Idyllwild, California Short-Term Rental Market
Idyllwild CA STRs averaged $207/night at 54.2% occupancy in April 2026, with a hard cap of 500 certificates limiting new entrants.
Quick Answer: Idyllwild, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 63%. average monthly revenue is $3,834. average daily rate is $227. the top operator is Evolve with 88 listings. market score is 53/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Riverside regional market, which includes Idyllwild. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Idyllwild.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Idyllwild, CA is a mountain resort village in the San Jacinto Mountains, approximately one hour southeast of Palm Springs at roughly one mile elevation. It draws Southern California visitors seeking a cool-climate alpine escape, with core demand from hikers and backpackers (San Jacinto Wilderness, Pacific Crest Trail access), rock climbers (Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks), arts and culture travelers (Idyllwild Arts Academy, summer jazz festival), and leisure visitors to the walkable village center. The market’s visitor base is overwhelmingly regional, drawing from the Los Angeles basin, Inland Empire, and Coachella Valley.
In April 2026, the market recorded a 54.2% occupancy rate and a $207 average daily rate, yielding a RevPAR of $112.24. Year-over-year, occupancy improved 2.6% while ADR softened 1.9%, and average monthly revenue increased 4.6%.
Tracked listings total approximately 7,496. Entire-place rentals account for 4,880 listings, private rooms for 2,597, and shared rooms for 19. One-bedroom units lead the bedroom count at 3,826, followed by three-bedroom (993), four-bedroom (961), two-bedroom (938), and five-bedroom-plus (761). Airbnb is the dominant channel with 5,208 exclusive listings, while 2,097 appear on both platforms and 191 are VRBO-exclusive.
The composite market score is 52.9. The standout metric is seasonality, which scores 97.8 out of 100, indicating highly consistent and predictable seasonal demand cycles that allow confident rate-setting well in advance. Regulation scores 64.1, reflecting an active permitting framework with a hard certificate cap.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51% | $161 | $2,419 |
| Feb | 57% | $163 | $2,376 |
| Mar | 58% | $172 | $2,677 |
| Apr | 56% | $178 | $2,848 |
| May | 56% | $175 | $2,691 |
| Jun | 62% | $199 | $3,280 |
| Jul | 63% | $186 | $3,214 |
| Aug | 57% | $174 | $2,798 |
| Sep | 55% | $166 | $2,530 |
| Oct | 57% | $173 | $2,679 |
| Nov | 54% | $178 | $2,712 |
| Dec | 57% | $181 | $2,814 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Idyllwild
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 88 | 1,904 | ★ 4.58 |
| 2 | New Spirit Vacation Homes | 60 | 3,545 | ★ 4.46 |
| 3 | Host / Eric | 45 | 40 | ★ 4.67 |
| 4 | Holidale | 44 | 11 | ★ 4.57 |
| 5 | Vacasa | 43 | 2,764 | ★ 4.53 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Idyllwild?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 3,826 |
| 2 bed | 938 |
| 3 bed | 993 |
| 4 bed | 961 |
| 5 bed | 761 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $300 |
| Luxury | $498 |
| Professionally Managed | $432 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,460 |
| Entire Place | $4,985 |
| House | $4,000 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 69.5% |
| vrbo | 2.5% |
| both | 28% |
Investment Analysis
Idyllwild’s April 2026 average monthly revenue of $3,306 annualizes to approximately $39,677 for a typical active listing. Entire-place rentals generate substantially more at $4,240 per month. House rentals averaged $3,453 and apartment-style listings $2,205. The entire-place premium reflects that Idyllwild visitors typically seek full cabin or cottage experiences rather than shared accommodations.
With a typical home value of approximately $473,000 (Zillow, April 2026 snapshot), the implied gross yield on the market-wide average revenue is approximately 8.4% (annualized $39,677 divided by $472,556). Using the entire-place revenue figure of $4,240 per month, the yield calculation improves to approximately 10.8% (annualized $50,880 divided by $472,556). The median list price of $491,150 and an active-for-sale inventory of 100 properties suggest a market with reasonable liquidity and entry points near typical home values.
The critical investment constraint is the 500-certificate cap for the Idyllwild-Pine Cove community. When the cap is reached, new certificates are allocated via biannual lottery, and new listings must maintain a 500-foot separation from the nearest residence. Investors should confirm current certificate availability before purchasing, as operating without a certificate is an enforcement risk. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, so absentee-owner investment properties can hold certificates when available. The professionally managed tier commands $390/night versus the market-wide $207, an 88% premium, indicating substantial upside for top-quality managed properties.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Idyllwild guests book approximately 37.6 days in advance on average, a moderate lead time of about five weeks consistent with intentional Southern California weekend trip planning. This window gives operators time to adjust rates before a meaningful portion of bookings are finalized, making early pricing decisions for holiday weekends and summer peak consequential.
Average length of stay is 4.9 nights, among the longer stays in this market batch. The near five-night average reflects Idyllwild’s positioning as a multiday retreat rather than a quick overnight stop. Guests planning hiking trips, arts weekends, or extended mountain getaways tend to stay several nights to justify the drive from the LA basin or Inland Empire. Longer stays reduce cleaning and turnover frequency, improving net margins per booking. Operators offering moderate weekly discounts to extend average stays from 4-5 nights to 6-7 nights may improve occupancy without proportional rate loss.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Idyllwild is an unincorporated community in Riverside County, so short-term rentals are governed by the County’s Ordinance 927 (Chapter 5.84), not a city code. Operators must obtain a Short-Term Rental Certificate from the Riverside County Planning Department, register with the County Treasurer-Tax Collector, and collect and remit a 10% Transient Occupancy Tax.
The initial application fee is approximately $740, with annual renewal of approximately $540 (per the Ordinance 671 fee schedule). STRs are defined as rentals of 2 to 30 days. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, but the Idyllwild-Pine Cove community carries a hard cap of 500 certificates. When the cap is full, new certificates are allocated via biannual lottery, and newly certificated properties must sit at least 500 feet from the nearest residence. Occupancy limits scale with lot size: up to 10 guests on parcels of half an acre or smaller, up to 16 on larger parcels. Parking, noise, and safety rules are enforced.
Enforcement is rated moderate, and the County has publicly acknowledged gaps in after-hours code enforcement. In February 2026, the Board of Supervisors delayed proposed amendments (stricter enforcement tools and higher fees), with a draft Ordinance 927.3 still pending as of mid-2026. Investors must confirm current cap status and certificate availability with the County Planning Department before purchasing, as certificate availability is the binding constraint in this market.
Market Comparison
Idyllwild’s 54.2% occupancy in April 2026 is close to the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, consistent with a stable leisure market. Its $207 ADR is below the national STR median of roughly $220, which is somewhat surprising given the mountain resort positioning, but is largely explained by the substantial share of private-room listings (2,597 of 7,496) that pull the blended average down. Entire-place listings average $273/night, above the national median.
The professional management layer in Idyllwild is modest relative to the market size. Evolve leads with 88 listings (rated 4.58 with 1,904 reviews), followed by New Spirit Vacation Homes (60 listings, rated 4.46 with 3,545 reviews), Host/Eric (45 listings, rated 4.67 with 40 reviews), Holidale (44 listings, rated 4.57 with 11 reviews), and Vacasa (43 listings, rated 4.53 with 2,764 reviews). The top five operators hold a combined 280 listings out of approximately 7,496 in the market area, a relatively small share that reflects the community character of the Idyllwild STR market, where individual owner-operators predominate.
Frequently Asked Questions About Idyllwild, California
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