Glen Ellen, California Short-Term Rental Market
Glen Ellen STRs averaged $447/night at 53.5% occupancy in April 2026 in a supply-constrained Sonoma Valley wine country market.
Quick Answer: Glen Ellen, 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 Glen Ellen. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Glen Ellen.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Glen Ellen is a small unincorporated village in the Sonoma Valley wine country with a resident population of 714. The short-term rental market is driven by wine tourism and access to Jack London State Historic Park, drawing primarily affluent weekend travelers from the San Francisco Bay Area.
In April 2026, the market recorded an average daily rate of $447 and occupancy of 53.5%, generating average monthly revenue of $6,243 per active listing. RevPAR stood at $239. Year over year, occupancy improved 5.3 points and revenue grew 4.1%, while ADR dipped slightly by 1.0%, indicating demand-led recovery after several post-2021 softer years.
Active listings total approximately 3,901. Entire-place rentals comprise 3,598 listings (92% of supply), with 302 private-room listings and 1 shared-room listing. Bedroom distribution shows a large 1BR segment (1,128 listings) alongside strong 2BR (981) and 3BR (988) counts, with 4BR (518) and 5BR (283) rounding out the mix. Channel distribution shows 1,969 listings on both Airbnb and VRBO, 1,640 Airbnb-only, and 292 VRBO-only, indicating Airbnb is considerably more dominant here than VRBO relative to dual-listed properties.
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 Glen Ellen 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 Glen Ellen, so these counts are not Glen Ellen-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 Glen Ellen?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Glen Ellen 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 (Glen Ellen)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Glen Ellen 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 Glen Ellen — 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
Glen Ellen is unincorporated and governed by Sonoma County (Permit Sonoma) under vacation rental ordinances including the 2023 update (Ordinance No. 6427). Operating a short-term vacation rental requires three approvals: a Transient Vacation Rental (TVR) Zoning Permit, an annual Vacation Rental License (renewed every 365 days), and a Transient Occupancy Tax number. The application fee is approximately $1,400. Guests pay a 12% Transient Occupancy Tax; high-volume operators generating over roughly $350,000 annually also owe a 2% Business Improvement Area assessment.
Key investor constraints: (1) The license holder must be a natural person who owns the property. LLC and corporate ownership is prohibited. (2) Permits do not transfer on sale; a new owner must reapply from scratch. (3) Maximum occupancy is capped at 12 guests regardless of home size. (4) Many Glen Ellen parcels fall within Vacation Rental Exclusion (X) Combining Zones or density caps of 5-10%, where new permits are unavailable or severely restricted. Enforcement is rated strict.
Investors must confirm a specific parcel’s eligibility with Permit Sonoma before purchasing. Acquiring a licensed property does not guarantee the ability to continue operating the STR.
Market Comparison
Glen Ellen’s April 2026 metrics of $447 ADR and 53.5% occupancy place it well above the U.S. STR median ADR of approximately $220 and near the national median occupancy of around 55%. On an annual basis, 2025 averaged $445 ADR and 52.1% occupancy, consistently above national benchmarks. RevPAR of $239 is more than double the implied national average.
The professional management landscape is concentrated but smaller-scale than major resort markets. Vacasa leads with 175 listings and 9,887 reviews (4.56 rating). Bodega Bay and Beyond Vacation Home Rentals holds 91 listings with a 4.80 rating, and Russian River Vacation Homes manages 85 listings (4.81 rating). Woodfield operates 49 listings (4.86 rating) and Bodega Bay Escapes manages 44 listings (4.83 rating). Combined, these five operators account for approximately 444 listings, about 11% of total supply, indicating that independent operators hold the majority of the market despite a competitive professional management presence.
Frequently Asked Questions About Glen Ellen, California
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