Aptos, California Short-Term Rental Market
Aptos/Santa Cruz STRs averaged $369/night at 58.8% occupancy in April 2026 with revenue up 4.1% year-over-year.
Quick Answer: Aptos, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Santa Cruz market area is 69%. average monthly revenue in the Santa Cruz market area is $8,244. average daily rate in the Santa Cruz market area is $455. the top operator in the Santa Cruz market area is O'Neal Vacation Rentals LLC with 99 listings. market score is 56/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Santa Cruz regional market, which includes Aptos. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Aptos.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Aptos is a small unincorporated coastal community in Santa Cruz County serving as a quieter alternative to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk for Bay Area visitors. As of the latest snapshot, 2,055 active STR listings operate in the market area. In April 2026, the average daily rate was $368.60 and occupancy reached 58.8%, producing average monthly revenue of $5,759 per listing. RevPAR was $216.81.
Year-over-year, occupancy grew 1.96 percentage points and revenue improved 4.1%, while ADR eased 1.0%. This pattern reflects modest demand growth absorbing the slight rate moderation.
The listing mix is almost entirely entire-place: 1,884 of 2,055 listings (91.7%) are entire-place accommodations, with 170 private rooms and just 1 shared room. Bedroom distribution: 1-bedroom leads at 725 listings, followed by 2-bedroom (635), 3-bedroom (450), 4-bedroom (179), and 5-bedroom (66). Channel split is nearly even between platforms: 929 Airbnb-only, 923 on both platforms, and 203 VRBO-only, which is an unusually balanced dual-platform presence relative to most markets.
Market scores reflect both opportunity and constraint: rental demand scores 77.4/100 and revenue growth scores 78.3/100, while the regulation score of 58.1/100 and total score of 56.3/100 reflect the meaningful permit caps and waitlist conditions that limit supply. Investability scores 55.0/100, driven downward by the high typical home value of $1.36 million and permit non-transferability risk.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 41% |
| Feb | 52% |
| Mar | 56% |
| Apr | 60% |
| May | 58% |
| Jun | 71% |
| Jul | 78% |
| Aug | 69% |
| Sep | 58% |
| Oct | 55% |
| Nov | 52% |
| Dec | 47% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Aptos are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Santa Cruz market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Santa Cruz market as a whole, which includes Aptos, so these counts are not Aptos-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | O'Neal Vacation Rentals LLC | 99 | 9,671 | ★ 4.83 |
| 2 | Beachnest Vacation Rentals | 55 | 1,469 | ★ 4.77 |
| 3 | Surf City | 54 | 4,104 | ★ 4.82 |
| 4 | Cheshire Rio Realty | 49 | 1,723 | ★ 4.75 |
| 5 | Bailey Properties | 44 | 2,320 | ★ 4.63 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Aptos?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Aptos are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 45.2% |
| vrbo | 9.9% |
| both | 44.9% |
Home Value Trends (Aptos)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Aptos are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Aptos — how far ahead guests book and how to price around it — is available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Aptos is an unincorporated community governed by Santa Cruz County’s vacation rental ordinance within the Seacliff/Aptos/La Selva Beach Designated Area (SALSDA). Short-term rentals (30 nights or fewer) are permitted but operate under a hard cap.
Two permit types exist: Non-Hosted (whole home, no owner-residency requirement, capped at 147 permits in SALSDA) and Hosted (owner must live on-site at least 6 months per year, may rent up to 3 bedrooms, capped at 45 permits in SALSDA). An active waitlist is in effect for both types as of the profile update date.
Permit fees: new Non-Hosted permits cost $1,807.90 for properties up to 3 bedrooms, or $3,316.45 for 4 or more bedrooms. New Hosted permits cost $660.95. Permit renewal occurs every 5 years: $149.60 for non-hosted renewal, $570.55 for hosted renewal.
Critical constraint: permits are non-transferable upon property sale. A buyer cannot inherit the seller’s permit and must reapply from the start of the waitlist.
Additional rules: density is capped at 20% of residential parcels per block. ADUs, mobile homes, affordable housing units, and apartments are ineligible. Occupancy is limited to 2 overnight guests per bedroom plus 2 additional guests.
The Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) is 14% of gross rental income (raised from 11% by Measure B, effective January 1, 2023). Platforms collect and remit TOT on behalf of hosts, but hosts must independently register with the County Tax Collector (CruzAware).
August 2025 update: countywide enforcement was strengthened, requiring Airbnb and VRBO to delist unpermitted properties within 10 days of county notice. Tenant protections were added for conversions from long-term to short-term use.
Market Comparison
At 58.8% occupancy, Aptos runs slightly above the US STR median of approximately 55%. Its ADR of $368.60 is 67.5% above the national median of approximately $220, reflecting the premium coastal California pricing commanded by the Santa Cruz County market.
The revenue growth score of 78.3/100 positions Aptos in the upper tier for revenue trajectory. The 2021 to 2025 period shows ADR expansion from $327 to $368, an annual compound rate of approximately 3.0%, alongside occupancy that has normalized from 2021 pandemic-era highs but stabilized above historical norms.
Among operators, O’Neal Vacation Rentals leads with 99 listings and 9,671 reviews at a 4.83 rating, a strong review-to-listing ratio signaling high volume operation relative to market size. Beachnest Vacation Rentals holds 55 listings at a 4.77 rating, and Surf City manages 54 listings with 4,104 reviews at a 4.82 rating. Together, the top three operators account for 208 listings, approximately 10.1% of the 2,055-listing market. Relative to other California markets analyzed, operator concentration in Aptos is higher, which makes sense given the local management expertise required to navigate the complex permit framework.
With only 192 permitted slots in the SALSDA cap (147 non-hosted plus 45 hosted), and an active waitlist, the Aptos market operates with structurally constrained supply, which supports long-term rate resilience.
Frequently Asked Questions About Aptos, California
What is the average nightly rate for an Airbnb in Aptos or Santa Cruz?
What is the typical occupancy rate for short-term rentals in Aptos?
How much can I earn from an Airbnb in Aptos, California?
Can I get a new short-term rental permit in Aptos?
What is the short-term rental tax rate in Aptos?
What is the best time of year for Airbnb rentals in Aptos?
Who are the top STR property managers in Aptos and Santa Cruz County?
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