Lubbock, Texas Short-Term Rental Market
Lubbock, TX STRs averaged 55.8% occupancy and $173/night in April 2026 across approximately 1,824 active listings, with revenue up 11.4% year-over-year.
Quick Answer: Lubbock, Texas is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 58%. average monthly revenue is $2,602. average daily rate is $160. the top operator is Hub City with 82 listings. market score is 96/100 (grade A).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Lubbock, Texas short-term rental market held approximately 1,824 active listings as of April 2026, serving the Hub City of the South Plains with a population of roughly 272,086. Entire-place listings account for 1,725 (94.6% of tracked listings) and private rooms for 99. Three-bedroom units are the most common configuration with 787 listings, followed by two-bedroom (393), one-bedroom (333), four-bedroom (256), and five-plus bedroom (54) units, consistent with a market serving sports-weekend groups and university-related travel.
Airbnb strongly dominates channel distribution. Among tracked listings, 1,079 are Airbnb-only, 662 appear on both platforms, and 83 are VRBO-only. Airbnb reaches approximately 95.4% of tracked listings; the dual-listing rate of 36.3% is moderate.
In April 2026, occupancy was 55.8% and the average daily rate was $173.04, producing a RevPAR of $96.56. Year-over-year in April, occupancy rose 10.02 percentage points, ADR fell 0.98%, and revenue grew 11.4%, a strong demand-driven revenue gain. The 2025 full-year average is the more complete benchmark: $158 ADR at 52.3% occupancy, producing approximately $2,329 in average monthly revenue per active listing.
Market scores are among the strongest in this batch. The total score is 96.2 out of 100, with investability at 95.2, rental demand at 91.5, and seasonality at 94.2. Revenue growth scores 75.6. Regulation scores 47.4, reflecting the primary-residence requirement that constrains investor-only participation. Lubbock welcomed more than 7 million visitors in 2024, generating nearly $1 billion in direct visitor spending and $30.6 million in local tax revenue.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45% | $112 | $1,536 |
| Feb | 55% | $111 | $1,517 |
| Mar | 57% | $117 | $1,871 |
| Apr | 55% | $124 | $1,817 |
| May | 54% | $154 | $2,151 |
| Jun | 60% | $131 | $2,172 |
| Jul | 62% | $120 | $2,056 |
| Aug | 62% | $133 | $2,196 |
| Sep | 53% | $142 | $1,970 |
| Oct | 48% | $144 | $1,921 |
| Nov | 51% | $156 | $2,159 |
| Dec | 48% | $147 | $2,015 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Lubbock
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hub City | 82 | 2,713 | ★ 4.88 |
| 2 | Evolve | 41 | 1,316 | ★ 4.73 |
| 3 | Stay Trig | 36 | 3,538 | ★ 4.97 |
| 4 | Rafter T Properties | 31 | 1,344 | ★ 4.61 |
| 5 | Lubbock Overnight | 25 | 1,950 | ★ 4.63 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Lubbock?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 333 |
| 2 bed | 393 |
| 3 bed | 787 |
| 4 bed | 256 |
| 5 bed | 54 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $164 |
| Luxury | $262 |
| Professionally Managed | $176 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,700 |
| Entire Place | $2,652 |
| House | $2,740 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 59.2% |
| vrbo | 4.6% |
| both | 36.3% |
Investment Analysis
Lubbock offers one of the most accessible entry points in this batch for resident-investors, with housing prices well below most coastal markets and strong market scores. The typical home value is $210,477 and the median sale price is $225,670. Homes are selling at approximately 99.0 cents on the listing dollar, and the median days to pending is 31, indicating a balanced buyer’s market with 1,513 active listings for sale.
Using the 2025 full-year average monthly revenue of $2,329 (annualized to $27,948), the estimated gross yield is approximately 13.3% at the $210,477 typical home value, or approximately 12.4% at the $225,670 median sale price. These are gross figures before property management, maintenance, and taxes.
Critical regulatory constraint: Lubbock requires that an eligible STR be the owner’s primary residence or a legal accessory dwelling unit (ADU). Out-of-area investors who cannot establish primary residency in Lubbock may not qualify for an STR permit. Investors must verify eligibility with the City of Lubbock Planning Department (806-775-2108) before purchasing.
