Forestville, California Short-Term Rental Market
Forestville, CA STRs averaged $447/night at 53.5% occupancy in April 2026, with revenue up 4.1% year-over-year.
Quick Answer: Forestville, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Sonoma market area is 63%. average monthly revenue in the Sonoma market area is $8,770. average daily rate in the Sonoma market area is $518. the top operator in the Sonoma market area is Vacasa with 175 listings. market score is 67/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Sonoma regional market, which includes Forestville. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Forestville.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Forestville is a small community in the Russian River Valley in western Sonoma County, part of California’s wine country north of San Francisco. The STR market here reflects its dual identity as a Wine Country getaway and river recreation destination: approximately 3,901 active listings by type (entire place: 3,598, private room: 302, shared room: 1), with nearly all supply being entire-home rentals (92.2% of listings). The bedroom distribution is more evenly spread than many markets: 1-bedroom (1,128 listings), 2-bedroom (981), and 3-bedroom (988) are all close in count, with 4-bedroom (518) and 5-bedroom (283) properties providing larger-group inventory.
In April 2026, the market averaged a daily rate of $447.29 and occupancy of 53.45%, producing a RevPAR of $239.06. Occupancy rose 5.3% year-over-year, and total revenue grew 4.1%, despite a 1.0% dip in ADR. The channel split is balanced: 1,969 listings are on both Airbnb and VRBO, 1,640 are Airbnb-only, and 292 are VRBO-only. The total market score is 66.9 out of 100, with regulation (71.9) and revenue growth (79.9) the strongest sub-scores. Heavy regulatory restrictions are a defining feature of this market.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 39% |
| Feb | 48% |
| Mar | 51% |
| Apr | 56% |
| May | 58% |
| Jun | 64% |
| Jul | 67% |
| Aug | 64% |
| Sep | 58% |
| Oct | 55% |
| Nov | 51% |
| Dec | 45% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Forestville are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Sonoma market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Sonoma market as a whole, which includes Forestville, so these counts are not Forestville-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 175 | 9,887 | ★ 4.56 |
| 2 | Bodega Bay & Beyond Vacation Home Rentals | 91 | 3,491 | ★ 4.80 |
| 3 | Russian River Vacation Homes | 85 | 6,990 | ★ 4.81 |
| 4 | Woodfield | 49 | 626 | ★ 4.86 |
| 5 | Bodega Bay Escapes | 44 | 787 | ★ 4.83 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Forestville?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Forestville 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 | 42% |
| vrbo | 7.5% |
| both | 50.5% |
Home Value Trends (Forestville)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Forestville 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 Forestville — 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
Forestville is in unincorporated Sonoma County, so STRs are governed by Permit Sonoma, not a city. The regulatory framework is detailed and strictly enforced. Operators must obtain three approvals: a Transient Vacation Rental (TVR) zoning permit, an annual Vacation Rental License (expires 365 days from approval and must be renewed yearly), and a Vacation Rental business license created under Sonoma County Ordinance No. 6427 (adopted May 16, 2023). A TOT registration number is required before licensing.
The occupancy tax rate is 12% of gross rents in the unincorporated county. Occupancy is capped at 2 persons per sleeping room plus 2, with a maximum of 12 guests. A certified property manager must be available 24/7, with response times of approximately 30 minutes evenings and 1 hour daytime. Enforcement is active with a 24-hour complaint hotline; fines run from $1,500 up to $5,000 for repeat violations within a year.
Critical restrictions for investors: new permits are limited to natural persons or family trusts only (no LLCs or corporations, one license per person). Rentals are prohibited in R1, R2, R3, LIA, and PC zones; they are only permitted in RR, AR, LEA, DA, and RRD zones and similar. Density caps of 5% and 10% in areas of concentration mean many parts of Forestville have no available capacity for new permits as of 2024. Critically, vacation rental permits do not transfer on property sale: a new owner must apply for a new permit, which may be unavailable in capped zones. Prospective buyers should verify permit availability and zone status before acquisition.
Market Comparison
At 53.5% occupancy in April 2026, Forestville is near the US STR median of approximately 55%. The April ADR of $447.29 is more than double the US median of approximately $220, placing this firmly among premium wine country and nature-destination markets. The 2025 annual average ADR of $445 is similarly elevated.
The top operators reflect the regional wine-country specialty. Vacasa leads with 175 listings and 9,887 reviews (4.56 average rating). Bodega Bay & Beyond Vacation Home Rentals has 91 listings and 3,491 reviews (4.80 rating), and Russian River Vacation Homes has 85 listings and 6,990 reviews (4.81 rating). Together these three operators account for 351 listings out of approximately 3,901 total, or about 9.0% of the market. The high ratings for the regional specialists (4.80 and 4.81) reflect the demands of an affluent wine country visitor base. The regulatory environment, with its strict density caps and no-transfer rule, effectively constrains supply growth and may support pricing over time for existing permit holders.
Frequently Asked Questions About Forestville, California
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