Julian, California Short-Term Rental Market
Julian, CA STRs averaged $299/night at 65.3% occupancy in April 2026, with monthly revenue up 9.75% year over year.
Quick Answer: Julian, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 65%. average monthly revenue is $5,335. average daily rate is $299. the top operator is Evolve with 265 listings. market score is 65/100 (grade C).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Julian is a historic mountain community at 4,226 feet in San Diego County, drawing weekend travelers from the broader Southern California metro area. The short-term rental market here is well-established, built around seasonal apple harvest tourism, outdoor recreation, and proximity to Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.
In April 2026, the latest data month available, Julian STRs posted an average daily rate of $299 and occupancy of 65.3%, generating roughly $195 in revenue per available room. Monthly revenue averaged $5,335 per listing, a 9.75% increase year over year. ADR slipped slightly, down 0.71% from the prior year period, indicating that the revenue gain came from occupancy improvement rather than rate increases.
Entire-place listings dominate the market. Across available dimension data, entire-place bookings account for the overwhelming majority of activity, with private-room listings representing a secondary tier and shared rooms a negligible fraction. One-bedroom properties are the most common listing size, followed by two-bedroom and three-bedroom units, reflecting a market oriented toward couples and small groups seeking mountain cabin-style stays.
Channel distribution shows Airbnb as the dominant platform, with VRBO representing a smaller but meaningful share. Many operators maintain a presence on both platforms simultaneously.
The market’s overall score from platform analytics sits at 65.1 out of 100, with rental demand (79.3) and seasonality management (77.9) as the strongest components. Revenue growth (71.3) and regulation (64.4) score in the mid-range. Investability (53.4) is the weakest dimension, reflecting the relatively high property acquisition costs in the area compared to the revenue the market generates.
Historically, Julian’s STR market has grown steadily. Average annual revenue per listing rose from roughly $2,803 in 2017 to $5,257 in 2025, tracking a long-run trajectory of ADR and demand growth that accelerated sharply in 2021 before partially normalizing.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56% | $202 | $3,105 |
| Feb | 65% | $210 | $3,322 |
| Mar | 69% | $246 | $4,497 |
| Apr | 62% | $243 | $4,075 |
| May | 64% | $249 | $4,093 |
| Jun | 74% | $299 | $5,521 |
| Jul | 77% | $312 | $6,120 |
| Aug | 68% | $291 | $5,367 |
| Sep | 61% | $245 | $4,008 |
| Oct | 61% | $236 | $3,934 |
| Nov | 58% | $224 | $3,397 |
| Dec | 57% | $230 | $3,544 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Julian
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 265 | 10,436 | ★ 4.74 |
| 2 | Surf Style Vacation Homes | 223 | 10,070 | ★ 4.77 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 176 | 8,268 | ★ 4.62 |
| 4 | Nxt Vacation Rental Management | 164 | 3,008 | ★ 4.90 |
| 5 | San Diego Rentals | 162 | 153 | ★ 4.40 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Julian?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 11,264 |
| 2 bed | 6,920 |
| 3 bed | 4,574 |
| 4 bed | 2,454 |
| 5 bed | 1,666 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $321 |
| Luxury | $575 |
| Professionally Managed | $436 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $4,493 |
| Entire Place | $5,700 |
| House | $5,957 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 49.4% |
| vrbo | 6.2% |
| both | 44.4% |
Investment Analysis
Julian’s entry cost sits at approximately $579,394 as the typical home value, with active listings showing a median list price of $742,600. At an average monthly revenue of $5,335 in April 2026, annualized gross revenue projects to roughly $64,024. Against the typical home value, that implies an approximate gross yield of 11.1% before expenses. Investors using acquisition cost closer to the median list price of $742,600 should model a gross yield near 8.6%.
ADR by tier reveals meaningful upside for premium operators. The market-wide average ADR was $299 in April 2026, while entire-home listings averaged $321. Luxury-tier properties averaged $575 and professionally managed listings averaged $436, illustrating a gap of $137 to $276 per night between the market average and professionally managed or luxury inventory.
