Dana Point, California Short-Term Rental Market
Dana Point STRs averaged $313/night at 67.8% occupancy in April 2026, with revenue up 12.8% year-over-year.
Quick Answer: Dana Point, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 78%. average monthly revenue is $8,143. average daily rate is $408. the top operator is Tower 17 Properties & Mgmt, LLC with 244 listings. market score is 69/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Anaheim regional market, which includes Dana Point. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Dana Point.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Dana Point is an affluent Orange County coastal city centered on its harbor, which draws an estimated 1.5 million visitors annually and is trademarked the Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World. The STR market serves a mix of leisure travelers pursuing marine wildlife tours, harbor boating and dining, surfing at Doheny State Beach, and access to luxury resort experiences at properties like the Ritz-Carlton and Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach.
As of April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $313 and occupancy of 67.8%, generating a RevPAR of $213. Revenue grew 12.8% year-over-year and ADR rose 2.8%, with occupancy up 8.8 percentage points, making this one of the stronger year-over-year performances in the coastal Southern California market. The revenue growth market score of 97.4 out of 100 reflects this momentum.
Entire-place listings account for 11,242 of approximately 13,597 total listings, with private rooms at 2,334. By bedroom count, 1-bedroom units lead at 4,822 listings, followed by 2-bedroom (3,315), 3-bedroom (2,686), 4-bedroom (1,785), and 5-bedroom-plus (974). Airbnb carries 8,117 listings, 4,764 appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, and 716 are VRBO-exclusive. The overall market investment score is 68.9 out of 100, with revenue growth leading at 97.4 and seasonality at 82.4.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58% | $212 | $3,390 |
| Feb | 65% | $225 | $3,672 |
| Mar | 69% | $258 | $4,836 |
| Apr | 62% | $248 | $4,252 |
| May | 66% | $259 | $4,505 |
| Jun | 75% | $309 | $5,783 |
| Jul | 78% | $303 | $6,033 |
| Aug | 68% | $284 | $5,190 |
| Sep | 63% | $247 | $4,121 |
| Oct | 65% | $243 | $4,307 |
| Nov | 60% | $235 | $3,750 |
| Dec | 62% | $242 | $4,043 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Dana Point
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tower 17 Properties & Mgmt, LLC | 244 | 11,217 | ★ 4.70 |
| 2 | Dream Resorts | 195 | 9,053 | ★ 4.68 |
| 3 | Newport Beach Vacation Properties | 137 | 5,374 | ★ 4.61 |
| 4 | Vacasa | 126 | 8,872 | ★ 4.49 |
| 5 | OC Rentals | 121 | 1,263 | ★ 3.85 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Dana Point?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 4,822 |
| 2 bed | 3,315 |
| 3 bed | 2,686 |
| 4 bed | 1,785 |
| 5 bed | 974 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $471 |
| Luxury | $937 |
| Professionally Managed | $788 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $6,154 |
| Entire Place | $9,349 |
| House | $9,039 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 59.7% |
| vrbo | 5.3% |
| both | 35% |
Investment Analysis
Dana Point offers high revenue potential alongside a high entry price. The Zillow typical home value is $1,738,852, and the median sale price is $1,812,000, with homes selling at roughly 89% of the median list price of $2,032,165 on a 31-day pending timeline. The market has 111 active for-sale listings.
At the April 2026 run rate of $5,803/month, annualized gross revenue projects to approximately $69,641. The 2025 annual average of $5,632/month implies $67,584 annualized, a more conservative and historically grounded baseline. Gross yield on the typical home value at the 2025 run rate is approximately 3.9% before expenses. At a purchase price of $1.8 million, the math demands high occupancy and premium ADR to generate acceptable net returns, which underscores the importance of targeting the professionally managed or entire-home tiers.
Houses averaged $6,348/month in April 2026 and entire-place listings $6,579, well above the all-market average of $5,803. Apartment-style units averaged $4,607. The professionally managed ADR tier of $567/night and luxury tier of $724 are the highest in this data set, signaling that the highest-performing properties in Dana Point generate materially more than the all-listings averages would suggest. The permit cap structure (addressed in the regulatory section) is an additional factor: supply is hard-capped, which provides a floor under occupancy for existing permitted operators.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Dana Point guests book an average of 43.1 days in advance, and the average length of stay is 5.25 nights. The roughly six-week lead time for a harbor coastal market is consistent with leisure travelers planning weekend-to-week trips, and the 5.25-night stay signals a meaningful share of week-long bookings.
The longer average stay (compared to, say, a 2- to 3-night urban market) reduces turnover frequency and cleaning costs per booked night. Operators should note that the city mandates a minimum 2-night stay, which aligns with the booking pattern. Weekly pricing tiers would be widely utilized given the 5-night average, and operators offering discounted 7-night rates can capture extended stays without sacrificing per-night yield, especially during summer when the 78% July occupancy indicates near-full availability utilization.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are legal in Dana Point but regulated under Municipal Code Chapter 5.38 with a two-program structure and hard supply caps. All STRs require a city-issued permit displaying the permit number in all advertising, an initial city safety inspection, and a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) registration; operators collect and remit the 10% TOT quarterly.
The program is split between the California Coastal Zone (governed by Coastal Development Permit CDP22-0010, capped at 115 non-primary permits) and the non-coastal zone (also separately capped). New entrants typically join a waitlist for non-primary permits in capped zones. Permit types include non-primary, homestay, primary-residence, multi-family homestay, and mixed-use; non-primary is the relevant type for dedicated investor STRs. Owner occupancy is not required for non-primary permits. New permits cost approximately $780 annually.
Operational rules include a mandatory 2-night minimum stay and a requirement for at least 2 off-street parking spaces. Multifamily properties are limited: buildings of 5 or fewer units may convert a maximum of 1 unit to STR; buildings with 6 or more units may convert up to 20%. Enforcement is strict: fines escalate at $1,500, $3,000, and $5,000 per violation, and a third violation triggers permit revocation. In 2025, the city contracted Deckard Technologies for AI-based detection of unpermitted rentals.
In November 2024, voters rejected Measure T (which would have halved STR permits) by 64% to 36%, preserving the existing program. In May 2025, the City Council voted 4-1 to streamline approvals and activate 15 waitlisted permits.
Market Comparison
At $313 average ADR and 67.8% occupancy in April 2026, Dana Point substantially outperforms the US STR median on both metrics (approximately $220 ADR and 55% occupancy nationally). The 12.8% year-over-year revenue growth is among the highest observed in the coastal California data set for the April 2026 period.
The market is led by regional specialists rather than national chains. Tower 17 Properties and Management leads with 244 listings and 11,217 reviews (4.70 average rating). Dream Resorts holds 195 listings (9,053 reviews, 4.68 rating) and Newport Beach Vacation Properties manages 137 listings (5,374 reviews, 4.61 rating). Vacasa operates 126 listings (8,872 reviews, 4.49 rating) and OC Rentals rounds out the top five with 121 listings (3.85 rating). The dominance of harbor-focused regional operators reflects the specialized nature of the coastal Orange County market. The revenue growth score of 97.4 is the highest of any dimension for this market and signals that Dana Point is in an accelerating phase of investor performance, even as the entry price creates a meaningful cost-of-capital hurdle.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dana Point, California
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