Gilchrist, Texas Short-Term Rental Market
Gilchrist STRs averaged $291/night at 40.2% occupancy in April 2026 across approximately 9,216 active listings.
Quick Answer: Gilchrist, Texas is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Galveston market area is 64%. average monthly revenue in the Galveston market area is $6,976. average daily rate in the Galveston market area is $395. the top operator in the Galveston market area is Vacasa with 386 listings. market score is 54/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Galveston regional market, which includes Gilchrist. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Gilchrist.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Gilchrist is a small unincorporated beach community on the Bolivar Peninsula in Galveston County, Texas, accessible via the free Galveston-Bolivar ferry or State Highway 87. The market draws primarily Texas day-trippers and seasonal beach vacationers from the Houston and Beaumont metros for Gulf beach recreation, surf and pier fishing, and birding at Bolivar Flats. The short-term rental market counts approximately 9,216 active listings, with entire-place rentals dominating at 9,046 (98.2%), private rooms at 161, and shared rooms at 9. Channel distribution leans heavily toward dual-listing: 5,994 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 2,160 are Airbnb-only, and 1,062 are VRBO-only.
As of April 2026, the market averaged $291.09 per night with a 40.2% occupancy rate, producing average monthly revenue of $3,361. RevPAR was $117.03. Year-over-year, April 2026 shows occupancy down 1.4% and ADR down 1.53%, while revenue grew 3.73%.
Bedroom mix skews toward larger beach houses: 3-bedroom units lead with 2,935 listings, followed by 2-bedroom (1,984), 1-bedroom (1,977), 4-bedroom (1,553), and 5-bedroom-plus (752). Market scores show revenue growth at 83.4 and investability at 78.0 out of 100, while seasonality scores at 47.5 reflect the sharp summer-peak pattern.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 27% |
| Feb | 39% |
| Mar | 52% |
| Apr | 41% |
| May | 51% |
| Jun | 67% |
| Jul | 69% |
| Aug | 46% |
| Sep | 35% |
| Oct | 38% |
| Nov | 31% |
| Dec | 32% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Gilchrist are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Galveston market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Galveston market as a whole, which includes Gilchrist, so these counts are not Gilchrist-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 386 | 21,460 | ★ 4.39 |
| 2 | Ryson Vacation Rentals by Vtrips | 370 | 7,450 | ★ 4.33 |
| 3 | Evolve | 354 | 17,277 | ★ 4.57 |
| 4 | Sand `N Sea Properties | 195 | 1,185 | ★ 4.66 |
| 5 | Cobb Real Estate | 190 | 3,899 | ★ 4.79 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Gilchrist?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Gilchrist 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 | 23.4% |
| vrbo | 11.5% |
| both | 65% |
Home Value Trends (Gilchrist)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Gilchrist 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 Gilchrist — 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
Gilchrist is an unincorporated community in Galveston County with no city government and no city-level STR licensing. Short-term rentals are permitted with minimal local regulation. No STR-specific zoning, density caps, minimum-distance rules, or owner-occupancy requirements apply.
Operators are expected to register with the Galveston County Park Board of Trustees (approximately $50 annual registration fee, with a one-time setup fee cited for new or independently managed properties). The STR registration requirement and exact fee should be confirmed directly with the Park Board before operating, as published figures vary.
On taxes, Texas levies a 6% state hotel occupancy tax (HOT) on stays under 30 days. For unincorporated Galveston County, local HOT applies on top of the state tax, with the combined burden reported at approximately 15% (state 6% plus local up to 9%). Tax reporting is inconsistent in published sources; investors should verify the current county rate and remittance obligations directly with Galveston County before operating. Platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO typically collect and remit state and local HOT on behalf of hosts in Texas.
Enforcement is minimal and complaint-based (noise, parking, safety) via the county sheriff rather than a dedicated STR compliance program.
Market Comparison
Gilchrist’s ADR of $291.09 is above the national STR median of approximately $220/night, reflecting premium pricing for Gulf beachfront access. Occupancy at 40.2% is well below the U.S. median of approximately 55%, driven by the sharp seasonal concentration in June and July and low winter occupancy.
RevPAR of $117.03 is below what the high ADR might suggest, because the low off-season occupancy depresses the annual average. The high seasonality score of 47.5 (lower scores indicate more concentrated seasonality) corroborates the market’s narrow revenue window.
The professional management landscape is well-developed and competitive. Vacasa leads with 386 listings and 21,460 reviews (average rating 4.39). Ryson Vacation Rentals by Vtrips follows with 370 listings and 7,450 reviews (rating 4.33). Evolve holds 354 listings and 17,277 reviews (rating 4.57). Sand ‘N Sea Properties operates 195 listings (rating 4.66, 1,185 reviews). Cobb Real Estate manages 190 listings (rating 4.79, 3,899 reviews). The top 5 operators account for 1,495 listings, approximately 16.2% of the approximately 9,216 total market listings.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gilchrist, Texas
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