Graford, Texas Short-Term Rental Market
Graford, TX STRs at Possum Kingdom Lake averaged $203/night at 42.8% occupancy in April 2026, with summer peak revenue reaching $4,009 in July.
Quick Answer: Graford, Texas is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 53%. average monthly revenue is $3,860. average daily rate is $271. the top operator is Evolve with 774 listings. market score is 63/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Texas East Area regional market, which includes Graford. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Graford.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Graford is a small Palo Pinto County town in North Texas that serves as the gateway to Possum Kingdom Lake, a major lake recreation destination roughly 90 minutes west of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Despite a resident population of 642, the STR market here is substantial at approximately 22,225 active listings, driven by DFW weekend and summer demand for boating, fishing, swimming, and waterfront vacation stays.
Of active listings, 20,944 (94.2%) are entire-place properties, 1,269 are private rooms, and 12 are shared rooms. Bedroom distribution: 1-bedroom units lead at 7,144 listings, followed by 3-bedroom (5,660), 2-bedroom (5,376), 4-bedroom (2,451), and 5-bedroom (1,530). By channel, 9,670 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 10,311 are Airbnb-only, and 2,244 are VRBO-only.
In April 2026, the average daily rate was $203, occupancy was 42.8%, and RevPAR was $87. Year-over-year, revenue was essentially flat at -0.2%, occupancy improved 1.1 percentage points, and ADR softened 3.4%. The total market score is 63.0 out of 100, with investability scoring notably high at 89.0, rental demand at 58.5, and seasonality at 75.1. The elevated investability score reflects relatively favorable entry economics given the lake market’s demand profile.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33% | $161 | $1,617 |
| Feb | 41% | $161 | $1,627 |
| Mar | 50% | $211 | $2,695 |
| Apr | 41% | $206 | $2,332 |
| May | 44% | $231 | $2,694 |
| Jun | 53% | $271 | $3,778 |
| Jul | 53% | $275 | $4,009 |
| Aug | 42% | $236 | $2,765 |
| Sep | 39% | $215 | $2,247 |
| Oct | 42% | $205 | $2,398 |
| Nov | 41% | $201 | $2,222 |
| Dec | 37% | $190 | $2,096 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Graford
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | 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 Graford?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 7,144 |
| 2 bed | 5,376 |
| 3 bed | 5,660 |
| 4 bed | 2,451 |
| 5 bed | 1,530 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $281 |
| Luxury | $538 |
| Professionally Managed | $442 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,174 |
| Entire Place | $4,002 |
| House | $4,276 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 46.4% |
| vrbo | 10.1% |
| both | 43.5% |
Investment Analysis
Graford’s STR investment case is anchored in Possum Kingdom Lake’s status as a premier DFW lake getaway, with Possum Kingdom State Park drawing approximately 60,000 visitors annually and peak summer pricing pushing waterfront listings above $1,000 per night in season. The broader market averaged $2,435 per month in April 2026, with houses at $2,608, entire-place listings at $2,513, and apartment-type listings at $1,679.
On ADR tiers, professionally managed listings averaged $315/night versus the all-listing market average of $203, a $112 premium. Luxury-tier listings averaged $443/night. The entire-home tier averaged $211/night. The professionally managed tier premium of 55% above market average is among the larger tier gaps in Texas lake markets, suggesting that operating quality is a stronger differentiator here than in more commoditized markets.
With a typical home value of $667,567 and a median list price of $705,333, annualized revenue at April 2026’s pace projects to approximately $29,200 per year ($2,435 times 12), implying a gross yield of roughly 4.4% on a typical home value. That figure is seasonally depressed by April’s low occupancy (42.8%); the July peak at $4,009 average monthly revenue represents a much stronger seasonal ceiling. Investors should model full-year revenue from the seasonal data rather than annualizing a single spring month. No county-level or city permit is required, lowering the regulatory friction for entry. For-sale inventory stands at 114 listings, providing selection.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Guests in the Graford market book an average of 38.7 days in advance and stay an average of 3.81 nights. The roughly 39-day lead time is consistent with a drive-to destination where DFW weekend travelers plan ahead but do not need to book far out for shoulder-season stays. The 3.81-night average length of stay reflects extended weekend bookings that span Thursday or Friday arrival through Sunday or Monday departure, a common pattern in summer lake markets.
For operators, the shorter lead time suggests that rate holds close to arrival can capture last-minute demand at premium pricing. Setting higher rates for the final 2-week window before available dates, rather than discounting to fill, can improve total yield. Minimum stay requirements of 3 nights on holiday weekends, particularly July 4th, can protect against 1-night gap bookings that leave surrounding dates uncovered.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Graford and the surrounding Possum Kingdom Lake area in Palo Pinto County have no city-wide or county-wide STR-specific ordinance, permit, or licensing requirement. Short-term rentals are legal and widely practiced, with no owner-occupancy requirement, no primary-residence requirement, and no cap on rental nights. The regulatory environment is minimal at the government level.
The binding constraints are private. HOA covenants and deed restrictions in gated and developed lake communities, including The Cliffs, The Ranch, and The Harbor, prohibit or restrict STRs. Confirming the specific HOA rules for any target property is the most important due diligence step before purchase.
On the tax side, operators must register for a Texas Sales/Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax permit with the State Comptroller and remit approximately 13% combined hotel occupancy tax: 6% Texas state HOT plus the Palo Pinto County HOT, which was recently raised from 4% to 7% (effective around December 2024). Investors should verify the current county rate and confirm whether the booking platform auto-collects and remits on their behalf. The county HOT increase reflects growth in lake-area lodging activity; the county now has well over 100 lodging operators versus fewer than 20 when the tax was first enacted. No new STR-specific ordinance has been adopted, but local stakeholders have noted that regulation could come in the future.
Market Comparison
Nationally, the median STR market runs approximately 55% occupancy and $220 ADR. Graford’s April 2026 occupancy of 42.8% is roughly 12 percentage points below the national median, reflecting the off-peak lake market in spring. Its ADR of $203 is slightly below the national level. The summer peak, however, closes the gap significantly: July at 53.1% occupancy and $275 ADR outperforms the national ADR median by 25%.
Within the Texas lake market, Graford at Possum Kingdom Lake competes with Lake Travis, Lake LBJ, and the Guadalupe River corridor. PK Lake’s 90-minute DFW drive time is comparable to those Hill Country destinations’ distance from Austin and San Antonio, giving it a similarly large metro feeder market.
Among the top property managers active here, Evolve leads with 774 listings and 27,617 reviews at a 4.71 average rating, and represents about 3.5% of the total market. Vacasa operates 238 listings with 8,722 reviews at a 4.67 rating. FCR Partners, LP holds 103 listings with 172 reviews at a 4.68 rating. Neal’s Lodges manages 97 listings with 170 reviews at a 4.79 rating. 979 Vacation Property Services rounds out the top 5 with 96 listings and 3,231 reviews at a 4.62 rating. The top 5 collectively account for approximately 1,308 managed listings.
Frequently Asked Questions About Graford, Texas
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