Airbnb market dataThrough 436 listingsHow we measure
Yes, with caveats. Waco’s median annual Airbnb revenue is $28,505, with occupancy at 39% and an ADR of $218 (Chalet data).
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Written from an earlier data window, so some figures differ from the live numbers above.
Chalet AI
A typical active Waco Airbnb earned $28,505 in the 12 months to Sep 2026. The top 25% of listings averaged $38,670, about 1.4× that. The bottom 25%, which includes rarely booked listings, averaged $3,528.
$3.5k
Bottom 25% average
$28.5k
Typical listing
$38.7k
Top 25% average
1-bedroom homes are the most common in Waco (33% of listings).
| Bedrooms | Share of listings |
|---|
The best three months, Jul, Aug and Mar, brought in 31% of a typical Waco listing's revenue over the 12 months to Sep 2026.
Jul brings in 1.7× as much as Jan
Typical monthly revenue per listing, Oct 2025–Sep 2026
76707 has the highest gross yield of the 7 Waco zipcodes we rank, at 17.6%, with typical revenue of $25,446 a year.
Ranked by gross yield (typical yearly revenue ÷ median home value), last 12 months. 3 zipcodes have fewer than 20 listings or incomplete data and aren't ranked.
Yield isn't everything: zoning and HOA rules decide which streets allow short-term rentals.
The median Waco home is worth $197,932 (Zillow, Aug 2026), down 1.3% in a year. At typical revenue that's a 14.4% gross yield, before the mortgage, taxes and running costs.
Waco ranks #7 of the 41 Texas markets we track by gross yield.
| # | Market | Gross yield | Revenue/yr | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abilene, TX | 26.5% | $59,601 | |
| 2 | Freeport, TX | 22.7% | $37,098 | |
| 3 | Corpus Christi, TX | 16.7% | $37,152 | |
| 4 | Houston, TX | 16.6% |
None listed in Waco right now, so here are others in Texas.
A typical active Airbnb in Waco, TX earned $28,505 in the 12 months to Sep 2026. The median listing was booked 39% of nights, and the average nightly rate was $218 in Sep 2026. Against a median home value of $197,932, that's a 14.4% gross yield before the mortgage, taxes and running costs.
A typical active listing earned $28,505 in the 12 months to Sep 2026. The top 25% of listings averaged $38,670 and the bottom 25% $3,528. Estimated by size: 1-bedroom about $23,737; 2-bedroom about $32,093; 3-bedroom about $42,734 and 4-bedroom about $51,274 a year.
The typical listing was booked 39% of nights in the 12 months to Sep 2026, from 55% in July to 31% in January.
Based on 436 Waco short-term rental listings tracked by Chalet, with data through Sep 2026. Home values come from the Zillow Home Value Index.
Airbnb data sites count different things. Some average every listing, including ones that are rarely booked; some use a whole metro area instead of the town; some use a calendar year. We show typical figures for active listings in Waco over the last 12 months, and label each number with what it counts. Compare like with like before comparing sites.
| Nightly rate |
|---|
| Occupancy |
|---|
| Est. revenue/yr |
|---|
| Studio | 2% | $126 | 34% | $15,755 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | 33% | $153 | 43% | $23,737 |
| 2 bedrooms | 27% | $207 | 42% | $32,093 |
| 3 bedrooms | 26% | $274 | 43% | $42,734 |
| 4 bedrooms | 9% | $322 | 44% | $51,274 |
| 5 bedrooms | 3% | $513 | 36% | $67,624 |
Estimated revenue = nightly rate × occupancy × 365, last 12 months.
Have a property in mind?
Estimate its revenue, costs and cash flow with Waco's numbers.
| Month | Revenue | Occupancy | Nightly rate | Revenue a year earlier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | $2,291 | 40% | $212 | |
| Nov 2025 | $2,065 | 35% | $216 | |
| Dec 2025 | $1,931 | 34% | $199 | |
| Jan 2026 | $1,862 | 31% | $188 | |
| Feb 2026 | $2,138 | 35% | $210 | |
| Mar 2026 | $2,556 | 43% | $223 | |
| Apr 2026 | $2,328 | 39% | $220 | |
| May 2026 | $2,046 | 37% | $237 | |
| Jun 2026 | $2,387 | 46% | $239 | |
| Jul 2026 | $3,348 | 55% | $231 | |
| Aug 2026 | $3,065 | 43% | $218 | |
| Sep 2026 | $2,487 | 42% | $233 |
Yes, Airbnbs are legal in Waco, Texas, but they require a city license and must comply with zoning, density, and owner-occupancy rules.
Yes, a City of Waco STR license is required to operate an Airbnb.
In Waco, the total lodging tax rate for STRs is 15%: 7% city, 6% state, and 2% county.
The 10 largest operators in Waco each ran 3 or more listings as of May 2025.
and 3 more
Of guests from the top 10 cities, 100% live within a day's drive.
and 3 more
| $43,512 |
| 5 | Brownsville, TX | 15.9% | $31,688 |
|---|
| 6 | Amarillo, TX | 14.9% | $31,558 |
|---|
| 7 | Waco, TX (this market) | 14.4% | $28,505 |
|---|
| 8 | Grand Prairie, TX | 13.4% | $42,013 |
|---|
Buying here?
A Waco STR agent knows which properties and streets work as short-term rentals.
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Need financing?
DSCR lenders qualify you on the property's projected rental income.
July; August and March earned the most, bringing in 31% of a typical listing's revenue in the 12 months to Sep 2026.
$197,932 as of August 2026 (Zillow Home Value Index), down 1.3% in a year.
1-bedroom homes make up 33% of listings, earning an estimated $23,737 a year.
The top origin cities are Houston, TX (6.8% of guests); Dallas, TX (5.0% of guests) and Austin, TX (3.9% of guests). Of guests from the top 10 cities, 100% live within a day's drive.
Chalet tracks 436 short-term rental listings in Waco, TX, with data through Sep 2026.
For education only, not financial, legal or investment advice. Full methodology