ADR tiers show minimal differentiation in this market. The all-listings average was $173.04 in April 2026, entire-home listings averaged $176.28, and professionally managed properties averaged $178.81, a premium of only $2.53 over the entire-home tier. The luxury tier averaged $320.49 per night. The negligible PM premium suggests the Lubbock market is largely price-uniform across management approaches.
Revenue has grown from $1,182 per month in 2017 to $2,329 in 2025, a roughly 97% increase over eight years, nearly doubling. ADR rose from $93 to $158 over the same period. Annual revenue held steady from 2023 to 2025 ($2,104 to $2,334), suggesting a market in a stable phase.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Lubbock, TX guests book an average of 57.1 days in advance, with stays averaging 3.3 nights. The 57-day lead window is longer than the national STR average of roughly 30 days, reflecting a demand base that includes Texas Tech sports fans booking well ahead for football and basketball weekends, corporate travelers with advance plans, and regional leisure visitors who plan Texas High Plains trips.
For operators, a 57-day window means rate decisions made 60 to 75 days before arrival capture most demand. Texas Tech football home games (typically September through November) are the highest-value dates in this market and tend to book 60 to 90 days out. Setting premium rates for game weekends and commencement dates (May, December) well in advance is the most impactful pricing move of the year.
The 3.3-night average stay is consistent with a mix of weekend sports trips (2 to 3 nights) and short business or medical visits (3 to 5 nights). Operators should accept 2-night minimums for non-event weekend dates to maximize occupancy, reserving 3-night minimums for game weekends and graduation periods to reduce turnover on high-demand dates.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals (stays under 30 consecutive days) have been regulated in the City of Lubbock since January 1, 2020. Every STR inside city limits must register with the city, provide owner and operator contact details and a 24-hour responsible-party phone number, and pay a $100 annual permit fee, renewed each calendar year through the city’s online portal.
Key eligibility constraint: per the city’s ordinance, an eligible STR must be the owner’s primary residence or a legal accessory dwelling unit. This requirement precludes purely investor-owned, non-owner-occupied whole-home rentals in many cases. Investors must confirm primary-residence eligibility and zoning compliance directly with the City of Lubbock Planning Department (806-775-2108) before purchasing a property with STR intent.
On taxes, operators must collect and remit a 7% city hotel occupancy tax (HOT) on rentals, in addition to the 6% Texas state HOT, for a combined rate of approximately 13%. Note that some secondary sources cite the city rate as 7.5%; investors should verify the current city rate directly. The city HOT is reported and paid monthly. Airbnb generally auto-collects the state HOT, but city HOT collection and remittance responsibilities vary by platform and remain the host’s obligation.
STRs must be in appropriately zoned areas (verify with the Planning Department). Guest conduct is governed by the citywide noise ordinance, with quiet hours generally from 10 PM to 7 AM. Enforcement is assessed as moderate. No major regulatory overhaul has been confirmed in the last 24 months.
Market Comparison
Lubbock’s 52.3% annual average occupancy (2025) is near the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%. Its 2025 annual ADR of $158 is well below the approximate U.S. median of $220, positioning Lubbock as an affordable, high-occupancy market rather than a premium-priced destination. The combination of accessible home prices ($210,477 typical home value) and solid occupancy produces gross yield potential around 13.3%, competitive with many coastal markets at much higher entry costs.
The total market score of 96.2 and investability score of 95.2 are among the highest in this data wave, reflecting strong demand fundamentals anchored by Texas Tech University (7+ million annual visitors, $1 billion in direct visitor spending in 2024), the state’s largest grape-growing region, and steady medical and business travel demand.
The operator landscape is fragmented and locally specialized. The top five property managers collectively hold 215 listings, representing approximately 11.8% of the 1,824 total active listings. Hub City leads with 82 listings and a 4.88 rating across 2,713 reviews. Stay Trig holds 36 listings with a 4.97 rating across 3,538 reviews, the highest average rating in the top five. Evolve operates 41 listings at a 4.73 rating. Lubbock Overnight holds 25 listings at a 4.63 rating.
The dominance of locally branded operators (Hub City, Stay Trig, Rafter T Properties, Lubbock Overnight) over national platforms reflects a market where local knowledge of Texas Tech event calendars and West Texas visitor patterns is a competitive advantage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lubbock, Texas
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