Berkeley, California Short-Term Rental Market
Berkeley-area STRs averaged $133/night at 69.3% occupancy in April 2026, with 2025 full-year averages of $135 ADR and $2,597 monthly revenue across approximately 8,861 active listings.
Quick Answer: Berkeley, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 80%. average monthly revenue is $3,157. average daily rate is $150. the top operator is Blueground with 163 listings. market score is 89/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the Oakland regional market, which includes Berkeley. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Berkeley.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Berkeley and East Bay short-term rental market is one of the most demand-consistent in the dataset, with occupancy rarely falling below 62% even in the slowest months. The market draws visitors tied to the University of California Berkeley, Bay Area business travel, cultural tourism anchored by Lake Merritt and Oakland’s waterfront, and international visitors, particularly from Mexico as a noted source market. The area attracted approximately 3.4 million visitors in 2024.
As of April 2026, the market recorded an average daily rate of $133, occupancy of 69.3%, and RevPAR of $92.48. Average monthly revenue was $2,551 across all listing types.
The active listing base totals approximately 8,861 units, among the larger urban STR markets in the dataset. The supply skews strongly toward smaller units: 1-bedroom listings account for 5,469 units, 2-bedroom for 1,678, 3-bedroom for 1,017, 4-bedroom for 489, and 5-bedroom-plus for 208. Entire-place listings total 6,161. Private-room listings are a notable 2,648 units (30% of supply), and 76 listings are shared rooms. The channel split shows strong Airbnb concentration: 6,784 Airbnb-exclusive listings, 1,839 on both platforms, and 262 VRBO-only.
Year-over-year in April 2026, occupancy rose 1.7 percentage points, ADR was flat at -0.01%, and revenue grew 2.9% versus the prior April. For full-year 2025, the market averaged 68.8% occupancy and $135 ADR for $2,597 monthly revenue. The near-perfect seasonality score of 99.1 out of 100 reflects the market’s year-round demand consistency.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63% | $111 | $1,979 |
| Feb | 69% | $114 | $2,011 |
| Mar | 70% | $117 | $2,254 |
| Apr | 68% | $118 | $2,208 |
| May | 72% | $125 | $2,394 |
| Jun | 76% | $130 | $2,617 |
| Jul | 77% | $127 | $2,679 |
| Aug | 75% | $126 | $2,612 |
| Sep | 72% | $121 | $2,350 |
| Oct | 70% | $120 | $2,355 |
| Nov | 65% | $118 | $2,089 |
| Dec | 63% | $120 | $2,108 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Berkeley
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blueground | 163 | 72 | ★ 4.45 |
| 2 | Evolve | 73 | 1,431 | ★ 4.50 |
| 3 | 2B Living | 28 | 60 | ★ 4.45 |
| 4 | Jonajo Consulting | 25 | 889 | ★ 4.87 |
| 5 | Academic Housing Rentals Inc. | 24 | 57 | ★ 4.75 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Berkeley?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 5,469 |
| 2 bed | 1,678 |
| 3 bed | 1,017 |
| 4 bed | 489 |
| 5 bed | 208 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $188 |
| Luxury | $267 |
| Professionally Managed | $198 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,864 |
| Entire Place | $3,915 |
| House | $3,287 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 76.4% |
| vrbo | 2.9% |
| both | 20.7% |
Investment Analysis
At a typical home value of $1,451,222 (Zillow, April 2026) and a 2025 annual average monthly revenue of $2,597, an investor grossing $31,164 annually would see an approximate gross yield of 2.1% before expenses. This is among the lowest gross yields in the dataset, driven by the East Bay’s very high property values relative to STR rate levels.
The median sale price of $1,361,000 and the sale-to-list ratio of 1.240 indicate that properties regularly sell above asking. The median days-to-pending of 15 confirms a fast-moving buyer market. The list price median of $1,097,333 reflects currently available inventory pricing below recent sale comps, suggesting new listings enter at below-comparable-sale prices before bidding competition.
Tier comparisons show meaningful ADR spread despite the low overall rates. Entire-home listings in April 2026 averaged $164 ADR, 23% above the all-listings average of $133. Luxury-tier properties averaged $225 ADR, approximately 69% above the market average. Professionally managed listings averaged $164 ADR, also 23% above the all-listings baseline.
