Huntington Beach, California Short-Term Rental Market
Huntington Beach allows only owner-occupied rentals; Orange County ADR $328, 67.0% occupancy, $5,889 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Huntington Beach, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Anaheim market area is 67%. average monthly revenue in the Anaheim market area is $5,889. average daily rate in the Anaheim market area is $328. the top operator in the Anaheim market area is Tower 17 Properties & Mgmt, LLC with 244 listings. market score is 69/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Anaheim regional market, which includes Huntington Beach. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Huntington Beach.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Huntington Beach, known as Surf City USA, draws about 11 million visitors a year to more than 9.3 miles of beach, and its short-term rental market is shaped by one rule above all: in most of the city only owner-occupied, hosted rentals are allowed. This profile uses metrics through September 2026. Performance figures describe the Orange County STR market, a shared regional series. In September 2026 the Orange County STR market averaged an ADR of $328, occupancy of 67.0%, and revenue of $5,889 per listing for the month. Compared with September 2025, occupancy rose 6.5%, ADR rose 8.5%, and revenue rose 16.8%. September ran well above the typical September in the seasonal record, which shows 63.2% occupancy, a $255 ADR, and $4,298 in revenue. Through the first nine months of 2026 the region averaged 71.0% occupancy, a $335 ADR, and $6,421 in monthly revenue. That compares with 67.1% occupancy, a $306 ADR, and $5,627 in monthly revenue for full-year 2025. Occupancy eased from 71.0% in 2021 to 66.0% in 2024 before recovering, while ADR has climbed from $249 in 2021 to $335 so far in 2026. Revenue per listing in September 2026 was $6,652 for entire places, $6,331 for houses, and $4,988 for apartments. Demand is tied to the beach, the pier, Main Street, and events such as the US Open of Surfing, the 4th of July Parade and Fireworks, the Surf City Marathon, Oktoberfest, and weekly Surf City Nights. Bedroom, channel, and listing-type counts and top operators are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Huntington Beach, so this profile omits them.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 58% |
| Feb | 65% |
| Mar | 69% |
| Apr | 62% |
| May | 66% |
| Jun | 75% |
| Jul | 79% |
| Aug | 68% |
| Sep | 63% |
| Oct | 65% |
| Nov | 60% |
| Dec | 62% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Huntington Beach are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Anaheim market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Anaheim market as a whole, which includes Huntington Beach, so these counts are not Huntington Beach-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tower 17 Properties & Mgmt, LLC | 244 | 11,217 | ★ 4.70 |
| 2 | Dream Resorts | 195 | 9,053 | ★ 4.68 |
| 3 | Newport Beach Vacation Properties | 137 | 5,374 | ★ 4.61 |
| 4 | Vacasa | 126 | 8,872 | ★ 4.49 |
| 5 | OC Rentals | 121 | 1,263 | ★ 3.85 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Huntington Beach?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Huntington Beach 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 | 59.7% |
| vrbo | 5.3% |
| both | 35% |
Home Value Trends (Huntington Beach)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Huntington Beach 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 Huntington Beach — 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
Huntington Beach permits short-term rentals of 30 or fewer consecutive nights, but regulates them tightly under Municipal Code Chapter 5.120 (Ordinance No. 4224, effective February 19, 2021). A Short-Term Rental Permit plus a city business license is required, and the permit costs $624 with annual renewal. The city runs two zones. In Zone 1, which is all of Huntington Beach except Sunset Beach, only owner-occupied, hosted rentals are allowed, and the owner must reside on-site during the rental. A primary residence is required. In Zone 2 (Sunset Beach), hosted and unhosted rentals are both allowed, but new unhosted permits stopped around March 1, 2022, so only grandfathered unhosted units continue. One permit is allowed per house, duplex, or triplex, and up to three on properties with four or more units if CC&Rs allow. Operators collect a 10% occupancy tax and remit a 6% Tourism Business Improvement District assessment quarterly. A local contact must be reachable 24/7 and respond to complaints within one hour. Commercial events, parties, and weddings are prohibited. Enforcement is rated strict, with fines up to $1,000 per day per violation and possible permit revocation after three violations within 12 months. The owner-occupancy requirement makes passive investor whole-home rentals largely unworkable in most of the city.
Market Comparison
The market has grown steadily: ADR rose from $205 in 2017 to $335 in 2026 so far, and occupancy has stayed between 66.0% and 71.0% since 2021. The tradeoff is cost and rules. The typical home value of $1,351,762 is high, and the owner-occupancy requirement in most of the city restricts who can operate. Top operators are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Huntington Beach, so this profile omits them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Huntington Beach, California
Can I run an Airbnb in Huntington Beach if I do not live there?
How much does a Huntington Beach short-term rental permit cost?
What is the average Airbnb occupancy in the Huntington Beach area?
What is the average daily rate for short-term rentals here?
How much revenue does a short-term rental earn per month?
What does a home cost in Huntington Beach?
What are the penalties for violating Huntington Beach STR rules?
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