Cathedral City, California Short-Term Rental Market
Cathedral City STRs averaged $621/night at 57.0% occupancy in April 2026 across roughly 16,982 active listings.
Quick Answer: Cathedral City, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 41%. average monthly revenue is $4,764. average daily rate is $403. the top operator is Vacasa with 593 listings. market score is 44/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Coachella Valley regional market, which includes Cathedral City. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Cathedral City.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Cathedral City sits in the heart of the Coachella Valley resort corridor, and its short-term rental market reflects that position. In April 2026, the market recorded an average daily rate of $620.51 and occupancy of 57.0%, producing a RevPAR of $353.65. Average monthly revenue per listing reached $9,008.
The market is large: roughly 16,982 listings span the five bedroom tiers tracked, with 3-bedroom properties the most common (5,201 listings), followed by 2-bedroom (4,213) and 1-bedroom (3,320). Larger properties are well represented, with 2,727 4-bedroom and 1,521 5-bedroom listings.
Entire-place rentals dominate overwhelmingly, accounting for 16,320 of the roughly 16,999 listings tracked by listing type; private rooms (658) and shared rooms (21) are a marginal slice. On the channel side, 9,530 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 5,374 are Airbnb-only, and 2,095 are VRBO-only, indicating broad multi-platform distribution.
Year-over-year, occupancy dipped 1.08 percentage points while ADR rose 1.88%, and total revenue grew 7.82% — suggesting that rate increases and possibly higher listing counts are driving revenue gains even as per-listing occupancy softens slightly.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56% | $338 | $4,765 |
| Feb | 70% | $364 | $5,671 |
| Mar | 72% | $425 | $7,432 |
| Apr | 57% | $515 | $7,135 |
| May | 39% | $389 | $4,555 |
| Jun | 45% | $366 | $4,433 |
| Jul | 47% | $344 | $4,316 |
| Aug | 44% | $333 | $3,782 |
| Sep | 40% | $340 | $3,468 |
| Oct | 46% | $355 | $4,030 |
| Nov | 55% | $374 | $4,664 |
| Dec | 49% | $388 | $4,865 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Cathedral City
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 593 | 14,029 | ★ 4.49 |
| 2 | Evolve | 340 | 9,820 | ★ 4.71 |
| 3 | AvantStay | 252 | 5,366 | ★ 4.80 |
| 4 | Acme House | 188 | 6,138 | ★ 4.78 |
| 5 | Park Royal Indian Palms Intervals | 170 | 0 | ★ 0.00 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Cathedral City?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 3,320 |
| 2 bed | 4,213 |
| 3 bed | 5,201 |
| 4 bed | 2,727 |
| 5 bed | 1,521 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $412 |
| Luxury | $952 |
| Professionally Managed | $511 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,322 |
| Entire Place | $4,850 |
| House | $5,517 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 31.6% |
| vrbo | 12.3% |
| both | 56.1% |
Investment Analysis
Cathedral City’s investment case rests heavily on its position in one of California’s strongest resort STR corridors. April 2026 average monthly revenue of $9,009 across all listing types rises to $9,292 for entire-place units and $10,505 for houses specifically, reflecting the premium buyers get by purchasing a detached home.
Rate segmentation is striking. The all-listings ADR of $621 climbs to $635 for the entire-home tier and $787 for professionally managed properties. Luxury-tier properties averaged $1,230 per night, more than double the market average, suggesting meaningful upside for premium-positioned assets.
At a typical home value of $484,056 (Zillow, April 2026), an investor buying at that price and achieving average house revenue of $10,505/month would generate approximately $126,066 in gross annual revenue, a gross revenue-to-price ratio of roughly 26%. That figure is pre-expense and does not account for management fees, HOA costs, taxes, or vacancies in off-peak months — but it indicates the revenue potential relative to acquisition cost.
The investability market score of 73.6 out of 100 is the strongest of the five market scores tracked, and revenue growth scores 60.5. The total market score of 44.4 reflects meaningful drag from regulation (58.9) and rental demand (48.9). Investors should weigh Cathedral City’s strict STR zoning laws carefully before purchase (see regulatory summary).
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Cathedral City guests book an average of 114 days in advance (approximately 3.8 months), which is well above the US STR median. This long lead time reflects the market’s resort character: visitors planning Coachella Valley trips — especially around the January-April peak season, festival weekends, and golf events — commit well ahead.
For operators, the 114-day lead window means pricing decisions made three to four months out have a direct effect on realized revenue. Holding rates too low in the fall for the following spring window leaves money on the table; dynamic pricing tools calibrated to valley event calendars are particularly effective here.
Average length of stay is 4.5 nights, sitting between the weekend-getaway and full-week profiles. This means moderate turnover costs relative to markets with 2-3 night average stays, but it also means guests have time to form preferences and leave detailed reviews, which compounds rating quality over time. Operators targeting the spring peak with 4-7 night minimum stays can reduce turnover during the highest-demand weeks.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Cathedral City has among the most restrictive STR regulations in the Coachella Valley. New whole-home non-owner-occupied STVR permits in standard residential zones (R-1/R-2) are effectively prohibited. All pre-existing residential whole-home STVR permits terminated on January 1, 2023 under a phase-out established by Ordinance 842 (effective October 9, 2020).
Two paths remain for legal operation. First, a Home Share permit allows rentals where the property is the owner’s primary residence and at least one owner occupies the home during the rental. Second, whole-unit STVRs are permitted within common-interest developments (HOA properties) located in the Resort Residential (RR) zone whose CC&Rs allow short-term rentals.
Permit cost is approximately $525 annually, plus an $78 inspection fee; a Health and Safety inspection is required, as is proof of commercial liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence. Permits renew annually. The listing permit number must appear in the first line of every advertisement.
Operators collect a 12% Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) on stays of 30 days or fewer, remitted monthly, plus a 1% Tourism Business Improvement District assessment on stays under 28 days.
Enforcement is classified as strict. Permit renewals are blocked for any unresolved liens, code cases, fines, or fees. Buyers considering a standard residential parcel solely for non-owner-occupied STR operation should understand that this use is not currently permitted.
Market Comparison
Against national benchmarks, Cathedral City’s ADR of $621 in April 2026 is nearly three times the US STR median of approximately $220, reflecting its desert resort positioning and high concentration of larger, pool-equipped entire-home properties. Occupancy of 57.0% is slightly above the US STR median of approximately 55%, suggesting demand is solid but not extreme in absolute terms.
The market’s investability score of 73.6 out of 100 is notably strong, while rental demand (48.9) and the total score (44.4) are moderate, pointing to a market where high per-night rates compensate for seasonal softness rather than consistent year-round demand.
Professional management is substantial. Vacasa leads with 593 listings and 14,029 reviews (rating 4.49). Evolve follows with 340 listings and 9,820 reviews (rating 4.71). AvantStay manages 252 listings with 5,366 reviews (rating 4.80). Together, these three operators account for a significant share of the professionally managed tier. The presence of large national operators underscores that Cathedral City attracts institutional-scale STR investment, though new entrants face the same permitting restrictions as individual owners.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cathedral City, California
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