Houston, Texas Short-Term Rental Market
Houston, TX STRs averaged $159/night at 51.6% occupancy in April 2026 across a 26,000-listing market serving 53.9 million annual visitors.
Quick Answer: Houston, Texas is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 52%. average monthly revenue is $2,456. average daily rate is $159. the top operator is Phillip Houston Property Manager with 439 listings. market score is 55/100 (grade C).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States with approximately 2.39 million residents, drawing roughly 53.9 million annual visitors for energy industry business, medical center activity, sports events, cultural tourism, and NASA-related travel. The STR market is one of the largest in Texas, with approximately 26,067 listings tracked by bedroom count and 21,579 classified as entire-place rentals.
In April 2026, the all-listing average daily rate was $159.40 and occupancy came in at 51.6%, producing a RevPAR of $82.31 and average monthly revenue of $2,456. Year-over-year, occupancy fell 7.8 percentage points while ADR rose 2.6% and revenue grew 0.7% compared to April 2025. The significant occupancy decline reflects the addition of new listings in the market after Houston’s first STR ordinance took effect January 1, 2026. The 2025 full-year average was 57.7% occupancy, $152 ADR, and $2,472 monthly revenue.
The listing mix includes a significant share of private rooms: 4,464 of the tracked listings are private rooms and 79 are shared rooms, alongside 21,579 entire-place listings. By bedroom count, 1-bedroom properties dominate at 10,632 listings, followed by 3-bedroom (6,317), 2-bedroom (4,835), 4-bedroom (2,892), and 5-bedroom (1,391). Channel distribution strongly favors Airbnb: 15,749 listings are Airbnb-only, 9,219 appear on both platforms, and only 1,154 are VRBO-only. The market’s seasonality score of 93.80 out of 100 reflects one of the most consistent year-round demand profiles among major US STR markets.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53% | $118 | $1,779 |
| Feb | 60% | $122 | $1,823 |
| Mar | 64% | $140 | $2,449 |
| Apr | 57% | $132 | $2,064 |
| May | 60% | $135 | $2,182 |
| Jun | 65% | $136 | $2,298 |
| Jul | 65% | $132 | $2,350 |
| Aug | 59% | $134 | $2,234 |
| Sep | 57% | $129 | $1,969 |
| Oct | 58% | $131 | $2,067 |
| Nov | 56% | $130 | $1,933 |
| Dec | 55% | $127 | $1,946 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Houston
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phillip Houston Property Manager | 439 | 17,180 | ★ 4.51 |
| 2 | Evolve | 358 | 8,378 | ★ 4.48 |
| 3 | Landing, Inc. | 275 | 394 | ★ 3.85 |
| 4 | Landing | 243 | 173 | ★ 3.42 |
| 5 | Lodgeur | 142 | 2,162 | ★ 4.77 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Houston?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 10,632 |
| 2 bed | 4,835 |
| 3 bed | 6,317 |
| 4 bed | 2,892 |
| 5 bed | 1,391 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $181 |
| Luxury | $275 |
| Professionally Managed | $177 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,046 |
| Entire Place | $2,734 |
| House | $2,708 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 60.3% |
| vrbo | 4.4% |
| both | 35.3% |
Investment Analysis
Houston’s STR market offers accessible entry costs with moderate returns. The typical home value of $265,062 (Zillow, April 2026) is among the lowest for a major US metro in this analysis. Using the 2025 annual average monthly revenue of $2,472, annualized gross revenue is approximately $29,664, representing a gross yield of about 11.2% on the typical home value.
Housing market conditions are competitive but not extreme: 12,314 homes are for sale, the median sale price is $292,583, the median list price is $304,967, the sale-to-list ratio of 0.959 indicates homes sell close to asking price, and the median days to pending is 35, signaling relatively active buyer demand.
Professionally managed listings command a meaningful premium: the tier_professionally_managed ADR of $176.90 is approximately 10.9% above the all-listing average of $159.40. Luxury properties reached $274.66 per night, 72% above the market average. An unusual data pattern: entire-place listings ($2,734 average monthly revenue) slightly outperformed houses ($2,708) in April 2026.
