Airbnb market dataThrough 5,625 listingsHow we measure
Yes. Houston, TX is a strong Airbnb market for 2026, with a whole-market median annual revenue of $33,070, median occupancy at 52%, and a median ADR of $169 (Chalet data).
Buying in Houston?Free, with no obligation
Written from an earlier data window, so some figures differ from the live numbers above.
Chalet AI
A typical active Houston Airbnb earned $33,070 in the 12 months to Sep 2026. The top 25% of listings averaged $69,138, about 2.1× that. The bottom 25%, which includes rarely booked listings, averaged $1,309.
$1.3k
Bottom 25% average
$33.1k
Typical listing
$69.1k
Top 25% average
1-bedroom homes are the most common in Houston (41% of listings).
| Bedrooms | Share of listings |
|---|
The best three months, Mar, Jun and May, brought in 31% of a typical Houston listing's revenue over the 12 months to Sep 2026.
Apr–Jul and Sep beat a year earlier; Aug was 11% lower
Typical monthly revenue per listing, Oct 2025–Sep 2026, against the same month a year earlier
No year-earlier data for Oct–Mar yet.
South Park has the highest gross yield of the 51 Houston neighborhoods we rank, at 32.1%, with typical revenue of $44,805 a year.
| # | neighborhood | Gross yield | Revenue/yr | Occupancy | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Park | 32.1% | $44,805 | ||
| 2 | Magnolia Park | 26.0% | $42,026 | ||
| 3 | Astrodome Area | 20.7% | $27,402 | ||
| 4 | Greater Ost South Union | locked | locked | locked | locked |
| 5 | Sunnyside | locked | locked | locked | locked |
| 6 | Greater Fifth Ward | locked | locked | locked | locked |
| 7 | South Acres Crestmont Park | locked | locked | locked | locked |
| 8 | Alief | locked | locked | locked | locked |
| 9 | Trinity Houston Gardens | locked | locked | locked | locked |
and 42 more neighborhoods
Ranked by gross yield (typical yearly revenue ÷ median home value), last 12 months. 28 neighborhoods have fewer than 20 listings or incomplete data and aren't ranked.
The median Houston home is worth $261,740 (Zillow, Aug 2026), down 2.3% in a year. At typical revenue that's a 12.6% gross yield, before the mortgage, taxes and running costs.
Houston ranks #16 of the 41 Texas markets we track by gross yield.
| # | Market | Gross yield | Revenue/yr | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Freeport, TX | 28.2% | $46,086 | |
| 2 | Abilene, TX | 23.3% | $52,262 | |
| 3 | Waco, TX | 19.7% | $39,037 | |
| 4 | Corpus Christi, TX | 17.8% |
1 in Houston, the rest elsewhere in Texas.
A typical active Airbnb in Houston, TX earned $33,070 in the 12 months to Sep 2026. The median listing was booked 52% of nights, and the average nightly rate was $169 in Sep 2026. Against a median home value of $261,740, that's a 12.6% gross yield before the mortgage, taxes and running costs.
A typical active listing earned $33,070 in the 12 months to Sep 2026. The top 25% of listings averaged $69,138 and the bottom 25% $1,309. Estimated by size: 1-bedroom about $17,766; 2-bedroom about $32,041; 3-bedroom about $38,413 and 4-bedroom about $53,394 a year.
The typical listing was booked 52% of nights in the 12 months to Sep 2026, from 70% in March to 41% in August.
Based on 5,625 Houston 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 Houston 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 | 3% | $96 | 60% | $20,965 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | 41% | $98 | 50% | $17,766 |
| 2 bedrooms | 18% | $166 | 53% | $32,041 |
| 3 bedrooms | 27% | $227 | 46% | $38,413 |
| 4 bedrooms | 9% | $313 | 47% | $53,394 |
| 5 bedrooms | 2% | $421 | 49% | $74,862 |
Estimated revenue = nightly rate × occupancy × 365, last 12 months.
Have a property in mind?
Estimate its revenue, costs and cash flow with Houston's numbers.
| Month | Revenue | Occupancy | Nightly rate | Revenue a year earlier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | $2,298 | 54% | $131 | |
| Nov 2025 | $2,421 | 57% | $141 | |
| Dec 2025 | $2,503 | 49% | $153 | |
| Jan 2026 | $2,301 | 46% | $147 | |
| Feb 2026 | $2,654 | 56% | $163 | |
| Mar 2026 | $3,742 | 70% | $179 | |
| Apr 2026 | $2,847 | 53% | $169 | |
| May 2026 | $2,920 | 52% | $170 | |
| Jun 2026 | $3,658 | 54% | $227 | |
| Jul 2026 | $2,870 | 45% | $195 | |
| Aug 2026 | $2,394 | 41% | $175 | |
| Sep 2026 | $2,463 | 44% | $171 |
Yield isn't everything: zoning and HOA rules decide which streets allow short-term rentals.
Yes, Airbnbs are legal in Houston with a city Certificate of Registration and compliance with all ordinance requirements.
Yes, you need to obtain a Certificate of Registration from the city to operate an Airbnb in Houston.
Yes, STRs can only operate in an HOA or condo if the association allows it; private restrictions override city permits.
Hosts must obtain a Texas Sales and Use Tax Permit before collecting or remitting hotel occupancy tax, and the total effective lodging tax rate is 17% (6% state, 7% city, 4% county/district).
The 10 largest operators in Houston each ran 43 or more listings as of May 2025.
and 3 more
Of guests from the top 10 cities, 80% live within a day's drive. Guests book 40 days ahead on average.
and 3 more
| $39,629 |
| 5 | Grand Prairie, TX | 17.0% | $53,441 |
|---|
| 6 | Lubbock, TX | 16.4% | $34,761 |
|---|
| 7 | Amarillo, TX | 16.1% | $34,017 |
|---|
| 8 | San Antonio, TX | 14.6% | $36,111 |
|---|
| 16 | Houston, TX (this market) | 12.6% | $33,070 |
|---|
Buying here?
A Houston STR agent knows which properties and streets work as short-term rentals.
Selling a Houston Airbnb?
Get matched with a listing agent who sells short-term rentals here.
Need financing?
DSCR lenders qualify you on the property's projected rental income.
March; June and May earned the most, bringing in 31% of a typical listing's revenue in the 12 months to Sep 2026.
$261,740 as of August 2026 (Zillow Home Value Index), down 2.3% in a year.
1-bedroom homes make up 41% of listings, earning an estimated $17,766 a year.
The top origin cities are Houston, TX (12.2% of guests); Austin, TX (4.4% of guests) and Dallas, TX (3.9% of guests). Of guests from the top 10 cities, 80% live within a day's drive.
Chalet tracks 5,625 short-term rental listings in Houston, TX, with data through Sep 2026.
For education only, not financial, legal or investment advice. Full methodology
