Idyllwild, California Short-Term Rental Market
Idyllwild CA STRs averaged $207/night at 54.2% occupancy in April 2026, with a hard cap of 500 certificates limiting new entrants.
Quick Answer: Idyllwild, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Riverside market area is 63%. average monthly revenue in the Riverside market area is $3,834. average daily rate in the Riverside market area is $227. the top operator in the Riverside market area is Evolve with 88 listings. market score is 53/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Riverside regional market, which includes Idyllwild. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Idyllwild.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Idyllwild, CA is a mountain resort village in the San Jacinto Mountains, approximately one hour southeast of Palm Springs at roughly one mile elevation. It draws Southern California visitors seeking a cool-climate alpine escape, with core demand from hikers and backpackers (San Jacinto Wilderness, Pacific Crest Trail access), rock climbers (Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks), arts and culture travelers (Idyllwild Arts Academy, summer jazz festival), and leisure visitors to the walkable village center. The market’s visitor base is overwhelmingly regional, drawing from the Los Angeles basin, Inland Empire, and Coachella Valley.
In April 2026, the market recorded a 54.2% occupancy rate and a $207 average daily rate, yielding a RevPAR of $112.24. Year-over-year, occupancy improved 2.6% while ADR softened 1.9%, and average monthly revenue increased 4.6%.
Tracked listings total approximately 7,496. Entire-place rentals account for 4,880 listings, private rooms for 2,597, and shared rooms for 19. One-bedroom units lead the bedroom count at 3,826, followed by three-bedroom (993), four-bedroom (961), two-bedroom (938), and five-bedroom-plus (761). Airbnb is the dominant channel with 5,208 exclusive listings, while 2,097 appear on both platforms and 191 are VRBO-exclusive.
The composite market score is 52.9. The standout metric is seasonality, which scores 97.8 out of 100, indicating highly consistent and predictable seasonal demand cycles that allow confident rate-setting well in advance. Regulation scores 64.1, reflecting an active permitting framework with a hard certificate cap.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 51% |
| Feb | 57% |
| Mar | 58% |
| Apr | 56% |
| May | 56% |
| Jun | 62% |
| Jul | 63% |
| Aug | 57% |
| Sep | 55% |
| Oct | 57% |
| Nov | 54% |
| Dec | 57% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Idyllwild are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Riverside market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Riverside market as a whole, which includes Idyllwild, so these counts are not Idyllwild-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 88 | 1,904 | ★ 4.58 |
| 2 | New Spirit Vacation Homes | 60 | 3,545 | ★ 4.46 |
| 3 | Host / Eric | 45 | 40 | ★ 4.67 |
| 4 | Holidale | 44 | 11 | ★ 4.57 |
| 5 | Vacasa | 43 | 2,764 | ★ 4.53 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Idyllwild?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Idyllwild 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 | 69.5% |
| vrbo | 2.5% |
| both | 28% |
Home Value Trends (Idyllwild)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Idyllwild 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 Idyllwild — 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
Idyllwild is an unincorporated community in Riverside County, so short-term rentals are governed by the County’s Ordinance 927 (Chapter 5.84), not a city code. Operators must obtain a Short-Term Rental Certificate from the Riverside County Planning Department, register with the County Treasurer-Tax Collector, and collect and remit a 10% Transient Occupancy Tax.
The initial application fee is approximately $740, with annual renewal of approximately $540 (per the Ordinance 671 fee schedule). STRs are defined as rentals of 2 to 30 days. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, but the Idyllwild-Pine Cove community carries a hard cap of 500 certificates. When the cap is full, new certificates are allocated via biannual lottery, and newly certificated properties must sit at least 500 feet from the nearest residence. Occupancy limits scale with lot size: up to 10 guests on parcels of half an acre or smaller, up to 16 on larger parcels. Parking, noise, and safety rules are enforced.
Enforcement is rated moderate, and the County has publicly acknowledged gaps in after-hours code enforcement. In February 2026, the Board of Supervisors delayed proposed amendments (stricter enforcement tools and higher fees), with a draft Ordinance 927.3 still pending as of mid-2026. Investors must confirm current cap status and certificate availability with the County Planning Department before purchasing, as certificate availability is the binding constraint in this market.
Market Comparison
Idyllwild’s 54.2% occupancy in April 2026 is close to the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, consistent with a stable leisure market. Its $207 ADR is below the national STR median of roughly $220, which is somewhat surprising given the mountain resort positioning, but is largely explained by the substantial share of private-room listings (2,597 of 7,496) that pull the blended average down. Entire-place listings average $273/night, above the national median.
The professional management layer in Idyllwild is modest relative to the market size. Evolve leads with 88 listings (rated 4.58 with 1,904 reviews), followed by New Spirit Vacation Homes (60 listings, rated 4.46 with 3,545 reviews), Host/Eric (45 listings, rated 4.67 with 40 reviews), Holidale (44 listings, rated 4.57 with 11 reviews), and Vacasa (43 listings, rated 4.53 with 2,764 reviews). The top five operators hold a combined 280 listings out of approximately 7,496 in the market area, a relatively small share that reflects the community character of the Idyllwild STR market, where individual owner-operators predominate.
Frequently Asked Questions About Idyllwild, California
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