Austin, Texas Short-Term Rental Market
Austin restricts non-owner-occupied STRs; September 2026 area ADR was $220, occupancy 59.3%, monthly revenue $3,522.
Quick Answer: Austin, Texas is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Austin market area is 59%. average monthly revenue in the Austin market area is $3,522. average daily rate in the Austin market area is $220. the top operator in the Austin market area is AvantStay with 358 listings. market score is 56/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the wider Austin market, which covers 32 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Austin.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
This profile uses the Austin area STR market, a shared Central Texas metric series, so the performance numbers below describe the wider Austin area rather than the city limits alone. In September 2026, the average daily rate across all listings was $220, occupancy was 59.3%, and the average listing earned $3,522 in monthly revenue. Compared with September 2025, occupancy is up 11.0%, ADR is down 4.3%, and revenue is up 15.2%. Growth is coming from more booked nights rather than higher rates. The 2026 year to date figures (nine months) show 59.7% occupancy, a $214 ADR, and $3,533 in average monthly revenue, versus 56.2%, $216, and $3,409 for full year 2025. Occupancy this year is above every year since 2021, when it reached 63.8% at a $220 ADR. Austin itself has about 1,002,632 residents and draws over 40 million out-of-market visitors a year, supported by SXSW, Austin City Limits, the Formula 1 US Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas, and a tech employer base that includes Dell, Tesla, Apple, and Samsung. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport handled 21.67 million passengers in 2025. Entire-home listings averaged a $242 ADR in September 2026, above the $220 all-listings figure, because guests booking whole properties pay more than those booking rooms. Bedroom, channel, and listing-type counts, along with top operator names, are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Austin, so this profile omits them. The data month throughout is September 2026, and the typical home value is $497,418, which frames the entry cost covered in the investment section.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 50% |
| Feb | 59% |
| Mar | 63% |
| Apr | 57% |
| May | 58% |
| Jun | 60% |
| Jul | 60% |
| Aug | 57% |
| Sep | 56% |
| Oct | 59% |
| Nov | 53% |
| Dec | 51% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Austin are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Austin market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Austin market as a whole, which includes Austin, so these counts are not Austin-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AvantStay | 358 | 1,931 | ★ 4.77 |
| 2 | Landing, Inc. | 311 | 520 | ★ 4.30 |
| 3 | Hill Country Premier Lodging | 287 | 24,078 | ★ 4.61 |
| 4 | Landing | 270 | 53 | ★ 3.67 |
| 5 | Vacasa | 250 | 17,006 | ★ 4.70 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Austin?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Austin 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 | 52.6% |
| vrbo | 6.5% |
| both | 40.9% |
Home Value Trends (Austin)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Austin 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 Austin — 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
Austin restricts which investors can operate short-term rentals. Every STR (stays under 30 consecutive days) needs a city license, and enforcement is rated strict. Type 1 licenses cover owner-occupied homes and are allowed in all residential zones. Type 2 licenses cover non-owner-occupied whole homes, are limited to commercial and mixed-use zones, and carry a 1,000-foot spacing rule, which makes them effectively unavailable in residential neighborhoods. Type 3 licenses cover non-owner-occupied units in multi-unit buildings, capped at the greater of one unit or 10% of the units. On lots with a single dwelling, up to 2 STR units are allowed. A new license costs $836 and renewals cost $385. Since October 1, 2025, licenses run for two years, a certificate of occupancy and proof of insurance are no longer required, and tenants may operate an STR with written landlord permission. Total hotel occupancy tax is 17% (9% city, 2% venue project tax, 6% state), and platforms have collected and remitted it automatically since April 1, 2025. Operators must name a local contact reachable within two hours, provide a guest information packet, and follow noise ordinances. Fines run $500 to $2,000 per violation per day, and licenses can be revoked for repeat offenses. Starting July 1, 2026, platforms must display license numbers and remove unlicensed listings within 10 days of a city request. As of early 2026 the city had identified about 2,785 unlicensed addresses and issued 65 notices of violation.
Market Comparison
The Austin area STR market posts 59.3% occupancy and a $220 ADR in September 2026. The ADR tiers show room above the all-listings rate: entire homes at $242, professionally managed listings at $261, and luxury listings at $526. Momentum is positive, with occupancy up 11.0% and revenue up 15.2% year over year, partly offset by a 4.3% ADR decline. The demand base is broad: over 40 million out-of-market visitors a year, a $3 billion tourism impact reported for 2024, and 21.67 million airport passengers in 2025. Against that, entry costs are high, with a typical home value of $497,418, and the license structure limits non-owner-occupied investors. Top operator names are omitted because they are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Austin.
Frequently Asked Questions About Austin, Texas
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What are the best and worst months for Austin short-term rentals?
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