Canyon Lake, Texas Short-Term Rental Market
Canyon Lake STRs averaged $179/night at 54.4% occupancy in April 2026 across a market of 14,892 active listings.
Quick Answer: Canyon Lake, Texas is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the San Antonio market area is 65%. average monthly revenue in the San Antonio market area is $3,955. average daily rate in the San Antonio market area is $222. the top operator in the San Antonio market area is Evolve with 312 listings. market score is 59/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the San Antonio regional market, which includes Canyon Lake. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Canyon Lake.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Canyon Lake is a large short-term rental market anchored by its 8,300-acre reservoir and Guadalupe River recreation corridor between Austin and San Antonio. In April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $179 and occupancy of 54.4%, generating $97.68 in RevPAR. Monthly revenue across all listing types averaged $2,752.
The market is heavily concentrated in entire-place rentals: 13,539 of approximately 14,892 tracked listings are entire-place units, with 1,342 private rooms and just 11 shared rooms. By bedroom count, 1-bedroom (4,646 listings) and 3-bedroom (4,055 listings) units are the most common configurations, followed by 2-bedroom (3,072), 4-bedroom (2,160), and 5-bedroom (939) properties.
On a year-over-year basis as of April 2026, occupancy edged up 0.95 percentage points while ADR declined 3.34% and revenue slipped 2.76%. The revenue growth market score sits at 51.3 out of 100, reflecting the modest recent softening. The overall market score is 59.3, with investability scoring notably higher at 76.1, pointing to durable entry-price dynamics relative to income potential. Airbnb dominates channel distribution, with 6,744 Airbnb-only listings and 7,131 listed on both platforms, versus 1,017 VRBO-only properties.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 45% |
| Feb | 55% |
| Mar | 62% |
| Apr | 53% |
| May | 54% |
| Jun | 62% |
| Jul | 65% |
| Aug | 52% |
| Sep | 47% |
| Oct | 53% |
| Nov | 51% |
| Dec | 52% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Canyon Lake are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in San Antonio market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the San Antonio market as a whole, which includes Canyon Lake, so these counts are not Canyon Lake-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 312 | 13,836 | ★ 4.68 |
| 2 | Feliz Stays SA | 194 | 13,450 | ★ 4.72 |
| 3 | Landing, Inc. | 180 | 408 | ★ 4.31 |
| 4 | Vacasa | 160 | 5,325 | ★ 4.56 |
| 5 | New Braunfels Escapes | 157 | 5,662 | ★ 4.67 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Canyon Lake?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Canyon Lake 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 | 45.3% |
| vrbo | 6.8% |
| both | 47.9% |
Home Value Trends (Canyon Lake)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Canyon Lake 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 Canyon Lake — 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
Canyon Lake is unincorporated Comal County, and the STR regulatory environment is among the more permissive in Texas. There is no city zoning prohibition and no city operational permit requirement for properties in the unincorporated area.
The primary compliance obligation is registration with the Water Oriented Recreation District (W.O.R.D.) of Comal County. W.O.R.D. registration is free and one-time. Registered operators receive a W.O.R.D. permit number (format: WP# L1234) that must be displayed in all online listings. W.O.R.D. levies a 3% Lodging User Fee on gross short-term rental income for stays under 30 days, filed quarterly and due within 20 days after each quarter-end. The Texas state hotel occupancy tax of 6% applies in addition, bringing the combined tax burden to at least 9%. Platforms like Airbnb and VRBO may remit these taxes on behalf of operators, but registration is the operator’s personal responsibility.
Comal County imposes no owner-occupancy requirement, no primary-residence requirement, and no maximum-nights cap. One material operational risk: the County Engineer treats commercial STR use as a change in use, and if marketed occupancy exceeds the property’s original septic (OSSF) design capacity, a commercial septic permit or upgraded system may be required.
Enforcement is complaint-driven and rated moderate. Properties physically inside City of New Braunfels limits or its ETJ face stricter rules, including a prohibition on STRs in residentially zoned areas, so buyers should verify jurisdiction at the parcel level.
Market Comparison
Against national STR benchmarks, Canyon Lake’s 54.4% occupancy in April 2026 is close to the U.S. median of approximately 55%, while the $179 ADR trails the national median of roughly $220. This gap reflects the leisure-drive market profile: Canyon Lake draws regional visitors rather than destination travelers willing to pay the rates seen in established resort markets.
The market’s investability score of 76.1 compares favorably against most domestic lake markets, where the combination of low regulatory friction and high property demand from outdoor recreation anchors return potential.
Professional management is well-represented. Evolve leads with 312 listings and 13,836 reviews (4.68 average rating). Feliz Stays SA operates 194 listings with 13,450 reviews and a 4.72 rating, the highest among the top operators. Vacasa holds 160 listings (4.56 rating) and New Braunfels Escapes manages 157 listings (4.67 rating). The top 5 operators collectively manage 1,003 listings, approximately 6.7% of the total market, indicating that while professional management is present, independent operators still dominate.
Frequently Asked Questions About Canyon Lake, Texas
What is the average nightly rate for an Airbnb in Canyon Lake, TX?
What occupancy rate can I expect for a Canyon Lake STR?
How much monthly revenue does a Canyon Lake short-term rental generate?
Do I need a permit to operate a short-term rental in Canyon Lake?
When is the best time to visit (and the busiest rental season in) Canyon Lake?
How far in advance do guests book Canyon Lake rentals?
Who are the top property managers in Canyon Lake?
Analyze Canyon Lake Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Canyon Lake.
Free Canyon Lake STR Calculator →