The most significant recent change for Houston STR investors is the new city ordinance, effective January 1, 2026. The $308.10 annual registration fee and $1 million insurance requirement add modest overhead, but the absence of owner-occupancy requirements and night caps makes Houston more permissive than Austin or Galveston. The 7.8 percentage-point occupancy decline in April 2026 may partly reflect market normalization as unregistered listings were removed following platform delisting enforcement beginning April 1, 2026.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Houston guests book an average of 27.0 days in advance as of April 2026, the shortest booking window among all 10 markets in this analysis. This reflects Houston’s character as a business and urban market where travel is often event-driven and planned closer to the visit date. Energy sector business travelers, medical center visitors, and attendees at the George R. Brown Convention Center frequently book within 2 to 3 weeks.
The average length of stay is 4.87 nights, well above the national STR average, indicating a significant portion of Houston guests are on extended business stays or multi-day medical visits rather than short weekend leisure trips. A 4.9-night average substantially reduces cleaning and turnover frequency.
The short 27-day booking window is operationally significant: operators cannot rely on a long forward view of their booking calendar. Dynamic pricing tools that respond quickly to demand signals and open-up discounts 14 to 21 days before arrival can fill gaps without sacrificing rates too early. For major event weekends (rodeo, Super Bowl, major conventions), advance booking does extend significantly, and operators should hold full-price inventory for those dates.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Houston adopted its first STR ordinance on April 16, 2025. It took effect January 1, 2026, with platform delisting enforcement beginning April 1, 2026.
Registration: every STR within Houston city limits must hold a Certificate of Registration from the Administration and Regulatory Affairs Department (ARA). The application fee is $275 plus a $33.10 administrative fee, totaling $308.10, renewed annually. Registration opened October 1, 2025.
Operating requirements: operators must carry at least $1 million in liability insurance during any period the property is offered for rent, complete an approved human trafficking prevention training course and retain the certificate, designate a 24-hour local emergency contact, and display the registration certificate and contact information on site.
Tax: Hotel Occupancy Tax totals 17%: 6% state, 4% county and sports authority, and 7% city. The city HOT is paid quarterly to Houston First Corporation.
Houston has no traditional zoning code. The STR ordinance applies citywide to any dwelling rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days. No annual cap on rental nights, no owner-occupancy requirement, and no primary-residence requirement apply, making Houston more permissive than Austin or Galveston.
Enforcement: violations carry fines of $100 to $500 per day per violation. Two or more noise citations within 12 months may trigger revocation. Three or more revocations within 24 months can lead the city to revoke every certificate held by that operator. Platforms must remove noncompliant listings within 10 days of city notification. HOA covenants may restrict STR use independently of city rules.
Market Comparison
Houston’s April 2026 ADR of $159.40 is below the US STR median of approximately $220 per night, reflecting the urban metro character of the market where volume and occupancy consistency replace the nightly rate premium of resort or destination markets. At 51.6% occupancy in April, the market is slightly below the US STR median of roughly 55%, though the year-round consistency keeps the market competitive annually.
Five property management companies lead the market. Phillip Houston Property Manager tops the list with 439 listings (4.51 rating, 17,180 reviews), followed by Evolve with 358 listings (4.48 rating, 8,378 reviews), Landing, Inc. with 275 listings (3.85 rating, 394 reviews), Landing with 243 listings (3.42 rating, 173 reviews), and Lodgeur with 142 listings (4.77 rating, 2,162 reviews). The two Landing entries likely represent the same brand. These five operators together account for approximately 1,457 listings, roughly 5.6% of the estimated 26,067-listing market.
The low market concentration among the top five operators, combined with Houston’s large and growing listing base, reflects a highly fragmented market where no single operator commands a dominant share. The strong year-round demand from business and medical travel creates durable occupancy floors that differentiate Houston from pure leisure STR markets.
Frequently Asked Questions About Houston, Texas
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