Harlingen, Texas Short-Term Rental Market
Harlingen, TX STRs averaged $244/night at 45.8% occupancy in April 2026, in a Lower Rio Grande Valley market combining birding tourism with South Padre Island proximity.
Quick Answer: Harlingen, Texas is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the South Padre Island market area is 66%. average monthly revenue in the South Padre Island market area is $5,779. average daily rate in the South Padre Island market area is $329. the top operator in the South Padre Island market area is Vacasa with 381 listings. market score is 49/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the South Padre Island regional market, which includes Harlingen. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Harlingen.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Harlingen is a city of approximately 72,000 residents in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, approximately 40 minutes from South Padre Island. The area draws eco-tourism and birding visitors to the Harlingen Arroyo Colorado World Birding Center and nearby Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, seasonal Winter Texans from northern states and Canada, golfers, and overflow leisure demand from South Padre Island.
In April 2026, listings in this market averaged $244 per night at 45.8% occupancy, generating average monthly revenue of $3,061. RevPAR stood at $112. Year over year, occupancy fell 3.1 percentage points and ADR declined 6.1%, while total revenue grew 3.2%, indicating volume gains from listing count growth or mix shifts offsetting per-unit rate softness.
Entire-place listings account for 5,541 of the 5,679 total listings, with 137 private rooms and 1 shared room. Bedroom mix is concentrated in 2-bedroom units (2,375), followed by 3-bedroom (1,515), 1-bedroom (1,198), 4-bedroom (349), and 5-bedroom (239) configurations. Channel distribution shows 3,099 listings on both Airbnb and VRBO, 2,043 Airbnb-exclusive, and 537 VRBO-exclusive. Market scores show investability of 88.4 and rental demand of 71.3, both above average, with a total score of 49.3.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 51% |
| Feb | 69% |
| Mar | 58% |
| Apr | 44% |
| May | 50% |
| Jun | 65% |
| Jul | 71% |
| Aug | 47% |
| Sep | 38% |
| Oct | 37% |
| Nov | 39% |
| Dec | 41% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Harlingen are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in South Padre Island market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the South Padre Island market as a whole, which includes Harlingen, so these counts are not Harlingen-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 381 | 19,054 | ★ 4.41 |
| 2 | RedAwning | 253 | 2,069 | ★ 4.51 |
| 3 | SPI Rentals LLC | 213 | 8,264 | ★ 4.63 |
| 4 | Padre Island Rentals | 210 | 9,703 | ★ 4.55 |
| 5 | South Padre Trips | 159 | 3,494 | ★ 4.45 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Harlingen?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Harlingen 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 | 36% |
| vrbo | 9.5% |
| both | 54.6% |
Home Value Trends (Harlingen)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Harlingen 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 Harlingen — 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
Harlingen is one of the most permissive STR markets in Texas. Under Ordinance No. 2023-53 (passed on final reading October 18, 2023), STRs are permitted citywide regardless of original zoning, with no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, no maximum nights cap, and no density or distance restrictions.
Operators must register each unit with the City of Harlingen Building Inspections, paying a one-time $50 registration fee per unit, which may be waived for properties already remitting hotel occupancy tax. Each registration requires owner and 24/7 local contact information, the property address, bedroom count and occupancy limits, and the Cameron County Appraisal District property ID. A registration number must appear in all advertising. Changes to registration information must be updated within 30 days.
The combined hotel occupancy tax burden is approximately 13%: 7% local City of Harlingen HOT plus 6% Texas state HOT, applied to stays under 30 consecutive days. Violations carry fines of up to $500 per offense per day. The ordinance does not override private deed restrictions, HOA rules, or CC&Rs. Investors should confirm whether any target property is subject to such private covenants before purchase.
Market Comparison
Against national STR benchmarks of approximately 55% median occupancy and $220 median ADR, Harlingen’s April 2026 occupancy of 45.8% is below the national median while its $244 ADR is slightly above, producing a RevPAR of $112 that is near the national median range.
The professional management landscape is dominated by operators serving the South Padre Island and Lower Rio Grande Valley corridor. Vacasa leads with 381 listings, 19,054 reviews, and a 4.410 average rating. RedAwning holds 253 listings with 2,069 reviews at a 4.506 rating. SPI Rentals LLC manages 213 listings with 8,264 reviews at 4.629. Padre Island Rentals holds 210 listings at 4.551 and South Padre Trips manages 159 listings at 4.454. Together the top five account for 1,216 listings, approximately 21% of the 5,679 total supply, a higher concentration than most markets in this batch, indicating that professional management has greater share here.
The city’s STR market at $244 ADR is well below the Hamptons or Harbor Springs price points, but the low regulatory barriers and competitive home prices in the Rio Grande Valley create a distinct investment profile where volume and occupancy matter more than rate premium.
Frequently Asked Questions About Harlingen, Texas
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