Chowchilla, California Short-Term Rental Market
Chowchilla-area STRs averaged $141/night at 59.1% occupancy in April 2026, in the Central Valley gateway corridor to Yosemite and Sequoia.
Quick Answer: Chowchilla, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 63%. average monthly revenue is $2,724. average daily rate is $157. the top operator is Evolve with 177 listings. market score is 57/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the California Central Valley regional market, which includes Chowchilla. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Chowchilla.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Chowchilla is a small Central Valley city in Madera County, positioned along Highway 99 roughly 35 miles north of Fresno. The broader market area serves as a gateway corridor to three major national parks — Yosemite (4.12 million visitors in 2024), Sequoia, and Kings Canyon — and its short-term rental activity draws primarily from this regional park access demand.
In April 2026, the market recorded an average daily rate of $140.79 and occupancy of 59.1%, producing a RevPAR of $83.20. Average monthly revenue per listing was $2,268. Year-over-year, occupancy declined slightly by 0.47 percentage points, ADR declined 0.62%, and total revenue declined 2.75%, continuing a mild softening trend following the post-pandemic peak years.
The listing base spans approximately 9,765 properties across the five bedroom tiers. One-bedroom units are the most common at 4,549, followed by 3-bedroom (1,993), 2-bedroom (1,548), 4-bedroom (1,212), and 5-bedroom (463). Entire-place listings account for 7,098 of roughly 9,773 tracked by listing type; private rooms (2,664) represent a significant secondary segment at about 27% of supply, consistent with Central Valley operators supplementing income by renting rooms within their own homes.
The market is overwhelmingly Airbnb-driven: 6,913 listings are Airbnb-only, 2,568 appear on both platforms, and only 292 are VRBO-only. The seasonality score of 98.8 out of 100 is near-perfect, reflecting very low seasonal variation in this year-round-demand corridor market.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55% | $106 | $1,694 |
| Feb | 61% | $111 | $1,724 |
| Mar | 61% | $112 | $1,932 |
| Apr | 61% | $117 | $1,948 |
| May | 64% | $124 | $2,107 |
| Jun | 66% | $129 | $2,315 |
| Jul | 67% | $125 | $2,308 |
| Aug | 63% | $122 | $2,154 |
| Sep | 61% | $118 | $1,948 |
| Oct | 61% | $116 | $1,979 |
| Nov | 58% | $115 | $1,826 |
| Dec | 57% | $116 | $1,861 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Chowchilla
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 177 | 4,215 | ★ 4.55 |
| 2 | Stay Smart | 85 | 925 | ★ 4.36 |
| 3 | Guest Equity, Inc. | 47 | 4,153 | ★ 4.71 |
| 4 | Fresno Short Term Rentals | 43 | 3,803 | ★ 4.86 |
| 5 | LUSH Garden Hideaway | 42 | 875 | ★ 4.95 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Chowchilla?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 4,549 |
| 2 bed | 1,548 |
| 3 bed | 1,993 |
| 4 bed | 1,212 |
| 5 bed | 463 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $191 |
| Luxury | $299 |
| Professionally Managed | $232 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $1,838 |
| Entire Place | $3,296 |
| House | $2,862 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 70.7% |
| vrbo | 3% |
| both | 26.3% |
Investment Analysis
The Chowchilla-area investment case centers on consistent, year-round demand from a market segment that serves as a lodging base for national park visitors, agricultural industry workers, and regional business travelers.
At a typical home value of $391,417 (Zillow, April 2026), average monthly revenue of $2,268 implies a gross annual revenue run-rate of approximately $27,216, representing a 6.95% gross revenue-to-price ratio. This is lower than coastal California resort markets but reflects significantly lower entry costs — a $391,000 home in this market versus $484,000 in Cathedral City or well above $500,000 in most coastal California markets.
