Guerneville, California Short-Term Rental Market
Guerneville permits are largely closed, while Sonoma County STRs earned $496 ADR, 56.2% occupancy, $7,600 monthly in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Guerneville, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Sonoma market area is 56%. average monthly revenue in the Sonoma market area is $7,600. average daily rate in the Sonoma market area is $496. 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 Guerneville. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Guerneville.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Guerneville is an unincorporated Russian River resort town of 4,552 residents in western Sonoma County. The performance figures on this page describe the Sonoma County STR market, a shared regional series, so they show regional conditions rather than a count of Guerneville permits. In September 2026 the average daily rate across all listings was $496, occupancy was 56.2%, and average monthly revenue per listing was $7,600. Entire place listings earned an ADR of $524, and houses averaged $8,039 in monthly revenue against $3,514 for apartments. Year over year, occupancy rose 6.2%, ADR rose 2.7%, and revenue rose 8.1%. Seasonal sums put average annual revenue at $68,372 per listing. Calendar 2026 through September shows 54.7% occupancy and a $461 ADR, up from 52.3% and $445 for full year 2025. Demand has not returned to the 2021 high of 67.4% occupancy, but the annual ADR has stayed above $400 every year since 2021. Visitors come mostly from the San Francisco Bay Area for the river at Johnson’s Beach, Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, and more than 50 Russian River Valley wineries. The town is also a major LGBTQ+ destination, with Russian River Pride, Lazy Bear Week, and Women’s Weekend drawing large seasonal crowds. Bedroom, channel, and listing-type counts and top operators are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Guerneville, so this profile omits them. Investors should treat new supply as effectively limited, because the county zoning rules covered below keep most Guerneville homes from qualifying for a new permit.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 39% |
| Feb | 48% |
| Mar | 51% |
| Apr | 56% |
| May | 58% |
| Jun | 64% |
| Jul | 67% |
| Aug | 63% |
| Sep | 58% |
| Oct | 55% |
| Nov | 51% |
| Dec | 45% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Guerneville 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 Guerneville, so these counts are not Guerneville-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 Guerneville?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Guerneville 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 (Guerneville)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Guerneville 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 Guerneville — 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
Short term rentals are permitted in Guerneville, but access is tightly restricted. Guerneville is unincorporated, so Sonoma County (Permit Sonoma) regulates rentals rather than a city. Operators need both a Vacation Rental zoning permit and an annual Vacation Rental business license. The main hurdle is zoning. Under Ordinance 6386 (August 2022), parcels zoned R1, R2, R3, LIA, and PC are ineligible for new vacation rentals, and only RR, AR, LEA, DA, and RRD parcels qualify. Much of the Guerneville and Russian River housing stock is R1, so most homes cannot be permitted. Ordinance 6423 also applied cap and exclusion zones to the Russian River corridor, limiting rentals to about 5% of housing, and those zones have generally had no remaining capacity for new permits. Ordinance 6427 (May 2023) created the annual business license with a compliance deadline for existing operators. Budget about $1,414 in first year costs, made up of roughly $819 for the zoning permit and about $595 for the first year license. The license renews annually. Sonoma County charges a 12% Transient Occupancy Tax on unincorporated area lodging. The county does not require an owner occupied or primary residence arrangement. Enforcement is rated strict, with active code enforcement against unpermitted operation, so no buyer should assume a rental can be started without a permit.
Market Comparison
Within its own seasonal range, the Sonoma County STR market that includes Guerneville earns its results on rate as well as occupancy. September 2026 occupancy of 56.2% sits between the January low of 39.4% and the July high of 67.4%, while the $496 ADR is supported by a $524 entire place ADR and a $924 luxury ADR. Revenue per listing is therefore driven by price as well as volume. Winter occupancy of 39.4% in January falls well below the September level, while July at 67.4% sits well above it, so the market earns its premium in summer. The trend is also constructive. Occupancy is up 6.2% and ADR is up 2.7% from a year earlier, and full year 2026 through September, at 54.7% occupancy, is ahead of 2025 at 52.3%. The major difference from many markets is supply. Strict zoning, cap zones that are mostly full, and annual licensing limit new entrants, which can protect existing permitted operators. Top operator names are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Guerneville, so this profile omits them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Guerneville, California
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