Borrego Springs, California Short-Term Rental Market
Borrego Springs STRs averaged $299/night at 65.3% occupancy in April 2026, with revenue up 9.8% year-over-year.
Quick Answer: Borrego Springs, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 65%. average monthly revenue is $5,335. average daily rate is $299. the top operator is Evolve with 265 listings. market score is 65/100 (grade C).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Borrego Springs is a desert destination in unincorporated San Diego County, anchored by Anza-Borrego Desert State Park — the largest state park in California. The community draws wildflower season visitors, stargazers, birdwatchers, and off-road travelers. As of April 2026, the average daily rate is $299, occupancy is 65.3%, and RevPAR is $196. Year-over-year, occupancy rose 8.4 percentage points while ADR edged down 0.7%, producing a strong net revenue gain of 9.8% versus April 2025.
The market operates in a highly permissive regulatory environment: unincorporated San Diego County requires only a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Certificate, with no STR operating permit or business license required. This makes Borrego Springs one of the most accessible STR markets in Southern California.
The community has a population of approximately 2,700. The for-sale inventory of 57 units is relatively tight given the remote desert location. The listing inventory spans the full range from budget desert casitas to luxury mid-century compounds with mountain and desert views.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56% | $202 | $3,105 |
| Feb | 65% | $210 | $3,322 |
| Mar | 69% | $246 | $4,497 |
| Apr | 62% | $243 | $4,075 |
| May | 64% | $249 | $4,093 |
| Jun | 74% | $299 | $5,521 |
| Jul | 77% | $312 | $6,120 |
| Aug | 68% | $291 | $5,367 |
| Sep | 61% | $245 | $4,008 |
| Oct | 61% | $236 | $3,934 |
| Nov | 58% | $224 | $3,397 |
| Dec | 57% | $230 | $3,544 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Borrego Springs
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 265 | 10,436 | ★ 4.74 |
| 2 | Surf Style Vacation Homes | 223 | 10,070 | ★ 4.77 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 176 | 8,268 | ★ 4.62 |
| 4 | Nxt Vacation Rental Management | 164 | 3,008 | ★ 4.90 |
| 5 | San Diego Rentals | 162 | 153 | ★ 4.40 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Borrego Springs?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 11,264 |
| 2 bed | 6,920 |
| 3 bed | 4,574 |
| 4 bed | 2,454 |
| 5 bed | 1,666 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $321 |
| Luxury | $575 |
| Professionally Managed | $436 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $4,493 |
| Entire Place | $5,700 |
| House | $5,957 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 49.4% |
| vrbo | 6.2% |
| both | 44.4% |
Investment Analysis
Borrego Springs presents an exceptional investment case driven by low acquisition costs and strong occupancy. At a typical home value of $358,588 and April 2026 average monthly revenue of $5,335, annualized gross revenue is approximately $64,024, implying a gross revenue yield of roughly 17.9%.
This is one of the highest gross yields in the California STR market landscape, reflecting the combination of strong desert tourism demand, low property costs relative to other Southern California markets, and minimal regulatory overhead. The median list price of $365,750 confirms accessible entry costs.
ADR tiers show significant upside for premium properties: entire-home listings average $321 versus $299 overall, professionally managed properties average $436 (a 46% premium), and luxury-tier listings reach $575 per night. Houses generate $5,957 per month versus apartments at $4,493, a 33% gap. The professionally managed premium of 46% is among the highest in this batch, indicating that professional operators in Borrego Springs significantly outperform self-managing owners through superior marketing, dynamic pricing, and guest experience.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Borrego Springs bookings average a 41-day lead time, roughly six weeks in advance. This reflects the planned nature of desert getaway trips from San Diego, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, where guests coordinate visits around wildflower reports, scheduled events, and weekend getaways.
Average length of stay is 4.4 nights, reflecting the multi-day nature of desert exploration, where guests want to spend multiple evenings stargazing, multiple days hiking Anza-Borrego, and multiple meals at local restaurants. The combination of the longer stay duration and moderate lead time creates a favorable dynamic for operators: pricing can be set conservatively for the wildflower peak (February through March) as demand consistently fills inventory, while summer bookings benefit from dynamic pricing that attracts heat-tolerant visitors at competitive rates.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Borrego Springs is in unincorporated San Diego County, which does not require a STR operating permit for unincorporated areas. The only mandatory compliance step is obtaining a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Certificate from the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector. Registration opened June 11, 2024, with quarterly reporting beginning July 1, 2024. The TOT rate is 8% of gross rental receipts for stays of 30 days or fewer.
The TOT Certificate is not an STR operating permit and does not waive other applicable zoning or state law requirements. Operators should verify parcel-specific zoning with San Diego County Planning and Development Services, as some zones may restrict short-term use. No owner-occupancy or primary residence requirement applies at the county level. No annual nights cap exists in unincorporated San Diego County. Enforcement is rated minimal.
Investors should note that the county has signaled potential adoption of additional rules (guest limits, quiet-hour requirements) in the future, though no such ordinance was in effect as of the profile update date.
Market Comparison
Borrego Springs’ April 2026 ADR of $299 is approximately 36% above the US STR median of approximately $220, while occupancy at 65.3% is approximately 10 percentage points above the national median. The gross revenue yield of approximately 17.9% is among the highest in the Southern California market.
Evolve leads the market with 265 listings and 10,436 reviews (4.74 average rating). Surf Style Vacation Homes follows with 223 listings and 10,070 reviews (4.77 rating). Vacasa holds 176 listings and 8,268 reviews (4.62 rating). Nxt Vacation Rental Management manages 164 listings with a 4.90 rating, the highest in the group. San Diego Rentals rounds out the top five with 162 listings.
The high concentration of professionally managed inventory (Evolve, Surf Style, Vacasa, Nxt, and San Diego Rentals together account for 990 listings) reflects the maturity of the managed vacation rental market in this desert destination.
Frequently Asked Questions About Borrego Springs, California
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