By listing type, entire-place units average $2,713/month and houses average $2,372/month in April 2026. Apartments average $1,639/month — a 39% discount to the entire-place average. The professionally managed ADR of $186.52/night is 32% above the market average of $140.79, and luxury-tier properties reach $258.38/night (84% above average), suggesting quality differentiation has meaningful revenue impact.
The total market score of 57.4 reflects balanced fundamentals: rental demand scores 66.3 (solid, consistent with gateway-market baseline), investability scores 58.1 (moderate), and revenue growth scores 48.8 (below average, consistent with the mild YoY declines in 2025-2026). The market peaked in the 2020-2021 period (annual averages of $1,825 and $2,293 respectively) and has settled into a steadier range of $2,199-$2,330 annually from 2023 through 2025.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Chowchilla-area guests book an average of 28 days in advance, approximately four weeks. This relatively short lead time reflects the market’s mix of spontaneous regional leisure travelers (day-trippers extending to overnight stays near national parks), passing business travelers, and workers on assignment in the agricultural and distribution industries of the Central Valley.
For operators, the 28-day booking window means pricing decisions should be actively managed on a rolling month-ahead basis. Last-minute adjustments for specific Yosemite permit windows (e.g., half-dome permits, Yosemite Valley reservation slots), holiday weekends, or local agricultural events can capture incremental revenue that static pricing misses.
Average length of stay of 5.01 nights is notably long for a non-resort market. This reflects the presence of extended-stay travelers: contractors, workers, and national park visitors who use the area as a base for multi-day park itineraries. Five-night average stays mean lower per-booking turnover costs and more predictable week-block scheduling, which is operationally efficient. Minimum-stay policies of 3-5 nights align with this demand profile and help filter out high-maintenance short stays.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
The Chowchilla-area market profile covers multiple Central Valley jurisdictions with varying STR rules. Chowchilla itself is within Madera County; the regulatory details below reflect the City of Fresno and surrounding jurisdictions that anchor the broader market data.
City of Fresno: STRs are permitted. Operators must obtain an annual Short-Term Rental Permit before renting or advertising. The initial cost is $50 ($25 application plus $25 permit fee); renewal is $25 annually. The permit holder must be the property owner. Operators collect a 12% Transient Occupancy Tax plus a 2% Tourism Business Improvement District assessment (14% total) on gross rental revenue. TOT is waived only if total annual rental days fall below 31. Enforcement is complaint-driven.
City of Visalia: STR ordinance adopted October 2023. Restricts STRs to the operator’s primary residence, caps them at two guest rooms, and prohibits ADUs from STR use. TOT rate is 10%.
Bakersfield: As of May 2025, a new STR ordinance was in its first council reading, shifting from an unregulated status.
Madera County (including Chowchilla): The profile does not specify Madera County’s STR rules separately. Investors purchasing in unincorporated Madera County or within Chowchilla city limits should verify local requirements directly with Madera County or the City of Chowchilla before operating, as the rules may differ from the City of Fresno requirements described above. The occupancy_tax_pct of 14% in the data reflects Fresno city specifically.
Market Comparison
Chowchilla-area STRs averaged $141/night in April 2026, well below the US STR median of approximately $220 — reflecting the market’s Central Valley, non-resort positioning and lower regional price levels. Occupancy of 59.1% is above the US STR median of approximately 55%, suggesting that while rates are modest, demand is consistent and properties achieve solid utilization.
The near-perfect seasonality score of 98.8 out of 100 is unusual and reflects a structural characteristic: this market has demand every month of the year from national park gateway traffic, agricultural industry, and business travel, making it more stable than nearly any leisure-only market.
Professional management is present but at smaller scale than major resort markets. Evolve leads with 177 listings and 4,215 reviews (rating 4.55). Stay Smart manages 85 listings (4.36 rating). Guest Equity, Inc. holds 47 listings (4.71 rating) and Fresno Short Term Rentals manages 43 listings (4.86 rating). The presence of a Fresno-named specialist in the top four reflects the regional character of the management ecosystem here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chowchilla, California
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