Dripping Springs, Texas Short-Term Rental Market
Dripping Springs STRs averaged $231/night at 58.2% occupancy in April 2026, with houses earning $4,413 per month.
Quick Answer: Dripping Springs, Texas is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Austin market area is 62%. average monthly revenue in the Austin market area is $3,874. average daily rate in the Austin market area is $229. the top operator in the Austin market area is AvantStay with 358 listings. market score is 56/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Austin regional market, which includes Dripping Springs. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Dripping Springs.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Dripping Springs sits roughly 20 miles west of Austin in the Texas Hill Country, drawing guests to its wedding venues, wineries, and state parks. In April 2026, the market recorded an average daily rate of $231 and a 58.2% occupancy rate, producing an average monthly revenue of $3,825 per active listing. RevPAR stood at $134.
Occupancy rose 4.1% year-over-year while ADR declined 5.8%, reflecting softer nightly pricing against steadier demand. Monthly revenue grew 3.3% year-over-year, indicating that volume gains are more than offsetting rate compression.
Entire-place listings dominate the supply mix, accounting for 21,219 of approximately 24,604 tracked listings, or roughly 86% of the market. Private rooms represent another 3,296 listings (13%), and shared rooms a marginal 89. On the bedroom breakdown, 1-bedroom units lead with 10,631 records, followed by 2-bedrooms (5,175), 3-bedrooms (4,396), 4-bedrooms (2,655), and 5-bedrooms (1,684). The channel mix shows strong Airbnb concentration at 12,931 listings compared to 1,599 on VRBO, with 10,074 operators cross-listing on both platforms. The market’s composite score from StaySTRA’s scoring model is 56.5 out of 100, with rental demand the highest sub-score at 65.6 and seasonality scoring 89.7, indicating a relatively contained seasonal swing compared to many comparable markets.
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 Dripping Springs 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 Dripping Springs, so these counts are not Dripping Springs-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 Dripping Springs?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Dripping Springs 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 (Dripping Springs)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Dripping Springs 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 Dripping Springs — 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
Dripping Springs requires an STR License for all short-term rentals inside city limits and the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). STRs are explicitly permitted; a license is mandatory for operation.
Under Ordinance 2025-37, effective October 1, 2025, licenses converted from annual to biennial (two-year) renewal cycles. The Certificate of Occupancy and proof-of-insurance requirements were removed for both new applicants and renewals. Tenants may operate an STR with written landlord permission.
Zoning rules vary by parcel type. On single-family parcels, operators may run up to two STR units. Additional units at separate locations are permitted if they are at least 1,000 feet apart. Mixed-use sites allow the greater of one unit or 25% of units on sites with four or more residential units plus commercial use. Multi-family sites allow the greater of one unit or 10% of units.
The combined occupancy tax rate is 13%: 6% Texas state hotel occupancy tax plus 7% city hotel occupancy tax. Airbnb and VRBO do not remit the city portion on behalf of Dripping Springs operators. Operators must collect and remit the city’s 7% directly to the City Treasurer quarterly, due 20 days after each quarter’s end. The state 6% is remitted separately to the Texas Comptroller.
There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement. The permit fee amount was not publicly available at the time of research; operators should confirm current fees directly with the City Treasurer’s office. Properties in unincorporated Hays County outside the ETJ are not subject to the city license but may face county-level development rules. Enforcement is rated moderate.
Market Comparison
Against U.S. STR medians (approximately 55% occupancy, $220 ADR), Dripping Springs performs above average on both occupancy at 58.2% and ADR at $231. Average monthly revenue of $3,825 reflects the Hill Country’s positioning as a premium leisure and event destination rather than a high-volume urban or beach market.
The investability score of 56.5 and revenue growth score of 57.4 suggest a stable rather than rapidly appreciating market, consistent with a maturing destination that has absorbed post-pandemic demand normalization.
AvantStay leads the professional management segment with 358 listings and a 4.77 average rating across 1,931 reviews. Hill Country Premier Lodging manages 287 listings and carries the deepest review base among local operators, with 24,078 reviews at a 4.61 rating, reflecting long-standing market presence. Vacasa operates 250 listings with 17,006 reviews at a 4.70 rating. Together the top three operators manage 895 listings, representing roughly 3.6% of the approximately 24,604 tracked listing records. The market is not highly consolidated; independent operators retain the large majority of inventory.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dripping Springs, Texas
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