Mesa, Arizona Short-Term Rental Market
Mesa, AZ STRs averaged $273/night at 59.4% occupancy in April 2026 across 33,966 active listings.
Quick Answer: Mesa, Arizona is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 57%. average monthly revenue is $2,947. average daily rate is $188. the top operator is Evolve with 981 listings. market score is 50/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Phoenix/Scottsdale regional market, which includes Mesa. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Mesa.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Mesa is Arizona’s third-largest city with a population of 517,142, drawing approximately 4.4 million annual visitors and generating $1.2 billion in annual visitor economic impact. The STR market covers the broader Mesa/Phoenix East Valley area and comprises 33,966 active listings. The market recorded an average daily rate of $273 and occupancy of 59.4% in April 2026 (a post-peak shoulder month), producing a RevPAR of $162. Entire-place listings account for 30,445 units (89.6%), private rooms for 3,444 (10.1%), and shared rooms for 77 (0.2%). By bedroom count among the 33,913 categorized listings, one-bedroom leads at 10,425 (30.7%), two-bedroom at 7,644 (22.5%), three-bedroom at 7,322 (21.6%), four-bedroom at 5,503 (16.2%), and five-bedroom at 3,019 (8.9%). The high share of larger properties (25.1% at 4BR or more) reflects Mesa’s significant vacation home and resort market. Channel distribution shows 14,575 Airbnb-only listings, 3,135 VRBO-only, and 16,256 on both platforms; the dual-listed share is 47.9%, reflecting active multi-channel distribution. Year-over-year as of April 2026, occupancy gained 1.2 percentage points, ADR rose 2.9%, and revenue grew 3.1%. The market total score is 50.3 out of 100, with revenue growth at 68.9 and investability at 65.1.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65% | $199 | $3,376 |
| Feb | 74% | $250 | $4,355 |
| Mar | 76% | $274 | $5,552 |
| Apr | 57% | $228 | $3,719 |
| May | 56% | $196 | $3,081 |
| Jun | 58% | $171 | $2,669 |
| Jul | 60% | $151 | $2,463 |
| Aug | 60% | $151 | $2,453 |
| Sep | 59% | $161 | $2,469 |
| Oct | 63% | $183 | $2,993 |
| Nov | 63% | $197 | $3,165 |
| Dec | 58% | $199 | $3,156 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Mesa
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 981 | 34,553 | ★ 4.74 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 505 | 9,989 | ★ 4.56 |
| 3 | CozySuites | 332 | 4,498 | ★ 4.00 |
| 4 | Zona Multifamily | 297 | 1,788 | ★ 2.67 |
| 5 | Park Royal | 229 | 17 | ★ 4.65 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Mesa?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 10,425 |
| 2 bed | 7,644 |
| 3 bed | 7,322 |
| 4 bed | 5,503 |
| 5 bed | 3,019 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $202 |
| Luxury | $416 |
| Professionally Managed | $239 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,901 |
| Entire Place | $3,140 |
| House | $3,436 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 42.9% |
| vrbo | 9.2% |
| both | 47.9% |
Investment Analysis
At the current typical home value of $435,670 (April 2026 Zillow snapshot), average monthly STR revenue of $4,644 projects to approximately $55,726 annualized, implying a gross revenue yield of approximately 12.8% before operating expenses and management fees. Median sale price is $429,633, median list price is $453,000, and the sale-to-list ratio of 0.948 with 25 median days to pending reflects a relatively competitive market where buyers transact close to asking price. By property type, house listings averaged $5,523 per month, entire-place listings averaged $4,950, and apartments averaged $2,761. The professionally managed tier averaged $370 per night, a 35.7% premium above the market-wide $273, and luxury-tier properties averaged $572 per night, 109.8% above the market-wide rate. Both premiums are among the largest in this batch, indicating significant yield upside for operators who invest in quality. Arizona state law (A.R.S. 9-500.39) preempts cities from banning STRs or requiring owner-occupancy, making Mesa fully accessible to non-resident investors. Revenue has grown from $3,528 in 2023 to $3,917 in 2025 on an annual-average basis, with the first four months of 2026 running ahead of the full-year 2025 pace.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Mesa guests book an average of 50 days in advance and stay approximately 4.9 nights per visit. The 50-day booking window reflects planning behavior typical of Spring Training travelers, snowbirds, and families scheduling desert vacations. At 4.9 nights, average stays are among the longer in this batch, consistent with extended leisure trips to the Phoenix area. Operators should price aggressively in the 45 to 60 day window ahead of February and March, when Spring Training bookings concentrate. For the summer months, shorter minimum stays and dynamic pricing may help absorb demand from regional weekend travelers.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Mesa requires a City of Mesa Short-Term Rental License for all properties used for stays under 30 consecutive days, mandatory since February 1, 2023 under Mesa City Code Title 5, Chapter 15. The license costs $250 per unit, is held by the property owner, and renews annually. Owners must also hold an Arizona Transaction Privilege Tax license, register with Maricopa County, designate a local emergency and complaint contact available 24/7, and notify adjacent neighbors that the property will be used as a short-term rental. The combined transient lodging tax on stays under 30 days is approximately 14.27%, comprising state TPT, Maricopa County tax, and the Mesa city transient lodging tax; Airbnb and VRBO generally collect and remit these automatically. Arizona state law preempts Mesa from banning STRs or restricting them to specific zones, so no owner-occupancy, primary-residence, or annual-night-cap requirements exist. Civil penalties for verified violations escalate to $500 (first), $1,000 (second), and $3,500 (third and subsequent) within a 12-month period, or one, two, or three nights’ advertised rent, whichever is greater. As of mid-2025 reporting, a large share of active Mesa listings were still operating without the required city license, indicating limited enforcement to date. Properties on unincorporated county islands fall outside Mesa’s jurisdiction and are governed by Maricopa County separately.
Market Comparison
Mesa’s 59.4% occupancy in April 2026 is above the U.S. national STR median of approximately 55%, noting that April falls in the post-peak shoulder period for this market. The $273 ADR is above the national STR median of approximately $220, driven by large resort-style properties. Among professional operators, Evolve leads with 981 listings (34,553 reviews, 4.74 avg rating), the largest single-manager presence in this batch. Vacasa holds 505 listings (9,989 reviews, 4.56 rating), CozySuites has 332 listings (4,498 reviews, 4.00 rating), Zona Multifamily holds 297 listings (1,788 reviews, 2.67 rating), and Park Royal holds 229 listings (17 reviews, 4.65 rating). The top five operators collectively manage 2,344 listings, approximately 6.9% of the 33,966 total. VRBO’s penetration is notably high: 16,256 listings appear on both platforms and 3,135 are VRBO-only, meaning 19,391 total listings (57.1%) carry VRBO distribution, above-average for an urban market and consistent with Mesa’s vacation-home orientation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mesa, Arizona
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