Market report

Fredericksburg, TX short-term rental market report (2026)

Gillespie County, Texas. Rules, revenue, home values, demand, climate, reach and risk, each figure with its source.

56/100 Opportunity Score#17of 88 tracked markets by annual revenue
  • RulesModerate (3/5)
  • Average revenue$75K a year
  • 4-BR typical value$703K
  • Gross yield10.7%
  • FEMA riskRelatively Low
  • Demand drivers within 50 mi2
Data as of September 21, 2026 County figures: Gillespie County

Everything STR HUB holds on Fredericksburg, TX in one place, in the order an investor needs it: whether you can operate, what the numbers are, why and when people come, who can reach it, and what could go wrong.

Every figure comes from a named dataset listed under Sources and method, dated September 21, 2026. Where we do not hold a figure, that part of the report is left out rather than estimated.

Can you operate in Fredericksburg?

3/5 Moderate

Fredericksburg's short-term rental rules rate 3 out of 5 (Moderate), on a scale from 1 (relaxed) to 5 (very strict). This rating was derived from the regulation text we hold and has not yet been reviewed by a person (evidence confidence: high). Treat it as provisional.

What the rating rests on: Type 2 permits have stricter requirements including density caps, neighbor notification, and annual inspections.

Rules change, and a city rating does not cover HOA or deed restrictions. Confirm current requirements with the jurisdiction before you buy or list.

Which way the rules are moving

Tightening. The rules we hold report a recent or pending change.

The city council is actively debating residential density caps for Type 2 STRs; potential moratorium in some neighborhoods

Classified from the regulation text we publish; a direction is only kept when the sentence it rests on appears word for word in that text.

The numbers

Revenue

Average annual revenue
$75,000
Texas tracked-market median: $51K
Average nightly rate
$295
Texas median: $225
Occupancy
70%
Texas median: 62%
National revenue rank
#17
of 88 tracked markets with revenue data

Gross market averages from STR HUB market analytics, the same figures shown on the market page. They are before cleaning, management, utilities, taxes and financing, and an individual property can earn more or less.

Home values in Gillespie County

Typical 4-bedroom home
$702,723
Texas statewide: $395K
Typical home, all sizes
$515,009
Texas statewide: $299K
One-year change, all homes
-4.0%
Texas statewide: -1.6%

Zillow Home Value Index: county-wide typical values for Gillespie County, not list prices. A specific property can sit well above or below them.

Gross yield

10.7%
$75,000 ÷ $702,723 = 10.7%Average annual revenue divided by the county's typical 4-bedroom home value. The median across tracked Texas markets with revenue data is 10.7%.

Gross yield is before every operating cost and before financing. It is a screening ratio, not a cash-on-cash return.

What it costs to own

Effective property tax rate
1.03%
county median taxes paid divided by median home value, owner-occupied homes
Estimated annual tax, typical 4BR
$7,245
county effective rate times the typical 4-bedroom value; not a bill
Estimated annual tax, typical home
$5,310
county effective rate times the typical home value; not a bill
Expected annual hazard loss
$95
per $100,000 of building value (FEMA, county average); not an insurance premium

Screening figures, not a bill or a quote. The tax rate is a county-wide median for owner-occupied homes (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018-2022); second homes and rentals are often taxed more heavily, and a purchase usually resets the assessed value. Expected annual loss is from the FEMA National Risk Index.

Housing market momentum

Momentum
Steady
score 53 of 100, relative to the other tracked markets

County-level, for-sale housing market: it says nothing directly about STR bookings. A relative ranking among tracked markets, not a forecast. Sources: Realtor.com Economic Research, U.S. Census Bureau, Zillow Home Value Index.

Why people come

2 demand drivers sit within 50 miles of Fredericksburg. Ordered by published attendance. Attendance appears only where a source publishes it.

Attractions

  • Fredericksburg & Texas Hill Country wine road
    wine region · Fredericksburg, TX · 1 mi from Fredericksburg
    When
    Year-round weekends; spring wildflowers (March–April), peach season and October are peaks.
    STR angle
    A German-heritage main street and dozens of wineries along US-290, within 90 minutes of both Austin and San Antonio. Guesthouses and "Sunday houses" are the local tradition; the city requires STR permits and the market is heavily weekend-weighted.

Landmarks

  • Fredericksburg German Heritage Town (Texas Hill Country)
    heritage town · Fredericksburg, TX · 1 mi from Fredericksburg
    When
    Year-round weekends; spring wildflowers, peach season, Oktoberfest and Christmas peak.
    STR angle
    A German-settled main street, a major Pacific War museum and a dense wine road make this one of Texas's most established weekend markets for Austin, San Antonio and Houston couples. "Sunday houses", cottages and guesthouses are the local product; supply is heavy, so design and location decide occupancy.

When they come

Year-round climate: at least nine months of the year have an average high between 60°F and 88°F. 9 of 12 months have an average high between 60°F and 88°F. Warmest month: August (average high 94°F). Coldest: February (average low 40°F).

  1. Jan61°41°Comfortable
  2. Feb61°40°Comfortable
  3. Mar71°51°Comfortable
  4. Apr77°57°Comfortable
  5. May83°64°Comfortable
  6. Jun90°70°Hot
  7. Jul93°73°Hot
  8. Aug94°74°Hot
  9. Sep88°69°Comfortable
  10. Oct78°59°Comfortable
  11. Nov67°49°Comfortable
  12. Dec64°44°Comfortable
Monthly climate normals for Fredericksburg, TX
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average high (°F)616171778390939488786764
Average low (°F)414051576470737469594944
Precipitation (in)1.51.32.32.85.22.21.62.01.82.72.01.2
Snowfall (in)0.60.80.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.3
Sunshine (hours a day)7.57.48.39.410.111.812.311.810.99.47.27.6

This is climate and events, not booking data. Monthly normals are 2019-2023 averages from the Open-Meteo Historical Weather API (ERA5 reanalysis) at the market pin. We do not hold monthly occupancy or rate data for this market.

