Berkeley, California Short-Term Rental Market
Berkeley-area STRs averaged $133/night at 69.3% occupancy in April 2026, with 2025 full-year averages of $135 ADR and $2,597 monthly revenue across approximately 8,861 active listings.
Quick Answer: Berkeley, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Oakland market area is 80%. average monthly revenue in the Oakland market area is $3,157. average daily rate in the Oakland market area is $150. the top operator in the Oakland market area is Blueground with 163 listings. market score is 89/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the Oakland regional market, which includes Berkeley. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Berkeley.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Berkeley and East Bay short-term rental market is one of the most demand-consistent in the dataset, with occupancy rarely falling below 62% even in the slowest months. The market draws visitors tied to the University of California Berkeley, Bay Area business travel, cultural tourism anchored by Lake Merritt and Oakland’s waterfront, and international visitors, particularly from Mexico as a noted source market. The area attracted approximately 3.4 million visitors in 2024.
As of April 2026, the market recorded an average daily rate of $133, occupancy of 69.3%, and RevPAR of $92.48. Average monthly revenue was $2,551 across all listing types.
The active listing base totals approximately 8,861 units, among the larger urban STR markets in the dataset. The supply skews strongly toward smaller units: 1-bedroom listings account for 5,469 units, 2-bedroom for 1,678, 3-bedroom for 1,017, 4-bedroom for 489, and 5-bedroom-plus for 208. Entire-place listings total 6,161. Private-room listings are a notable 2,648 units (30% of supply), and 76 listings are shared rooms. The channel split shows strong Airbnb concentration: 6,784 Airbnb-exclusive listings, 1,839 on both platforms, and 262 VRBO-only.
Year-over-year in April 2026, occupancy rose 1.7 percentage points, ADR was flat at -0.01%, and revenue grew 2.9% versus the prior April. For full-year 2025, the market averaged 68.8% occupancy and $135 ADR for $2,597 monthly revenue. The near-perfect seasonality score of 99.1 out of 100 reflects the market’s year-round demand consistency.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 63% |
| Feb | 69% |
| Mar | 70% |
| Apr | 68% |
| May | 72% |
| Jun | 76% |
| Jul | 77% |
| Aug | 75% |
| Sep | 72% |
| Oct | 70% |
| Nov | 65% |
| Dec | 63% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Berkeley are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Oakland market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Oakland market as a whole, which includes Berkeley, so these counts are not Berkeley-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blueground | 163 | 72 | ★ 4.45 |
| 2 | Evolve | 73 | 1,431 | ★ 4.50 |
| 3 | 2B Living | 28 | 60 | ★ 4.45 |
| 4 | Jonajo Consulting | 25 | 889 | ★ 4.87 |
| 5 | Academic Housing Rentals Inc. | 24 | 57 | ★ 4.75 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Berkeley?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Berkeley 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 | 76.4% |
| vrbo | 2.9% |
| both | 20.7% |
Home Value Trends (Berkeley)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Berkeley 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 Berkeley — 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
The Berkeley and East Bay STR market carries significant regulatory risk that investors must evaluate before purchasing for STR purposes.
For properties within Berkeley city limits: Berkeley requires STR hosts to register as a business ($65 Business Tax Certificate) and collect Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) at 12% on all stays under 30 days. Platforms including Airbnb collect and remit TOT automatically for Berkeley. There is no citywide permit cap or night cap under Berkeley’s current rules.
Note: The area profile data on file for this market area describes Oakland’s STR regulatory framework. Oakland’s Planning Code (Title 17) prohibits short-term rentals of under 30 days in most residential zones, classifying them as Transient Habitation (essentially hotel operations). An estimated 2,500 to 2,600 units operate on Airbnb and VRBO in Oakland despite this prohibition. STRs are technically permitted only in limited commercial zones (downtown, waterfront, I-880 corridor, near the airport) with a major Conditional Use Permit. Oakland has collected Transient Occupancy Tax at 14% on stays of 30 days or fewer; Airbnb collects and remits this automatically. The city contracted with Granicus in 2024 to develop a licensing and enforcement platform, and a new STR ordinance was targeting City Council hearings in spring 2026. The draft proposal would legalize STRs limited to a host’s primary residence, cap unhosted whole-unit rentals at 90 nights per year, and prohibit multi-property listings. No final ordinance had passed as of May 2026. Enforcement has been complaint-driven with fines of $1,500 to $5,000 per violation.
Prospective investors in the East Bay market must confirm the specific municipality’s current rules before purchasing, as Berkeley, Oakland, Emeryville, and other jurisdictions operate under separate ordinances.
Market Comparison
The Berkeley and East Bay market’s 2025 annual average occupancy of 68.8% is substantially above the US STR median of approximately 55%, ranking it among the highest-occupancy urban markets in the database. However, its 2025 ADR of $135 is well below the US median of approximately $220, a reflection of the large share of private-room and smaller-unit listings that compress the market average rate.
The operator landscape is led by Blueground with 163 listings and a 4.45 rating. Blueground operates primarily in the furnished corporate-housing segment, explaining the low review count (72) relative to listing count. Evolve manages 73 listings with 1,431 reviews at a 4.50 rating. 2B Living holds 28 listings. Jonajo Consulting operates 25 listings with a 4.87 rating and 889 reviews. Academic Housing Rentals Inc. holds 24 listings, reflecting the university-driven segment of the market.
The top five operators collectively manage 313 listings, approximately 4% of the estimated 8,861-unit market. This is a highly fragmented market dominated by individual hosts. The strong private-room share (30% of listings) is unusual among the markets in this dataset and is directly tied to the university town environment, where rooms in shared houses are a legitimate accommodation option.
The total market score of 88.5 out of 100 reflects the combination of near-perfect seasonality (99.1), high rental demand (83.2), and revenue growth (85.4), offset by low investability (45.7) and the regulatory uncertainty.
Frequently Asked Questions About Berkeley, California
What is the average daily rate for short-term rentals in Berkeley, CA?
What is the occupancy rate for Airbnb rentals in Berkeley and the East Bay?
How much can an Airbnb earn per year in Berkeley, CA?
Are short-term rentals legal in Berkeley and the East Bay?
How far in advance do guests book STRs in Berkeley, CA?
Who are the top property managers in the Berkeley and East Bay STR market?
Is Berkeley, CA a good market for short-term rental investment?
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