Pacifica, California Short-Term Rental Market
Pacifica STRs averaged $221/night at 71.6% occupancy in April 2026, with strict owner-occupancy rules limiting investor entry.
Quick Answer: Pacifica, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 72%. average monthly revenue is $4,262. average daily rate is $221. the top operator is Blueground with 267 listings. market score is 92/100 (grade A).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Pacifica, California is a coastal city 15 miles south of San Francisco with a large short-term rental market shaped by proximity to the Bay Area and stringent local regulation. As of April 2026, the market shows approximately 11,636 active listings across platforms, with 8,749 entire-place units, 2,831 private rooms, and 56 shared rooms. The average daily rate is $221, occupancy runs at 71.6%, and RevPAR is $158 per night.
Bedroom distribution skews heavily toward 1-bedroom units (6,656), followed by 2-bedroom (2,430), 3-bedroom (1,496), 4-bedroom (667), and 5-bedroom-plus (364). Airbnb-exclusive listings total 8,365, VRBO-exclusive 521, and 2,750 properties cross-list on both platforms, indicating strong Airbnb market dominance.
Year-over-year as of April 2026, occupancy improved 1.0%, ADR rose 4.5%, and revenue increased 5.8%, continuing a gradual recovery from the 2023-2024 plateau. The market total score of 92.0 out of 100 reflects strong rental demand (84.4) and near-perfect revenue growth (97.6), though the investability score of 45.9 reflects regulatory barriers that significantly constrain non-owner-occupied investment.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63% | $181 | $3,071 |
| Feb | 67% | $182 | $3,092 |
| Mar | 70% | $188 | $3,582 |
| Apr | 68% | $192 | $3,542 |
| May | 72% | $192 | $3,597 |
| Jun | 78% | $209 | $4,157 |
| Jul | 77% | $205 | $4,247 |
| Aug | 74% | $209 | $4,135 |
| Sep | 73% | $202 | $3,846 |
| Oct | 71% | $196 | $3,765 |
| Nov | 64% | $191 | $3,230 |
| Dec | 61% | $191 | $3,163 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Pacifica
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blueground | 267 | 86 | ★ 4.28 |
| 2 | Kasa Properties | 76 | 3,125 | ★ 4.50 |
| 3 | Luxury Bookings FZE | 60 | 31 | ★ 4.30 |
| 4 | Landmark | 53 | 214 | ★ 4.55 |
| 5 | Anyplace | 44 | 86 | ★ 4.86 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Pacifica?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 6,656 |
| 2 bed | 2,430 |
| 3 bed | 1,496 |
| 4 bed | 667 |
| 5 bed | 364 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $267 |
| Luxury | $537 |
| Professionally Managed | $311 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,804 |
| Entire Place | $5,037 |
| House | $4,574 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 71.9% |
| vrbo | 4.5% |
| both | 23.6% |
Investment Analysis
Pacifica’s investment case is heavily constrained by Ordinance No. 901-C.S., adopted August 2025, which restricts unhosted STRs to 60 nights per calendar year and requires owner primary residency. For a pure investment property, the effective annual cap of 60 unhosted nights limits total revenue potential regardless of market demand.
For owner-occupants who live in the property full-time, the hosted model (owner present) carries no night cap and offers a more viable income stream. An average listing earned $4,262 in April 2026, and annualizing that figure projects to approximately $51,100 per year under uncapped conditions. Against a typical home value of $1,277,575, the gross yield under full-year occupancy is approximately 4.0%, which is modest given Bay Area property costs. Under the 60-night unhosted cap, effective annual revenue would be materially lower.
The entire-place tier averages $5,037 per month and house listings average $4,574, both above the all-listings figure of $4,262. Professionally managed listings command an ADR of $311, well above the market average of $221, suggesting a meaningful rate premium for professionally operated properties. Luxury-tier listings average $537 per night.
The housing market is competitive: sale-to-list ratio is 1.039 (properties selling above list price), inventory is just 61 active listings, and median days to pending is 13. Acquisition costs are high and supply is constrained, reinforcing that Pacifica STR investing is primarily an owner-occupant supplemental income play under current rules.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Pacifica bookings in April 2026 averaged a lead time of 41.8 days, meaning guests typically reserve about six weeks in advance. This is shorter than most resort markets and reflects the Bay Area day-trip and weekend-escape demand pattern, where decisions are made closer to the travel date.
The average length of stay is 5.7 nights, which is relatively high for a coastal market and suggests that Pacifica attracts extended weekend trips and week-long stays rather than purely two-night overnights. This reduces turnover frequency and lowers per-booking cleaning costs compared to markets with 2 to 3 night averages.
For hosts operating under the 60-night unhosted cap, the 5.7-night average length of stay means roughly 10 to 11 unhosted booking windows per year if stays run to average length. Pricing should be set at premium rates for those limited nights to maximize revenue within the regulatory constraint.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Pacifica adopted Ordinance No. 901-C.S. on August 11, 2025, enacting one of the stricter STR frameworks in the Bay Area. The ordinance requires that all STRs operate out of the host’s primary residence. Second homes and pure investment vacation rentals are not permitted.
Unhosted STRs (owner not on-site during the rental) are capped at 60 nights per calendar year. Hosted STRs (owner present) have no annual night cap. Unhosted rentals are prohibited outright in multi-family buildings (two or more units) and in accessory dwelling units. A minimum stay of two consecutive nights applies to unhosted stays.
The annual permit fee is $1,704, with an additional $263 inspection fee for non-coastal-zone properties. A city business license and a signed STR Safety Declaration are also required. Operators must provide one parking space per rented bedroom, maintain quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., designate a 24/7 local contact, and carry liability insurance.
Pacifica’s Transient Occupancy Tax is 15%. Enforcement severity is rated high, with a strike system penalizing violations. Coastal-zone properties (west of Highway 1) face a separate track: coastal enforcement was pending California Coastal Commission certification as of February 2026. Non-coastal permits became subject to the new rules on October 31, 2025.
Market Comparison
Pacifica’s 71.6% April occupancy is well above the US STR median of approximately 55%, placing it among the higher-occupancy coastal markets nationally. The ADR of $221 is close to the US median of approximately $220, but the Bay Area context means the underlying property costs are far above national norms, compressing yields.
Among the top operators, Blueground leads with 267 listings and an average rating of 4.28. Kasa Properties holds 76 listings with 3,125 reviews at a 4.50 rating, and Luxury Bookings FZE manages 60 listings at a 4.30 rating. Collectively the top five operators account for 500 listings, or roughly 4.3% of the market, indicating a heavily fragmented, owner-operated market structure.
The total market score of 92.0 is high and driven by seasonal consistency (98.8) and revenue growth (97.6). However, the investability score of 45.9 accurately reflects the ownership and night-cap restrictions. Investors from outside Pacifica who cannot establish primary residency cannot operate a compliant unhosted STR beyond 60 nights per year under current rules.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pacifica, California
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