South Padre Island, Texas Short-Term Rental Market
The Cameron County area STR market near South Padre Island averaged $329 ADR at 65.7% occupancy in June 2026.
Quick Answer: South Padre Island, 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 wider South Padre Island market, which covers 4 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to South Padre Island.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
South Padre Island is one of Texas’ premier beach destinations, drawing roughly 1 million visitors a year and generating an estimated $300 million-plus in annual visitor spending, with a year-round population of about 2,076. Tourism is the island’s dominant industry, anchored by Gulf of Mexico beaches, fishing, boating, and eco-tourism, with peak seasons at spring break (a nationally known college destination), summer beach season, and winter Winter Texan snowbird visitors. The city actively licenses short-term rentals under Ordinance 25-04 (2025): operators need an annual STR license (about $125), each permit number must appear in advertising, and the city monitors listings through a compliance portal, revoking licenses after three citations within 12 months. StaySTRA tracks South Padre Island’s short-term rental performance data at the Cameron County regional level, shared with the much larger inland cities of Brownsville and Harlingen, so the figures below describe that broader county market rather than the island alone; property manager data, by contrast, includes several South Padre Island-branded operators specifically. That regional market averaged a $328.85 ADR and 65.7% occupancy in June 2026, the most recent month tracked, with $5,779 in average monthly revenue. Year over year, occupancy is up 4.6% and revenue is roughly flat, even as ADR fell a notable 13.5%, worth watching as a rate-softening signal.
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 South Padre Island 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 South Padre Island, so these counts are not South Padre Island-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 South Padre Island?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for South Padre Island 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 (South Padre Island)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for South Padre Island 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 South Padre Island — 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
Short-term rentals, any property advertised or rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days, are legal on South Padre Island but must be registered and licensed with the city. Under Ordinance 25-04 and its predecessors, operators must obtain an annual STR license, reported at about $125 a year in 2025, with each rental assigned a permit number that must appear in all advertising. Hotel Occupancy Tax is mandatory and layered: the city levies 10.5% (8.5% general plus 2% venue), the State of Texas levies 6%, and Cameron County adds its own portion, for a combined effective rate up to roughly 17%. City tax is filed monthly by the 20th; county and state are filed separately. Operators must designate a 24/7 local contact able to respond to city complaints within one hour. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement. District-specific conduct rules apply in Districts A and E: amplified or outdoor noise is prohibited after 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on weekends until 7 a.m., overnight parking in city-owned lots is prohibited, and parties or large gatherings are restricted. Enforcement is active: the city monitors listings through a compliance portal, issues citations, and can revoke a license after three citations within a 12-month period, with fines up to $500 per offense per day and up to $2,000 per day for serious violations. Enforcement is classified as strict.
Market Comparison
Nationally, short-term rentals typically run around 55% occupancy and a $220 ADR. This shared Cameron County market’s June 2026 figures, 65.7% occupancy and a $328.85 ADR, run well above both national benchmarks, reflecting South Padre Island’s status as a premier Gulf Coast beach destination even though the underlying dataset blends in two much larger inland cities. The property manager roster is led by Vacasa (381 listings, 4.41 rating), RedAwning (253 listings), SPI Rentals LLC (213 listings, 4.63 rating), Padre Island Rentals (210 listings), and South Padre Trips (159 listings); three of the five are explicitly South Padre Island-branded, a stronger signal of island-specific operators than in some other shared-cluster markets in this profile set. The more consequential comparison for South Padre Island specifically is its active licensing and enforcement regime, a real compliance cost that inland Brownsville and Harlingen properties in this same dataset may not face in the same way.
Frequently Asked Questions About South Padre Island, Texas
Do I need a permit to run a short-term rental on South Padre Island?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals on South Padre Island?
What is the average daily rate for short-term rentals near South Padre Island?
What is the busiest month for short-term rentals near South Padre Island?
Can South Padre Island revoke a short-term rental license?
Who are the top short-term rental property managers on South Padre Island?
Is South Padre Island's short-term rental data unique to the island?
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