolve leads the market with 774 listings and 27,617 reviews (4.711 average rating), making it the dominant operator by a wide margin. Vacasa holds 238 listings with 8,722 reviews (4.665 rating). FCR Partners holds 103 listings with 172 reviews (4.684 rating). Together the top three operators hold 1,115 listings, or approximately 5.0% of the estimated 22,225 active listings. Evolve’s concentration here is higher than in most comparably sized markets.
Frequently Asked Questions About Abilene, Texas
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