Eureka, California Short-Term Rental Market
Eureka, CA STRs averaged $233/night at 52.3% occupancy in April 2026, with a gross STR yield of approximately 9.4% based on a $414,335 typical home value.
Quick Answer: Eureka, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the California North Area market area is 65%. average monthly revenue in the California North Area market area is $4,715. average daily rate in the California North Area market area is $273. the top operator in the California North Area market area is Vacasa with 383 listings. market score is 69/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the California North Area regional market, which includes Eureka. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Eureka.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Eureka is the largest coastal city between San Francisco and Portland and the commercial hub of California’s Humboldt County redwood region. Humboldt County travel spending reached approximately $479 million in 2023, supporting around 5,600 hospitality jobs. Visitors are drawn by old-growth redwoods, Humboldt Bay, Old Town Eureka’s Victorian architecture, and the Avenue of the Giants.
In April 2026, the market recorded an average daily rate of $233 and occupancy of 52.3%, generating RevPAR of $121.70 and average monthly revenue of $3,229. The market carries approximately 9,339 channel-tracked listings. Entire-place rentals dominate at 8,508 units (91% of supply), with 829 private rooms and 2 shared rooms. Bedroom distribution: 1-bedroom leads at 3,775 units, followed by 2-bedroom (2,233), 3-bedroom (2,104), 4-bedroom (853), and 5-bedroom (360). Airbnb is the primary platform with 4,873 Airbnb-only listings; 628 list exclusively on VRBO; and 3,838 appear on both. Year-over-year in April 2026, occupancy gained 0.27 percentage points, ADR rose 2.89%, and revenue increased 5.22%. All three metrics improved, making Eureka one of the few markets in this batch showing consistent year-over-year revenue growth.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 42% |
| Feb | 49% |
| Mar | 52% |
| Apr | 55% |
| May | 58% |
| Jun | 66% |
| Jul | 70% |
| Aug | 65% |
| Sep | 56% |
| Oct | 53% |
| Nov | 51% |
| Dec | 49% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Eureka are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in California North Area market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the California North Area market as a whole, which includes Eureka, so these counts are not Eureka-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 383 | 38,837 | ★ 4.67 |
| 2 | Evolve | 221 | 9,277 | ★ 4.68 |
| 3 | Casago | 123 | 6,561 | ★ 4.74 |
| 4 | Humboldt Retreats | 71 | 4,291 | ★ 4.88 |
| 5 | Grand Welcome | 55 | 4,143 | ★ 4.68 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Eureka?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Eureka are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 52.2% |
| vrbo | 6.7% |
| both | 41.1% |
Home Value Trends (Eureka)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Eureka are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Eureka — how far ahead guests book and how to price around it — is available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Eureka permits short-term vacation rentals (stays of 30 consecutive days or less) under a ministerial approval process but requires three separate registrations: a Vacation Rental Permit confirming zoning compliance, a City of Eureka Business License, and a Home Occupation Permit (unless a licensed property management company operates the rental). Eureka’s Inland STR Ordinance took effect March 5, 2024.
The Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) rate is 10%. A critical operator note: platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO do NOT collect or remit Eureka’s TOT on behalf of hosts. Operators must register with the City Finance Department and remit TOT directly on a quarterly basis. Failure to do so is a compliance risk.
The Vacation Rental Permit lapses and becomes void by February 1 each year unless the business license is renewed, all taxes and fees are paid, and there are no outstanding Police, Fire, or Building Department violations. There is no owner-occupancy mandate, but the city caps the number of vacation rentals without an on-site proprietor at a limit set annually by the City Council; owner-occupied rentals are exempt from this cap. ADUs and JADUs granted a certificate of occupancy after January 1, 2020 are prohibited from use as short-term rentals. The coastal portion of Eureka is separately governed by Humboldt County’s Coastal STR Ordinance (certified by the California Coastal Commission). Enforcement severity is rated moderate. Permit cost was not published in the profile data.
Market Comparison
Eureka’s April 2026 occupancy of 52.3% is close to the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, placing it near the national average. The ADR of $233 is above the national median of approximately $220, reflecting the premium pricing possible in a redwood-coastal destination with limited comparable accommodation alternatives. RevPAR of $121.70 is one of the stronger values in this batch, supported by the above-median rate.
The gross yield of approximately 9.4% based on the Zillow typical home value is notable for a California coastal market, where yields are often compressed by high acquisition costs. The sale-to-list ratio of 0.851 and 18 median days to pending suggest buyers have some negotiating room, which can improve entry yields for investors.
Property management is concentrated. Vacasa leads with 383 listings and a 4.67 rating across 38,837 reviews. Evolve holds 221 listings with a 4.68 rating. Casago manages 123 listings at a 4.74 rating. Humboldt Retreats operates 71 listings with the highest rating among the top five at 4.88. Grand Welcome holds 55 listings at 4.68. Together the top five operators account for 853 listings, approximately 9% of the roughly 9,339 tracked listings.
Frequently Asked Questions About Eureka, California
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