Indio, California Short-Term Rental Market
Indio, CA STRs averaged $621/night at 57.0% occupancy in April 2026, driven by Coachella and Stagecoach festival demand.
Quick Answer: Indio, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Coachella Valley market area is 41%. average monthly revenue in the Coachella Valley market area is $4,764. average daily rate in the Coachella Valley market area is $403. the top operator in the Coachella Valley market area is Vacasa with 593 listings. market score is 44/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Coachella Valley regional market, which includes Indio. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Indio.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Indio market area encompasses short-term rental activity in the Coachella Valley, Riverside County, California. Indio is the host city for the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and Stagecoach Festival, both held at Empire Polo Club each April, drawing an estimated 250,000 attendees across two weekends and approximately 1.4 million annual visitors to the region. The April 2026 snapshot shows 57.0% average occupancy and an average daily rate of $621, producing RevPAR of $354 and average monthly revenue of $9,009 per active listing.
The market contains approximately 16,999 active listings by channel count. Entire-place rentals account for 96.0% of supply (16,320 listings), private rooms 3.9% (658 listings), and shared rooms 0.1% (21 listings). Three-bedroom properties are the most common size at 30.6% of supply (5,201 listings), followed by two-bedroom (4,213 listings, 24.8%), one-bedroom (3,320 listings, 19.6%), four-bedroom (2,727 listings, 16.1%), and five-or-more-bedroom (1,521 listings, 9.0%). Platform distribution shows strong dual-channel presence: 56.1% of listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 31.6% are Airbnb-only, and 12.3% are VRBO-only.
Year-over-year trends as of April 2026: occupancy declined 1.1 percentage points, ADR rose 1.9%, and monthly revenue grew 7.8% versus April 2025. The 2025 full-year average was 50.0% occupancy and $417 ADR. Market scores: investability 73.6 out of 100, seasonality 63.0, regulation 58.9, revenue growth 60.5, rental demand 48.9, and a composite total score of 44.4 out of 100.
Note: This market area (area_id 58584) is identified in the StaySTRA data pipeline as a potential StaySTRA submarket whose stored metric series may reflect the broader Coachella Valley parent-market data. Area profile details (population, regulations, and attractions) are specific to Indio. STR metrics describe Coachella Valley regional conditions.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 56% |
| Feb | 70% |
| Mar | 72% |
| Apr | 57% |
| May | 39% |
| Jun | 45% |
| Jul | 47% |
| Aug | 44% |
| Sep | 40% |
| Oct | 46% |
| Nov | 55% |
| Dec | 49% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Indio are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Coachella Valley market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Coachella Valley market as a whole, which includes Indio, so these counts are not Indio-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 593 | 14,029 | ★ 4.49 |
| 2 | Evolve | 340 | 9,820 | ★ 4.71 |
| 3 | AvantStay | 252 | 5,366 | ★ 4.80 |
| 4 | Acme House | 188 | 6,138 | ★ 4.78 |
| 5 | Park Royal Indian Palms Intervals | 170 | 0 | ★ 0.00 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Indio?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Indio 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 | 31.6% |
| vrbo | 12.3% |
| both | 56.1% |
Home Value Trends (Indio)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Indio 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 Indio — 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
Indio tightly regulates short-term rentals under Chapter 37 of its Municipal Code, with one rule investors must understand before purchasing: STRs are restricted to the host’s primary residence. Investment or vacation properties not used as the owner’s primary home are not permitted, making Indio far more restrictive than its reputation as a festival market suggests.
Operators must obtain a Short-Term Rental Permit and a city business license before advertising or accepting reservations. The annual permit renewal fee is $1,633, plus a non-refundable application fee of approximately $100. The permit number must appear on every listing advertisement, a local emergency contact must be designated, and a 24/7 response capability is required. Occupancy is capped at approximately four guests plus two per bedroom, with an overall maximum of approximately 20 guests. Renters must be at least 21 years old.
Transient Occupancy Tax is 13% on gross rent. An additional 1% Greater Palm Springs Tourism Business Improvement District (GPSTBID) assessment applies to stays of 27 days or fewer, bringing the effective lodging tax to 14% for short stays. Both are reported and remitted monthly.
Enforcement is classified as strict. In March 2026, the Indio City Council advanced tougher rules: noise violation fines of up to $1,000 for a first offense and as high as $5,000, stricter enforcement of large-gathering prohibitions, and use of California SB 346 to require Airbnb and VRBO to verify permits before listing properties. STR and TOT revenue is projected near $16.5 million annually for the city, underscoring the city’s economic reliance on the sector even as it tightens oversight.
Market Comparison
Indio’s April 2026 ADR of $621 is approximately 182% above the US short-term rental median of roughly $220, the highest ADR of the markets in this batch, reflecting the concentrated festival-driven demand premium. Occupancy at 57.0% sits slightly above the US STR median of approximately 55%.
The top operator by listing count is Vacasa with 593 active listings, representing 3.5% of total supply and a 4.49 average rating from 14,029 reviews. Evolve ranks second with 340 listings (2.0% of supply) and a 4.71 rating from 9,820 reviews. AvantStay holds third with 252 listings and a 4.80 rating from 5,366 reviews. Acme House has 188 listings and a 4.78 rating from 6,138 reviews. Park Royal Indian Palms Intervals rounds out the top five with 170 listings, but no guest reviews or ratings are available for this operator. The top four rated operators together hold 1,373 listings (8.1% of supply), and the top five combined hold 1,543 listings (9.1% of supply), indicating moderate operator concentration relative to markets of comparable size.
The market data reflects Coachella Valley regional conditions. Indio city proper, with approximately 94,275 residents, anchors the eastern end of the valley. Its role as the exclusive host of the Coachella and Stagecoach festivals creates demand patterns and pricing premiums not found in adjacent Coachella Valley cities.
Frequently Asked Questions About Indio, California
Can I buy an investment property in Indio and operate it as a short-term rental?
What is the average daily rate for STRs in the Indio/Coachella Valley area?
What permits and fees are required for an Indio STR?
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Indio?
Which months have the strongest STR demand in Indio?
How far in advance do guests book Indio STRs?
What enforcement changes took effect in Indio in 2026?
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