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 is 63%. average monthly revenue is $8,770. average daily rate is $518. the top operator 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 Apivex 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 | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39% | $316 | $3,584 |
| Feb | 48% | $320 | $3,628 |
| Mar | 51% | $350 | $4,713 |
| Apr | 56% | $382 | $5,438 |
| May | 58% | $418 | $6,120 |
| Jun | 64% | $438 | $7,192 |
| Jul | 67% | $426 | $7,524 |
| Aug | 64% | $432 | $7,395 |
| Sep | 58% | $420 | $6,419 |
| Oct | 55% | $412 | $6,133 |
| Nov | 51% | $391 | $5,195 |
| Dec | 45% | $358 | $4,547 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Glen Ellen
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | 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 pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,128 |
| 2 bed | 981 |
| 3 bed | 988 |
| 4 bed | 518 |
| 5 bed | 283 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $545 |
| Luxury | $966 |
| Professionally Managed | $645 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $4,758 |
| Entire Place | $9,254 |
| House | $9,202 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 42% |
| vrbo | 7.5% |
| both | 50.5% |
Investment Analysis
Glen Ellen produces above-average revenue for a small wine-country market. In April 2026, the all-listings average monthly revenue was $6,243, projecting to roughly $74,921 annualized. Houses and entire-place listings generate $6,583 and $6,568 per month respectively, well above the overall average. Professionally managed listings average $575 ADR, a 29% premium over the market-wide $447, suggesting that well-run properties with strong presentation command material rate increases. Luxury-tier properties average $877 ADR.
No housing price data was available in the dataset for this market, so a gross yield calculation cannot be provided. Investors should source current home values independently.
The revenue growth market score of 79.9 out of 100 is the market’s strongest dimension, and the 4.1% year-over-year revenue increase in April 2026 confirms positive momentum after the 2022-2023 post-pandemic correction. The primary investment risk is regulatory: Sonoma County prohibits LLC or corporate ownership of vacation rental licenses, requires natural-person ownership, and does not allow permit transfers on sale. A buyer acquiring a currently licensed property must reapply for the permit as a new owner. Multiple Glen Ellen neighborhoods carry Vacation Rental Exclusion (X) zone designations or density caps of 5-10%, meaning many parcels cannot be newly licensed at all. Parcel-level eligibility confirmation with Permit Sonoma is essential before any purchase.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
The average booking lead time in Glen Ellen is 54.5 days, meaning guests typically book about seven and a half weeks in advance. This is a relatively long lead window, consistent with Sonoma Valley wine-country travel being treated as a planned trip rather than a spontaneous weekend decision. Operators benefit from good forward visibility on bookings but should monitor open windows beyond 60 days for dynamic pricing adjustments.
Average length of stay is 3.66 nights. This reflects a profile of weekend-plus stays typical of Bay Area travelers combining wine country with a few days of leisure. The 3-to-4 night average means roughly 8-9 guest cycles per month, giving operators meaningful mid-stay turnover opportunities and pricing flexibility by day of week.
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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