The investability score of 45.7 out of 100 reflects the difficult yield math at current home prices. The strong revenue growth score (85.4) and rental demand score (83.2) indicate that the market’s demand fundamentals are sound, but the entry cost is the primary investment constraint. Operators already owning property in the area face a very different calculus than new buyers. Critically, the regulatory environment (discussed in the regulatory section) creates additional risk for investment buyers.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
In April 2026, guests booked Berkeley and East Bay STRs an average of 30 days in advance, with an average length of stay of 7.0 nights. Both figures are distinctive. The 30-day lead time is among the shorter booking windows in the dataset, suggesting strong last-minute and near-term demand consistent with business travel, visiting academics, and Bay Area residents displaced by home renovations or other short-term needs.
The 7.0-night average length of stay is the longest of any market in this batch, reflecting the academic and extended-business-stay demand profile. Visitors often arrive for visiting scholar residencies, university events, family visits to students, or longer work assignments. This creates a meaningful proportion of weekly and monthly-adjacent bookings in the STR supply.
For pricing strategy, the long stay length means operators can justify minimum-stay requirements of 3 to 5 nights without significantly compressing demand, and should consider weekly rate discounts to capture the 7-night demand segment. The short lead time of 30 days means operators should not pre-discount far in advance, as a significant share of bookings arrives within 4 weeks of check-in at market rates.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
The Berkeley and East Bay STR market carries significant regulatory risk that investors must evaluate before purchasing for STR purposes.
For properties within Berkeley city limits: Berkeley requires STR hosts to register as a business ($65 Business Tax Certificate) and collect Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) at 12% on all stays under 30 days. Platforms including Airbnb collect and remit TOT automatically for Berkeley. There is no citywide permit cap or night cap under Berkeley’s current rules.
Note: The area profile data on file for this market area describes Oakland’s STR regulatory framework. Oakland’s Planning Code (Title 17) prohibits short-term rentals of under 30 days in most residential zones, classifying them as Transient Habitation (essentially hotel operations). An estimated 2,500 to 2,600 units operate on Airbnb and VRBO in Oakland despite this prohibition. STRs are technically permitted only in limited commercial zones (downtown, waterfront, I-880 corridor, near the airport) with a major Conditional Use Permit. Oakland has collected Transient Occupancy Tax at 14% on stays of 30 days or fewer; Airbnb collects and remits this automatically. The city contracted with Granicus in 2024 to develop a licensing and enforcement platform, and a new STR ordinance was targeting City Council hearings in spring 2026. The draft proposal would legalize STRs limited to a host’s primary residence, cap unhosted whole-unit rentals at 90 nights per year, and prohibit multi-property listings. No final ordinance had passed as of May 2026. Enforcement has been complaint-driven with fines of $1,500 to $5,000 per violation.
Prospective investors in the East Bay market must confirm the specific municipality’s current rules before purchasing, as Berkeley, Oakland, Emeryville, and other jurisdictions operate under separate ordinances.
Market Comparison
The Berkeley and East Bay market’s 2025 annual average occupancy of 68.8% is substantially above the US STR median of approximately 55%, ranking it among the highest-occupancy urban markets in the database. However, its 2025 ADR of $135 is well below the US median of approximately $220, a reflection of the large share of private-room and smaller-unit listings that compress the market average rate.
The operator landscape is led by Blueground with 163 listings and a 4.45 rating. Blueground operates primarily in the furnished corporate-housing segment, explaining the low review count (72) relative to listing count. Evolve manages 73 listings with 1,431 reviews at a 4.50 rating. 2B Living holds 28 listings. Jonajo Consulting operates 25 listings with a 4.87 rating and 889 reviews. Academic Housing Rentals Inc. holds 24 listings, reflecting the university-driven segment of the market.
The top five operators collectively manage 313 listings, approximately 4% of the estimated 8,861-unit market. This is a highly fragmented market dominated by individual hosts. The strong private-room share (30% of listings) is unusual among the markets in this dataset and is directly tied to the university town environment, where rooms in shared houses are a legitimate accommodation option.
The total market score of 88.5 out of 100 reflects the combination of near-perfect seasonality (99.1), high rental demand (83.2), and revenue growth (85.4), offset by low investability (45.7) and the regulatory uncertainty.
Frequently Asked Questions About Berkeley, California
What is the average daily rate for short-term rentals in Berkeley, CA?
What is the occupancy rate for Airbnb rentals in Berkeley and the East Bay?
How much can an Airbnb earn per year in Berkeley, CA?
Are short-term rentals legal in Berkeley and the East Bay?
How far in advance do guests book STRs in Berkeley, CA?
Who are the top property managers in the Berkeley and East Bay STR market?
Is Berkeley, CA a good market for short-term rental investment?
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