Livingston, Texas Short-Term Rental Market
Livingston, TX STRs averaged $204/night at 42.7% occupancy in April 2026, with summer peaks reaching $275 ADR in July.
Quick Answer: Livingston, 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 772 listings. market score is 63/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Texas East Area regional market, which includes Livingston. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Livingston.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Livingston, TX is a small East Texas city (population 5,718) and the county seat of Polk County, situated roughly one hour north of Houston near Lake Livingston, one of the largest reservoirs in Texas at approximately 84,800 acres. The STR market primarily serves Houston-area visitors seeking weekend lake access, outdoor recreation, and the nearby Lake Livingston State Park and Alabama-Coushatta tribal gaming. The market data associated with this area reflects the broader Lake Livingston region rather than Livingston city limits exclusively, as the market-area dataset includes surrounding rural and lakefront properties.
In April 2026, the latest data month, active STR listings averaged $204 per night (ADR) at 42.7% occupancy, producing a RevPAR of $87. Average monthly revenue per listing reached $2,436. Listing composition shows 94.2% entire-place units, 5.7% private rooms, and under 0.1% shared rooms. Three-bedroom units represent the largest bedroom segment at 25.5% of supply, followed by one-bedroom (32.2%), two-bedroom (24.3%), four-bedroom (11.0%), and five-or-more-bedroom (6.9%). Both Airbnb and VRBO have strong market presence: 46.5% of listings appear on Airbnb only, 43.4% on both platforms, and 10.1% on VRBO only.
Year-over-year as of April 2026, occupancy gained 1.02 percentage points while ADR slipped 3.34%, producing an essentially flat revenue change of -0.06%. Annual averages show a range of $210-$218 ADR over 2024-2025 with occupancy around 42-45%.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33% | $161 | $1,618 |
| Feb | 41% | $161 | $1,627 |
| Mar | 50% | $211 | $2,696 |
| Apr | 41% | $206 | $2,332 |
| May | 44% | $231 | $2,695 |
| Jun | 53% | $272 | $3,781 |
| Jul | 53% | $275 | $4,011 |
| Aug | 42% | $236 | $2,767 |
| Sep | 39% | $215 | $2,248 |
| Oct | 42% | $205 | $2,399 |
| Nov | 41% | $201 | $2,223 |
| Dec | 37% | $190 | $2,097 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Livingston
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 772 | 27,488 | ★ 4.72 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 225 | 8,425 | ★ 4.68 |
| 3 | FCR Partners, LP | 103 | 172 | ★ 4.68 |
| 4 | Neal’s Lodges | 97 | 170 | ★ 4.79 |
| 5 | 979 Vacation Property Services | 96 | 3,212 | ★ 4.60 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Livingston?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 7,128 |
| 2 bed | 5,371 |
| 3 bed | 5,654 |
| 4 bed | 2,441 |
| 5 bed | 1,528 |
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 | 46.5% |
| vrbo | 10.1% |
| both | 43.4% |
Investment Analysis
Livingston’s investment case rests on low entry costs and high Apivex investability relative to the revenue generated. The typical home value of $196,125 (Zillow, April 2026) against $2,436 average monthly revenue implies an annualized gross of approximately $29,232, yielding a gross return of roughly 14.9% before expenses. Net returns after platform fees, management costs, taxes (13% combined HOT), maintenance, and vacancy will be materially lower, but the price-to-revenue ratio is among the more favorable in Texas lake markets.
The Apivex investability score is 89.0 out of 100, the highest investability rating in this ten-market content batch, despite a total market score of 62.5. This divergence reflects the market’s attractiveness given its low entry price point relative to revenue, even as overall demand metrics are not exceptional. ADR tier differentiation is substantial: entire-home listings averaged $211, while professionally managed listings averaged $315 (a $111/night premium over the $204 all-listings ADR). Luxury-tier properties averaged $444 per night.
Housing market conditions suggest a slow-moving buyer’s market: median days to pending is 117 days, median list price is $283,000, and for-sale inventory is 271 units. Median sale price is not available in the current snapshot, but the extended days-to-pending figure indicates buyers typically have negotiating room. For-sale inventory of 271 units relative to market size gives buyers reasonable selection.
Revenue by property type: houses averaged $2,609/month, entire-place listings averaged $2,514/month, and apartments averaged $1,683/month, confirming that lake-area houses outperform other property types.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
The average booking lead time in Livingston is 38.7 days, just over five weeks ahead of arrival. This is consistent with a market where many guests are planning weekend lake trips from Houston a few weeks out rather than booking months in advance. Summer peak weekends (especially July Fourth and Memorial Day) likely generate shorter-notice bookings with higher per-night pricing.
Average length of stay is 3.8 nights, reflecting typical lake getaway trips. This is slightly shorter than some other Texas lake markets, consistent with Houston day-trip culture where visitors may book a long weekend rather than a full week. At $204 ADR over 3.8 nights, the average gross booking is approximately $775 before fees. Operators should consider minimum-night requirements of 2-3 nights on summer weekends to reduce turnover and improve net economics.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Livingston, TX does not have a dedicated short-term rental ordinance or permit requirement as of mid-2026. The City of Livingston’s published permit list does not include an STR or vacation-rental registration category, and no STR-specific zoning provision has been identified in the city code. STRs are effectively permitted with no city permit, no owner-occupancy mandate, and no cap on rental nights.
Note on a common research error: online STR regulation summaries referencing Livingston permit requirements, registration fees, and night caps appear to conflate this city with Livingston, Montana, which was actively reviewing STR rules during 2024-2025. Those rules do not apply to Livingston, Texas.
The primary tax obligation is the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT): operators must collect and remit the 6% Texas state HOT plus the City of Livingston’s 7% local HOT, for a combined 13% on stays under 30 days within city limits. Properties in unincorporated Polk County outside city limits would substitute the Polk County 7% HOT for the city portion.
Enforcement is rated minimal. Investors should still verify directly with the City of Livingston Community Development Office (936-327-4311) and Polk County, as small-city rules can change, and lake-area subdivision HOAs may impose their own private rental restrictions.
Market Comparison
Livingston’s April 2026 ADR of $204 is below the approximate U.S. STR median of $220, though peak summer months of $272-$275 approach or exceed median levels. The 42.7% April occupancy is below the national median of approximately 55%, a product of the strong seasonal concentration in June and July.
The operator landscape is led by Evolve with 772 listings and a 4.716 rating across 27,488 reviews, the largest single-operator listing count in this content batch. Vacasa holds 225 listings with a 4.676 rating across 8,425 reviews. FCR Partners, LP holds 103 listings (4.684 rating). Neal’s Lodges ranks fourth with 97 listings and the highest rating in the top five at 4.794 across 170 reviews. 979 Vacation Property Services, likely a regional East Texas operator, holds 96 listings with a 4.596 rating across 3,212 reviews.
The investability score of 89.0 out of 100 makes Livingston one of the most investability-favorable markets in this batch, driven by the low entry price ($196,125 typical home value) relative to revenue potential. The 117-day median days to pending and available inventory of 271 units further support buyer negotiating position.
Frequently Asked Questions About Livingston, Texas
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