Half Moon Bay, California Short-Term Rental Market
Half Moon Bay STRs averaged $221/night at 71.6% occupancy in April 2026, with revenue up 5.9% year over year.
Quick Answer: Half Moon Bay, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the San Francisco market area is 83%. average monthly revenue in the San Francisco market area is $5,556. average daily rate in the San Francisco market area is $260. the top operator in the San Francisco market area is Blueground with 273 listings. market score is 92/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the San Francisco regional market, which includes Half Moon Bay. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Half Moon Bay.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Half Moon Bay is a coastal San Mateo County city approximately 30 miles south of San Francisco, drawing primarily Bay Area weekend travelers seeking Pacific coastline, beaches, and small-town atmosphere. The visitor base includes surf enthusiasts attracted to the world-famous Mavericks big-wave break, hikers and cyclists on the Coastside Trail, and visitors to the annual Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival, which draws more than 200,000 attendees each October.
The STR market supports approximately 11,650 active listings, of which 8,762 (75%) are entire-place units and 2,832 are private rooms. Airbnb dominates the channel distribution: 8,369 listings are Airbnb-exclusive, 2,749 list on both platforms, and 532 list only on VRBO. The bedroom composition skews strongly toward smaller units, with 6,657 one-bedroom listings, 2,435 two-bedrooms, 1,501 three-bedrooms, and 1,033 listings of four bedrooms or more.
As of April 2026, the market averaged $221.22 per night with 71.6% occupancy, generating a RevPAR of $158.38 and average monthly revenue of $4,264. Year-over-year trends are positive: occupancy rose 1.0 percentage point, ADR increased 4.5%, and revenue grew 5.9%. The overall investment score is 91.99 out of 100, with an exceptional seasonality score of 98.76 and revenue growth of 97.52. However, the investability subscore of 45.94 is notably low, reflecting the regulatory constraints that apply to non-primary-residence operators in this market.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 63% |
| Feb | 67% |
| Mar | 70% |
| Apr | 68% |
| May | 72% |
| Jun | 78% |
| Jul | 77% |
| Aug | 74% |
| Sep | 73% |
| Oct | 71% |
| Nov | 64% |
| Dec | 61% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Half Moon Bay are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in San Francisco market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the San Francisco market as a whole, which includes Half Moon Bay, so these counts are not Half Moon Bay-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blueground | 273 | 85 | ★ 4.24 |
| 2 | Kasa Properties | 76 | 3,135 | ★ 4.50 |
| 3 | Luxury Bookings FZE | 60 | 31 | ★ 4.30 |
| 4 | Landmark | 53 | 214 | ★ 4.55 |
| 5 | Anyplace | 44 | 87 | ★ 4.86 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Half Moon Bay?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Half Moon Bay 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 | 71.8% |
| vrbo | 4.6% |
| both | 23.6% |
Home Value Trends (Half Moon Bay)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Half Moon Bay 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 Half Moon Bay — 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
Half Moon Bay regulates short-term rentals (stays of 30 days or fewer) under an ordinance adopted in 2021-2023, certified by the California Coastal Commission, and effective August 2023.
Operating an STR requires three separate registrations before the first guest: a Short-Term Rental Permit under Half Moon Bay Municipal Code Chapter 18.06.025, a city Business License, and a Transient Occupancy Tax registration certificate. The Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) rate is 15%, applied to rent including cleaning fees, with monthly filing required.
The primary-residence requirement is the central compliance constraint: the operator must use the property as their primary residence for at least half the calendar year. A long-term tenant (residing on-site for at least two years) may operate with written owner consent. This effectively restricts STRs to owner-occupants or established long-term tenants.
Night-cap rules depend on hosting configuration. Unhosted STRs (operator not present during the stay) are limited to 60 nights per calendar year. Hosted STRs (operator present) have no night cap. Occupancy is generally limited to approximately 8 guests per night. STRs are permitted in residential zones and certain commercial and mixed-use zones but are prohibited in accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
Enforcement is classified as strict. The city employs a dedicated Community Preservation Specialist for STR compliance. A local responsible party must be available for timely response to guest or neighbor complaints.
Market Comparison
The national STR median occupancy is approximately 55% and median ADR approximately $220. Half Moon Bay significantly outperforms on occupancy at 71.6% while matching the national ADR median at $221.22 in April 2026. The combination of high occupancy and steady ADR reflects the sustained weekend-getaway demand from the Bay Area’s large affluent population base.
The overall market score of 92.0 out of 100 places Half Moon Bay in the top tier nationally for revenue and demand quality. The seasonality score of 98.76 is exceptional, indicating extremely consistent year-round demand. The investability score of 45.94 is a direct signal of the regulatory constraint on non-resident investment STRs.
Among professional operators, Blueground leads with 273 listings (4.24 rating), though Blueground primarily serves the medium-term furnished rental market rather than short-stay leisure travel. Kasa Properties ranks second with 76 listings and 3,135 reviews (4.50 rating), also oriented toward extended stays. Anyplace, ranked fifth with 44 listings, holds the highest guest rating among the top five at 4.86. The low review counts relative to listing counts for the top operators suggest many listings in this market serve longer-stay or corporate tenants rather than pure vacation rentals.
Frequently Asked Questions About Half Moon Bay, California
What is the average daily rate for short-term rentals in Half Moon Bay, CA?
What occupancy rate do Half Moon Bay STRs achieve?
Can I buy a property in Half Moon Bay and operate it as a full-time STR?
What taxes and permits are required for a Half Moon Bay STR?
What are the best and worst months for STR revenue in Half Moon Bay?
What drives visitor demand in Half Moon Bay?
How much annual revenue can a Half Moon Bay STR generate?
Analyze Half Moon Bay Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in Half Moon Bay.
Free Half Moon Bay STR Calculator →