Year-over-year, revenue has trended in the right direction: up 9.75% in the latest period, driven by an occupancy gain of 8.43 percentage points. ADR was essentially flat at minus 0.71%. The 2025 annual average revenue of $5,257 per month compares to $5,196 in 2024, a modest 1.2% full-year gain, suggesting the April 2026 monthly figure may reflect seasonal strength rather than a sustained step-change.
The revenue growth score of 71.3 and rental demand score of 79.3 both suggest the market has underlying momentum. The investability score of 53.4 reflects the challenge of acquiring properties at Julian’s price points relative to achievable STR returns. Operators who acquire below the typical home value or who achieve luxury-tier ADRs will find the math more favorable.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
In April 2026, the average booking lead time for Julian STRs was 41 days. Guests booking Julian stays are doing so roughly six weeks in advance on average, suggesting a mix of spontaneous weekend decisions and planned getaway reservations. This lead time is meaningful for pricing strategy: properties that hold rates flat through the lead window and discount late risk leaving money on the table during peak demand periods when last-minute availability is scarce.
Average length of stay was 4.36 nights in April 2026. This is longer than a standard two-night weekend stay, indicating that a meaningful share of guests book three to five night mid-week extensions alongside weekend nights. Longer stays reduce turnover frequency and associated cleaning costs, improving net yield per booking.
For operators, the 41-day average lead time suggests opening dynamic pricing adjustments at the 45-to-60-day mark before arrival. Weekend and holiday dates in June and July should be priced at a premium from the time the calendar opens, rather than waiting for the lead-up window to push rates up.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Julian is an unincorporated community within San Diego County, placing it under county regulations rather than any city STR ordinance. The regulatory framework is relatively light compared to many California markets.
The primary requirement is registering for a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) certificate through the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector. San Diego County formalized this registration program in June 2024, requiring hosts to obtain a registration number before reporting. The TOT rate is 8% of gross rental income, collected from guests and remitted quarterly. The certificate requires annual renewal.
There is no separate STR business license required for unincorporated areas. There is no cap on maximum rental nights per year. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement. Permit cost data is not published in the county’s available documentation.
Properties must comply with standard safety requirements including working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, and applicable noise ordinances. Homeowner association rules may impose additional restrictions beyond county requirements. California ADU rules may restrict rentals of fewer than 30 consecutive days for ADU properties; operators with accessory dwelling units should verify this with San Diego County Planning and Development Services before listing.
Enforcement is classified as minimal. However, California SB 346, signed in October 2025 and effective January 1, 2026, authorizes San Diego County to compel platforms including Airbnb and VRBO to share host data. This could increase compliance monitoring going forward. Operators should maintain current TOT registration and accurate remittance records as enforcement capacity may grow.
Julian’s regulatory environment remains one of the more permissive STR frameworks in California.
Market Comparison
Julian’s April 2026 occupancy of 65.3% sits above the US STR market median of approximately 55%, reflecting stronger-than-average demand for a small mountain market. ADR of $299 is above the national median of roughly $220, consistent with Julian’s positioning as a premium rural escape from one of the country’s most expensive metro areas.
For a market with a population of only 1,768 residents, the STR inventory depth and booking activity are substantial, supported by the San Diego metro’s roughly 3.3 million residents within a one-to-two hour drive.
Among professional operators, Evolve leads with 265 active listings and 10,436 reviews averaging 4.74 stars. Surf Style Vacation Homes manages 223 listings with 10,070 reviews at a 4.77 average rating. Vacasa operates 176 properties with 8,268 reviews at a 4.62 average. Nxt Vacation Rental Management and San Diego Rentals round out the top five with 164 and 162 listings respectively.
The top five property managers collectively hold a significant share of the professionally managed inventory. Their presence signals that the market is sufficiently mature to support full-service management operators, which tends to correlate with sustained investor interest. New entrants competing against established managers should anticipate competitive pricing pressure on rates, particularly in the one-bedroom and two-bedroom segments that represent the bulk of available inventory.
Frequently Asked Questions About Julian, California
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