10 Best Places to Buy an Airbnb in Texas (2026 Data)

The best places to buy an Airbnb in Texas in 2026 are San Antonio, the Bolivar Peninsula, the Lake Travis area outside Austin, Houston and its northern suburbs, and a short list of North Texas and Galveston submarkets. We ranked these top airbnb markets with Surge market data from the trailing 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026): revenue, average daily rate (ADR), occupancy rate, supply, and, just as important, whether local regulation actually lets investors buy and operate short term rentals there.

That last filter matters to investors who want to invest for the long run. Some of the highest revenue areas in Texas, like Westlake Hills and North Richland Hills, effectively block new investor rentals. A high revenue number is worthless if the city won't issue a permit, so we treat regulation as a hard filter when we rank the best places to buy an Airbnb in Texas.

Top Airbnb Markets in Texas at a Glance

Market	Annual revenue	ADR	Occupancy	Supply (listings)
Austin	$44,942	$232	57.7%	12,904
Galveston	$45,457	$297	43.4%	7,186
Dallas	$39,983	$201	60.2%	11,054
Fort Worth	$38,665	$203	57.3%	5,267
San Antonio	$36,942	$196	55.3%	9,601
Houston	$34,281	$184	55.5%	14,009

Source: Surge market data, trailing 12 months, average per active listing. Market size here means the number of active airbnb listings and vacation rentals in each metro, so a bigger market size means more supply and more competition. Use this page to compare the best airbnb markets, then apply your own filters for budget and location.

10 Best Places to Buy an Airbnb in Texas

1. San Antonio

San Antonio has the best balance of price, demand and rules of any market in Texas. Revenue averages $36,942 a year with an ADR of $196, and home prices sit well below Austin, which helps ROI. The city permits short term rentals citywide: a Type 2 (non owner occupied) permit costs $450 for three years, with a 12.5% density limit per blockface in residential districts. Top areas by Surge score include Dignowity Hill and Eastwood Village, while Castle Hill and the SAT Airport area lead on revenue at about $47,000 a year. See our San Antonio market data and San Antonio Airbnb laws.

2. Bolivar Peninsula (Port Bolivar)

For investors who want to invest at the beach, Port Bolivar earns about $53,504 a year per listing, the strongest beach market revenue in our Texas data. The peninsula is unincorporated Galveston County, so the City of Galveston's registration and 9% city hotel tax do not apply; operators owe the 6% state HOT. Occupancy is low (42.5%) and very seasonal, so budget for slow winters and hurricane insurance.

3. Lake Travis and Steiner Ranch

Steiner Ranch averages $73,835 a year, one of the top airbnb results in the state. It sits in unincorporated Travis County, where counties cannot license short term rentals. The real risk is HOA and deed restrictions, so read them before you buy. Note that nearby Westlake Hills posts $98,239 a year but only allows homestead linked rentals, so investors can't buy there.

4. Austin

Austin has the highest ADR of the big metros ($232) and $44,942 in annual revenue. Since the 2025 overhaul, short term rentals are legal in all residential zones with a two year license, but each operator is limited to two STRs per single family site with 1,000 feet of spacing. Supply is high (12,904 listings), so design and pricing decide who wins in this Texas market. East Downtown and MLK and 183 are strong areas to explore.

5. Houston

Houston is the largest airbnb market in Texas by supply (14,009 listings) and the easiest big city to operate in: no zoning, no cap, and a $275 annual registration since January 2026. Revenue averages $34,281, lower than Austin, but the purchase price is lower too, which helps ROI. A 4 bedroom home averages $47,229 a year versus $27,754 for a 2 bedroom. Read our Houston short term rental laws guide and Houston market data.

6. The Woodlands and Cypress

The Woodlands scores 91.6 in our data with $37,171 a year, and the township has no STR ordinance. Cypress averages $39,213 in unincorporated Harris County, where Houston's registration does not apply. Both areas suit family travelers and business visitors, and both are top airbnb places to find value in the Houston market.

7. Dallas

This metro has the highest occupancy rate of the big metros (60.2%) and $39,983 a year in revenue. The catch: a 2023 single family ban is blocked by a court injunction, and the city has appealed to the Texas Supreme Court. Short term rentals operate today, but underwrite the risk. West Dallas ($53,572) and the Cedars score highest.

8. Roanoke and North Fort Worth

Fort Worth bans STRs in most residential districts, so investors look north. Roanoke has no dedicated STR ordinance and averages $55,809 a year, the top revenue area in North Texas. Inside the Fort Worth market, commercial and mixed use zones near the Stockyards and the historic Northside still work with registration.

9. Galveston

The Galveston market averages $45,457 a year with a $297 ADR, but occupancy is only 43.4% and summer does most of the work: July revenue runs about four times January. Every unit needs a $250 annual license plus 9% city HOT. See our Galveston Airbnb investment guide.

10. Clear Lake and Seabrook

Near NASA and Kemah, Seabrook averages $40,420 and Clear Lake City $37,516 with 62.9% occupancy. Seabrook requires a $300 permit and fire inspection; Clear Lake City falls under Houston's registration.

Where Not to Buy (Yet)

Several high revenue areas restrict new short term rentals: Westlake Hills, North Richland Hills, Fort Worth residential zones, New Braunfels, Pearland, Sugar Land, Plano and Grapevine. Coastal vacation rentals in towns like South Padre Island and Port Aransas and Hill Country towns like Fredericksburg can earn well, but check local permits and seasonality first. Smaller markets such as Abilene have little supply and thinner demand, so the short term rental market there is harder to read.

How to Find the Best Places for Your Budget

• Start with regulation. Confirm the city, county and HOA rules before you make an offer on any airbnb rental properties.
• Compare revenue to price. Your ROI comes from annual revenue against purchase price, taxes and insurance, not revenue alone.
• Check supply, demand and seasonality. High supply means more competition; beach vacation rentals swing hard by season. Take time to study each short term rental market month by month.
• Size the home for the location. Larger properties earn more per year in every Texas metro we track, and the right location drives demand.

Surge is a licensed Texas real estate brokerage and Airbnb management company, so we help investors find, buy, furnish and run short term rentals and properties in these airbnb markets across Texas. Explore STR brokerage, compare Texas Airbnb laws, or get a property level estimate with our Airbnb calculator.

FAQs

What is the best place to buy an Airbnb in Texas? For most investors, San Antonio: solid revenue, lower prices and a clear citywide permit system.

Which Texas city has the highest Airbnb revenue? Galveston and Austin lead the large markets at about $45,000 a year; Steiner Ranch and Roanoke lead among submarkets.

Is Airbnb investing in Texas still profitable in 2026? Yes, in the right location and area. The best places to invest combine steady demand with clear rules. Buy where rules allow short term rentals, price the home well and plan for seasonality.