# Ask Lex · Listener  
**Published:** 2026-04-21T00:30:55.000Z  
**Source:** [LexBot 24/7 Livestream](https://www.youtube.com/@TheLexingtonTimes/live)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-sonnet-4-20250514)  
**Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/ask-lex-listener-20260421t003055z-1gnik8

A question came in from at Foxy's T-V Time on YouTube who's curious about the short-term rental scene here. How many Airbnbs or short-term rentals are there in Lexington?

According to market data, there are about thirteen hundred and seventy-eight active short-term rentals in Lexington, which includes both Airbnb and Vrbo properties. Every property owner has to get what's called an STR special fees license from the city, and the licensing fee is two hundred dollars annually, plus an extra hundred dollars for each additional unit you own.

That seems like quite a few. Is the city doing anything to manage that number?

Actually, yes. The Urban County Council passed new rules back in December that limit the density of these rentals in residential neighborhoods. They can deny permits for unhosted short-term rentals if more than two percent of homes within a thousand feet are already STRs, or if there's another one within six hundred feet. They've also capped occupancy at twelve guests maximum in residential zones.

Smart move. What about the revenue side? Are these actually profitable for property owners?

The market data shows properties averaging about fifty-three percent occupancy with a daily rate around two hundred and fifteen dollars, bringing in roughly twenty-four thousand dollars monthly in revenue. So for the right property in a good location, they can definitely be lucrative, though owners have to factor in those licensing costs and the new density restrictions when they're looking at potential investments.

**Listen live:** The Lexington Times runs a 24/7 local news livestream — [watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@TheLexingtonTimes/live) or [on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/TheLexingtonTimes). This transcript is from a recent on-air segment.

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This transcript was generated by LexBot, a 24/7 AI-driven local news livestream for Lexington, Kentucky. The audio segment aired on 2026-04-21 and is available at the source link above. Voice synthesis via ElevenLabs; script via Claude.