Who can reach it

People within 150 miles
6.6 million
roughly a 2.5 to 3 hour drive
People within 300 miles
27.3 million
roughly a 5 hour drive

Largest counties within 150 miles

Largest counties by population within 150 miles of Fredericksburg, TX
CountyPopulation
Bexar County, TX2,014,059
Travis County, TX1,289,054
Williamson County, TX617,396

County populations (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018-2022) summed for every county whose centre lies within each straight-line radius. Straight lines are shorter than roads, so read these as generous upper bounds, not drive-time counts.

What could go wrong

FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
overall rating for Gillespie County
Risk score
57.7
of 100, a national percentile: higher means more risk than more U.S. counties
Highest-scoring hazards
Wildfire, Hail
of the hazards we track for Gillespie County
FEMA National Risk Index hazard ratings for Gillespie County
HazardFEMA ratingScore (0-100)
WildfireRelatively Low84.0
HailRelatively Moderate83.5
Winter weatherRelatively Moderate75.0
TornadoRelatively Moderate70.2
River floodingRelatively Low68.1
HurricaneVery Low55.4
EarthquakeVery Low12.0

This is a county-level index, not an insurance quote or a flood-zone determination. A coastal or wildfire-fringe rental can carry far more exposure than its county average suggests. FEMA does not model coastal flooding for this county, which is not the same as zero risk. Get property-level flood, wind and wildfire quotes before you buy.

Market context

Housing and jobs in Gillespie County

Vacation-home share
14.5%
Texas statewide: 1.8%
Homes with 4+ bedrooms
17.4%
Texas statewide: 23.1%
Jobs in tourism industries
14.0%
Texas statewide: 8.7%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2018-2022. Vacation-home share is housing units held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. All three describe the whole county, not one town or neighbourhood.

What is within 15 km of the Fredericksburg pin

Amenity score
44
of 100, relative to the other tracked markets
Restaurants, cafes and bars
49
Attractions
9
Outdoor features
10
Hotels, motels and resorts
36
competing lodging, not counted in the amenity score

Counts of features mapped in OpenStreetMap within 15 km of the market pin. A fixed radius favours dense metros, and map coverage varies by area.

Similar markets

The 4 tracked markets whose numbers sit closest to Fredericksburg's. Each links to its own report.

Closest by normalised distance across the figures both markets hold (typical 4BR value, revenue, occupancy, regulation rating, vacation-home share, tourism job share, 4+ bedroom share, amenity score, population within 300 miles, comfortable months and FEMA risk score). At most 2 of the 4 come from Texas, so the list is not just the neighbours. Similar numbers do not mean similar rules: check each market's regulation section.

See Fredericksburg on the map

Open Fredericksburg on the National STR Map to see it against its neighbours, switch overlays and run the deal calculator on your own assumptions.

Fredericksburg STR questions, answered from the data

Is Airbnb legal in Fredericksburg?

STR HUB rates Fredericksburg's short-term rental rules 3/5 (Moderate) on a scale from 1 (relaxed) to 5 (very strict). That rating was derived from the regulation text we hold and has not yet been reviewed by a person. Rules change, so confirm current requirements with the local jurisdiction before you buy or list.

How much does an Airbnb make in Fredericksburg?

The average short-term rental in Fredericksburg, TX grosses $75,000 a year, on a $295 average nightly rate and 70% occupancy. That ranks #17 of the 88 tracked markets with revenue data. It is a gross market average before cleaning, management, taxes and financing, and an individual property can earn more or less.

How much does a 4-bedroom home cost in Fredericksburg?

The typical 4-bedroom home in Gillespie County is valued at $702,723 (Zillow Home Value Index), and the typical home of any size at $515,009, with all-home values down 4.0% over the past year. These are county-wide typical values, not list prices.

What is the gross rental yield in Fredericksburg?

10.7%: average annual short-term rental revenue of $75,000 divided by the county's typical 4-bedroom home value of $702,723. It is before every operating cost and before financing, so treat it as a screening ratio, not a cash-on-cash return.

What brings visitors to Fredericksburg?

2 demand drivers sit within 50 miles of Fredericksburg: Fredericksburg & Texas Hill Country wine road and Fredericksburg German Heritage Town (Texas Hill Country). Attendance is shown only where a source publishes it, and each driver's source is linked in the report.

Sources and method

  • Regulation summary and strictness rating: STR Agent HUB regulation research.
  • Revenue, nightly rate and occupancy: STR Agent HUB market analytics.
  • Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), county level. Data provided by Zillow Group.
  • Housing, employment and population figures: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2018-2022.
  • Natural hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, county level.
  • Amenity counts: © OpenStreetMap contributors.
  • Climate normals: Open-Meteo Historical Weather API (CC BY 4.0), 2019-2023 averages.
  • Demand drivers: each entry links its own published source in the list above.

Figures come from the STR HUB national dataset dated September 21, 2026 and this page is regenerated whenever that dataset is rebuilt. County-level figures describe Gillespie County as a whole, not one street or neighbourhood. The Opportunity Score (0-100) is a screening heuristic that weighs revenue (35%), regulatory climate (25%), tourism employment (15%), nearby amenities (15%) and large-home supply (10%) relative to the other tracked markets.

Confirm before you act. Short-term rental rules change. Confirm current requirements with the jurisdiction, and work with a licensed local agent who knows which properties can legally operate. This report is screening data, not investment, legal or tax advice.

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