Gualala, California Short-Term Rental Market
Gualala, CA area STRs averaged $233/night at 52.3% occupancy in April 2026 across 9,339 active listings.
Quick Answer: Gualala, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 65%. average monthly revenue is $4,715. average daily rate is $273. the top operator is Vacasa with 383 listings. market score is 69/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the California North Area regional market, which includes Gualala. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Gualala.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Gualala, California STR market as measured in this dataset covers the broader Mendonoma coastal corridor along Highway 1 in southern Mendocino and northern Sonoma counties, with 9,339 active listings as of April 2026. The market is overwhelmingly entire-place listings (8,508 of 9,339, or 91.1%), with 829 private rooms and 2 shared rooms, consistent with the region’s character as a coastal second-home and vacation retreat destination.
The average daily rate in April 2026 was $232.74, with an occupancy rate of 52.3%, generating average monthly revenue of $3,229 per listing. RevPAR was $121.70. Year-over-year trends are positive across all three metrics: occupancy grew 0.27 percentage points, ADR rose 2.89%, and revenue increased 5.22%.
By bedroom count, one-bedroom units lead at 3,775 listings, followed by two-bedroom (2,233) and three-bedroom (2,104). Four-bedroom properties account for 853 listings and five-bedroom or larger units number 360. Channel distribution shows Airbnb dominance: 4,873 Airbnb-only listings, 628 VRBO-only, and 3,838 listed on both platforms.
The composite market score of 68.56 reflects a mid-tier market with rental demand at 75.89, seasonality at 73.77, and regulation at 68.02, with investability at 66.23 and revenue growth at 67.25.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42% | $180 | $2,217 |
| Feb | 49% | $183 | $2,216 |
| Mar | 52% | $187 | $2,624 |
| Apr | 55% | $194 | $2,811 |
| May | 58% | $206 | $2,976 |
| Jun | 66% | $226 | $3,857 |
| Jul | 70% | $222 | $4,173 |
| Aug | 65% | $217 | $3,818 |
| Sep | 56% | $205 | $3,078 |
| Oct | 53% | $195 | $2,830 |
| Nov | 51% | $195 | $2,520 |
| Dec | 49% | $193 | $2,591 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Gualala
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | 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 Gualala?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 3,775 |
| 2 bed | 2,233 |
| 3 bed | 2,104 |
| 4 bed | 853 |
| 5 bed | 360 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $285 |
| Luxury | $474 |
| Professionally Managed | $358 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,111 |
| Entire Place | $4,969 |
| House | $5,149 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 52.2% |
| vrbo | 6.7% |
| both | 41.1% |
Investment Analysis
Gualala’s STR investment profile centers on a steady-demand coastal market with consistent rate appreciation. At $3,229 average monthly revenue in April 2026, annualized gross revenue for an average-performing listing is approximately $38,748. No Zillow housing value data was available for Gualala in the current dataset, so a direct gross yield calculation is not possible; investors should reference local appraisal data for entry-cost benchmarking on this remote coastal market.
ADR tiers show significant variation: the market average of $232.74 compares to $243.69 for entire-home listings, $306.60 for professionally managed properties (31.7% above the market average), and $426.80 for luxury-tier listings (83.4% above the market average). The professional management premium of $73.86 per night is the largest proportional PM premium in this batch, suggesting that well-run, professionally marketed properties capture substantially more per night on this coast.
Revenue by type: house listings averaged $3,499 per month, 8.4% above the market average. Entire-place listings averaged $3,384, 4.8% above market. Apartment listings averaged $2,050, 36.5% below the market average, reflecting that coastal house and cottage properties are the dominant and most valuable format.
The year-over-year revenue growth of 5.22% in April 2026 and a 2025 annual average ADR of $231 versus $221 in 2024 confirm a clear upward rate trend. After a post-peak correction in 2022 to 2023 following the 2021 high of $204 average ADR, the market has steadily recovered and moved to new rate highs.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
Run a Free Address Analysis
Skip the market averages. Get revenue projections, comp analysis, and ROI for your specific property address. Free, instant, no signup required.
Analyze My Property →Home Value Trends (Gualala)
Booking Insights
Gualala guests book an average of 44.6 days in advance, reflecting both the destination’s appeal as a planned weekend getaway from the Bay Area and the moderate competition for prime summer and shoulder-season availability. The nearly 6-week lead time means operators should have peak summer pricing set and locked well before June. This lead time also signals a guest base that is intentional about the destination rather than impulse-booking.
The average length of stay is 3.55 nights, slightly above the typical urban market but shorter than a traditional weekly cabin rental. This suggests a mix of three-night long weekends and four to five night midweek escapes as the dominant booking pattern. For operators, this implies moderate turnover frequency and supports minimum-stay policies of 2 to 3 nights for shoulder season and 3 to 5 nights during summer peak to balance occupancy and housekeeping costs.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Gualala is an unincorporated community in Mendocino County with no city government of its own. Short-term rentals are regulated by the county, and because Gualala sits entirely within the California Coastal Zone, the applicable rules come from the Mendocino County Coastal Zoning Code (Division II), specifically the Vacation Home Rental provisions around Section 20.316.015, not the inland or Mendocino Town codes.
Operators must obtain a Coastal Vacation Home Rental use permit (which may trigger a Coastal Development Permit in sensitive areas), register for and remit the County Transient Occupancy Tax of 10% on stays under 30 days to the Treasurer-Tax Collector, and hold a county business license renewed annually. No published permit fee was found in the data; investors should contact Mendocino County Planning and Building Services at 707-234-6650 for current costs.
There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement and no countywide cap on nights per year. However, the coastal permitting process is more restrictive than typical inland STR rules: a new Vacation Home Rental is intended for parcels whose only use is an existing single-family dwelling, and siting in residential coastal-zone districts is limited. Coastal permitting can be slow and discretionary.
California’s July 1, 2024 price-transparency law requires all mandatory fees to be shown up front at booking, applicable statewide. Enforcement is rated moderate. Investors should treat coastal permitting and California Coastal Commission compliance as the primary regulatory hurdle.
Market Comparison
Gualala’s 52.3% occupancy in April 2026 sits just below the US STR median of approximately 55%. The $232.74 ADR modestly exceeds the US median of roughly $220, positioning this as a slightly above-average rate market for a coastal California destination at a smaller scale than the Sonoma or Marin county resort markets to the south.
Year-over-year revenue growth of 5.22% in April 2026 outpaces national STR revenue growth trends, reflecting continuing demand recovery for Northern California coastal markets after 2022 to 2023 softness. The market’s rental demand score of 75.89 and revenue growth score of 67.25 confirm sustained but not exceptional demand fundamentals.
Among professional operators, Vacasa leads by a substantial margin with 383 listings, 38,837 reviews, and a 4.67 average rating, making it the dominant force in the region. Evolve manages 221 listings with 9,277 reviews at a 4.68 rating. Casago holds 123 listings with a 4.74 rating. Together the top three operators account for 727 listings, or 7.8% of the 9,339-listing market. The presence of large national operators (Vacasa, Evolve) alongside regional specialists (Humboldt Retreats, Casago) indicates a professionally mature market with a range of management options.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gualala, California
What is the average nightly rate for vacation rentals in Gualala, CA?
What is the occupancy rate for short-term rentals in the Gualala area?
How much revenue can a vacation rental earn in Gualala, CA?
Do I need a permit to operate an Airbnb in Gualala, CA?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Gualala, CA?
What is the best time of year to rent a property in Gualala, CA?
Who are the top vacation rental managers in the Gualala area?
Analyze Gualala Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Gualala.
Free Gualala STR Calculator →
