Discovery Bay, California Short-Term Rental Market
Discovery Bay STRs averaged $133/night at 69.3% occupancy in April 2026, but non-hosted rentals are capped at 90 nights per year and primary residence is required.
Quick Answer: Discovery Bay, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 80%. average monthly revenue is $3,157. average daily rate is $150. the top operator is Blueground with 157 listings. market score is 88/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the Oakland regional market, which includes Discovery Bay. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Discovery Bay.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Discovery Bay is a waterfront residential community on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in unincorporated Contra Costa County, with access to over 1,000 miles of navigable channels. The short-term rental market draws primarily Bay Area and Central Valley weekenders seeking boating, waterskiing, wakeboarding, fishing, and jet skiing. Activity is highly seasonal, concentrated in the summer water-recreation window.
As of April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $133 and occupancy of 69.3%, generating a RevPAR of $92. Revenue is up 2.9% year-over-year, ADR is essentially flat at +0.05%, and occupancy improved 1.7 percentage points. These are modest gains, consistent with a stable but not accelerating market.
Entire-place listings account for 6,145 of approximately 8,868 total listings, with private rooms at 2,647. By bedroom count, 1-bedroom units dominate at 5,461 listings, followed by 2-bedroom (1,674), 3-bedroom (1,012), 4-bedroom (491), and 5-bedroom-plus (208). Airbnb carries 6,773 listings, 1,842 appear on both platforms, and 253 are VRBO-exclusive. The market’s overall investment score is 88.3 out of 100, with seasonality scoring 99.1 and rental demand at 83.0, but investability at 45.6, reflecting the regulatory constraints discussed below.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63% | $111 | $1,979 |
| Feb | 69% | $114 | $2,011 |
| Mar | 70% | $117 | $2,254 |
| Apr | 68% | $118 | $2,207 |
| May | 72% | $125 | $2,394 |
| Jun | 76% | $129 | $2,617 |
| Jul | 77% | $127 | $2,679 |
| Aug | 75% | $126 | $2,612 |
| Sep | 72% | $121 | $2,350 |
| Oct | 70% | $120 | $2,354 |
| Nov | 65% | $118 | $2,089 |
| Dec | 63% | $120 | $2,108 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Discovery Bay
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blueground | 157 | 72 | ★ 4.46 |
| 2 | Evolve | 72 | 1,409 | ★ 4.52 |
| 3 | 2B Living | 28 | 60 | ★ 4.45 |
| 4 | Jonajo Consulting | 25 | 885 | ★ 4.87 |
| 5 | Academic Housing Rentals Inc. | 24 | 57 | ★ 4.75 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Discovery Bay?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 5,461 |
| 2 bed | 1,674 |
| 3 bed | 1,012 |
| 4 bed | 491 |
| 5 bed | 208 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $188 |
| Luxury | $267 |
| Professionally Managed | $198 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,864 |
| Entire Place | $3,915 |
| House | $3,287 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 76.4% |
| vrbo | 2.9% |
| both | 20.8% |
Investment Analysis
Discovery Bay is a nuanced investment case: the demand metrics are strong but the regulatory structure imposes hard limits on non-owner-occupied STR income. The primary residence requirement under Contra Costa County Ordinance 2020-12 means dedicated investor properties are not eligible for STR permits. Non-hosted stays (host absent from the property) are capped at 90 nights per calendar year.
At 90 non-hosted nights and the all-listings average ADR of $133, the theoretical maximum gross revenue for a non-hosted operator is approximately $11,970 per year at full cap utilization, assuming 100% booking rate on all 90 nights, which is not a realistic ceiling. Primary-residence owners who occupy the property and rent it as a hosted STR (host present on lot) can rent up to 180 nights per year, which extends the income ceiling to roughly $23,940 at average ADR and full utilization.
The Zillow typical home value is $793,683, with a median list price of $830,833 and 98 active for-sale listings. Against an uncapped monthly revenue run rate of $2,550, gross yield on the typical home value would be approximately 3.9% annualized. Given the 90-night non-hosted cap, actual annual gross revenue for a non-hosted operator using the cap fully would be well below $12,000, representing a gross yield under 1.5%. Investors should model specifically against the applicable cap structure rather than the all-market monthly average. The investability score of 45.6 reflects this constraint directly.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Discovery Bay guests book an average of 29.8 days in advance, and the average length of stay is nearly 7 nights at 6.99. The near-weekly stay pattern reflects the vacation home character of the market: visitors are primarily renting for the week, not for weekend getaways. This is among the longest average stays in the coastal California data set.
A 7-night average stay means turnover is infrequent, which reduces cleaning costs and management burden per booked stay but also means that each available booking window has meaningful revenue concentration. For operators subject to the 90-night non-hosted cap, a 7-night stay consumes 7 of those 90 nights. At a $133 average ADR, a 7-night stay generates approximately $931. Operators should prioritize high-ADR weeks during peak summer and use available cap nights selectively. The 30-day booking lead time suggests operators can hold pricing firm through the 45-day window and expect bookings to materialize in the final 3 to 4 weeks before check-in.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Discovery Bay is governed by Contra Costa County’s STR ordinance (Ordinance 2020-12, Chapter 88-32). Short-term rentals are legal but require a county STR permit and a transient occupancy tax registration certificate. The permit application fee is $380 and permits must be renewed annually (renewal filed at least 30 days before expiration).
Two important constraints apply. First, the STR must be the operator’s primary residence; dedicated investor properties are not eligible for STR permits. Second, rental nights are capped: non-hosted rentals (host absent from the lot) are capped at 90 nights per calendar year, while hosted rentals (host present on the lot) are capped at 180 nights. Only one STR permit is allowed per lot, and units in buildings with five or more dwelling units are ineligible.
A 10% Transient Occupancy Tax applies to stays of 30 nights or fewer; Airbnb collects and remits it automatically on California bookings. Eligible zoning includes single-family residential, planned-unit residential, multi-family residential, and non-Williamson-Act agricultural districts.
Enforcement is complaint-driven and rated moderate. Operating without a permit triggers a 10-day notice to comply, with late-filing fees of approximately $150 to $250. Permits can be revoked for violations. The community has had documented neighbor pushback against STRs, which increases the likelihood that complaint-driven enforcement will be exercised. Investors considering this market should confirm with Contra Costa County Planning that their specific parcel and use case is eligible before proceeding.
Market Comparison
At $133 average ADR and 69.3% occupancy in April 2026, Discovery Bay sits well below the US STR median ADR of approximately $220 but above the national occupancy median of approximately 55%. The low ADR reflects the inland waterway location and the residential nature of the market rather than a coastal premium. The 2.9% year-over-year revenue growth is modest but positive.
The operator landscape is dominated by Blueground (157 listings, 72 reviews, 4.46 rating), whose high listing count relative to very low review count suggests a corporate or extended-stay inventory focus rather than traditional STR nights. Evolve is the second-largest operator at 72 listings (1,409 reviews, 4.52 rating). 2B Living manages 28 listings (4.45 rating), Jonajo Consulting operates 25 listings (885 reviews, 4.87 rating), and Academic Housing Rentals Inc. rounds out the top five with 24 listings (4.75 rating). The academic housing operator presence and Blueground’s extended-stay focus suggest a meaningful share of this market’s inventory serves medium-term stays at or near 30 days rather than short-stay leisure rentals. The total market score of 88.3 is high, but the investability score of 45.6 correctly signals that the primary-residence and 90-night-cap constraints materially limit dedicated investor returns.
Frequently Asked Questions About Discovery Bay, California
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Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in Discovery Bay, CA?
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