According to BiggerPockets, Tampa ranks #3 in the nation for short-term rental profitability in NFL markets—just behind Buffalo and Nashville. With football season heating up, that stat matters more than ever.
NFL game weekends bring serious demand: fully booked calendars, spiked nightly rates, and competition for STRs within driving distance of Raymond James Stadium.
But here’s where the real strategy kicks in.
If you want to actually maximize income from a short-term rental in Tampa Bay, what you buy matters just as much as where.
So I turned to my favorite STR research tool—AirDNA—to dig into the data.
📊 What the Numbers Say
Let’s look at how larger STRs (4–5+ bedrooms) in Tampa are performing right now:
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Annual Revenue (avg): $102,900
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Occupancy Rate: 65%
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Average Daily Rate (ADR): $499
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RevPAR: $324.93
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Revenue Growth YoY: +14%
These are top-tier numbers. And here’s the kicker—they’re being hit by a relatively small slice of the market.
🛏️ So… What Size Home Should You Buy?
Here’s the current STR inventory in Tampa by bedroom count, according to AirDNA:
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1-bedroom: 22% of listings
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2-bedroom: 19%
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3-bedroom: 34%
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4-bedroom: 18%
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5+ bedroom: just 7%
That means 1-3 bedroom homes make up nearly 75% of the entire STR market—they’re the most saturated property types out there. If you’re investing in a 3-bed, you’re competing with 1,000+ other hosts offering nearly the same thing.
But 5+ bedroom homes only represent 7% of the market—and yet they’re outperforming across the board in nightly rate, total revenue, and occupancy. You’re operating in a high-demand, low-supply lane where group travel demand is growing, and inventory is limited.
This is where investors win.
💡 Bottom Line: Strategy > Saturation
If you’re looking at Tampa Bay through the lens of revenue potential, the numbers say it all:
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🏈 Tampa is already a top-performing NFL Airbnb market
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💰 Larger homes are averaging $100K+ per year
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📉 5+ bedroom STRs are underrepresented—but overperforming
So don’t just follow the crowd. Follow the data. If you’re investing in Tampa, aim bigger. Literally.
🎯 Who’s This Perfect For?
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Investors wanting to diversify their STR portfolio
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Buyers looking for a second home that pays for itself
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New hosts who want expert management from Day 1
I’m curious, would you own a 5+ bedroom Airbnb in Tampa??
I’m Mary Beth Blackwell—Realtor, Investor, and owner of Blackwell STR. I help clients find, analyze, and manage high-performing properties throughout the Tampa Bay region. If you’ve been dreaming of owning a short-term rental that works as hard as you do, I can help you run the numbers and find the perfect property.
💬 Let’s Build Something Profitable
→ Schedule a discovery call: Here
→ Learn more about Blackwell STR: We Manage, We help you buy and sell
