La Jolla, California Short-Term Rental Market
La Jolla, CA STRs averaged $299/night at 65.3% occupancy in April 2026, with revenue up 9.8% year over year.
Quick Answer: La Jolla, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 76%. average monthly revenue is $7,597. average daily rate is $382. the top operator is Evolve with 265 listings. market score is 65/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the San Diego regional market, which includes La Jolla. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to La Jolla.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
La Jolla is a coastal neighborhood of the City of San Diego, California, known for its dramatic cliffs, beaches, and marine life. La Jolla Cove was ranked the number one U.S. beach by Tripadvisor in 2026. The broader San Diego region hosted approximately 32 million visitors in fiscal year 2024, generating a $22 billion economic impact. La Jolla draws affluent leisure travelers, divers, golfers at Torrey Pines, and visitors to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. Population stands at 46,781.
In April 2026, STRs averaged $299.44 per night (ADR) at 65.3% occupancy, generating average monthly revenue of $5,335 per listing. RevPAR came in at $195.55. Year over year, occupancy rose 8.43 percentage points and revenue climbed 9.75%, while ADR edged down 0.71%, indicating demand growth through higher occupancy rather than rate increases.
Entire-place rentals account for approximately 90.1% of all listings, with private rooms at 9.9% and shared rooms under 1%. One-bedroom units are the most common at 41.9%, followed by two-bedroom (25.7%), three-bedroom (17.0%), four-bedroom (9.1%), and five-bedroom-plus (6.2%). Channel distribution is Airbnb-heavy at 49.4% Airbnb-only, 44.4% dual-platform, and 6.2% VRBO-only.
Market scores reflect strong demand against constrained supply: rental demand at 79.3, revenue growth at 71.3, and seasonality at 77.9, with investability at 53.4 (reflecting the high acquisition cost) and total score at 65.1 out of 100.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56% | $202 | $3,104 |
| Feb | 65% | $210 | $3,322 |
| Mar | 69% | $246 | $4,493 |
| Apr | 62% | $243 | $4,073 |
| May | 64% | $257 | $4,258 |
| Jun | 74% | $308 | $5,752 |
| Jul | 77% | $312 | $6,119 |
| Aug | 68% | $291 | $5,367 |
| Sep | 61% | $245 | $4,006 |
| Oct | 61% | $236 | $3,935 |
| Nov | 58% | $224 | $3,397 |
| Dec | 57% | $230 | $3,543 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in La Jolla
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 265 | 10,436 | ★ 4.74 |
| 2 | Surf Style Vacation Homes | 223 | 10,070 | ★ 4.77 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 176 | 8,268 | ★ 4.62 |
| 4 | Nxt Vacation Rental Management | 164 | 3,008 | ★ 4.90 |
| 5 | San Diego Rentals | 162 | 153 | ★ 4.40 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in La Jolla?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 11,264 |
| 2 bed | 6,920 |
| 3 bed | 4,574 |
| 4 bed | 2,454 |
| 5 bed | 1,666 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $411 |
| Luxury | $722 |
| Professionally Managed | $580 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $6,253 |
| Entire Place | $8,166 |
| House | $8,599 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 49.4% |
| vrbo | 6.2% |
| both | 44.4% |
Investment Analysis
La Jolla’s April 2026 average monthly revenue of $5,335 annualizes to approximately $64,024. Against the typical home value of $2,459,088 (Zillow, April 2026 snapshot), the implied gross yield is approximately 2.6%. The high home value significantly compresses yield, and La Jolla is better characterized as a capital appreciation and lifestyle-use market than a pure yield play.
The median sale price was $2,340,000 as of April 2026, with 201 for-sale units. The sale-to-list ratio was 0.892, meaning properties sold at approximately 89.2% of list price on average. Median days to pending was 30 days, indicating moderate market velocity.
ADR tiers show significant upside from professional management and luxury positioning. All-listings ADR was $299.44. Entire-home listings averaged $320.79. Professionally managed properties averaged $435.56, a 45.4% premium over the all-listings rate, or $136.12 more per night. Luxury-tier listings reached $575.16 per night, 92.1% above the all-listings average.
Annual revenue growth has been steady. Average monthly revenue was $4,770 in 2023, $5,196 in 2024 (a gain of 8.9%), and $5,257 in 2025 (a 1.2% gain). The April 2026 data point of $5,335 is on a trajectory consistent with continued modest growth. The strong investability constraint (score 53.4) reflects entry-cost pressure, while the 79.3 rental demand score confirms that underlying guest demand is robust.
The Tier 3 STRO license cap is a material constraint for new investors: with approximately 800 licenses remaining out of 5,606 total citywide, supply is finite and dwindling. Properties with an existing active Tier 3 license can command a premium at sale, though the license itself is not transferable and a buyer must apply for a new one.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
Run a Free Address Analysis
Skip the market averages. Get revenue projections, comp analysis, and ROI for your specific property address. Free, instant, no signup required.
Analyze My Property →Home Value Trends (La Jolla)
Booking Insights
La Jolla STR guests book an average of 41 days in advance, and stays average 4.36 nights. The 41-day lead time is moderate, slightly shorter than many resort markets, suggesting that a significant share of La Jolla bookings are driven by last-minute-to-six-week-out decision cycles common among drive-market visitors from the broader Southern California region.
The 4.36-night average stay is above the national STR average of roughly 3-4 nights, consistent with a destination market where visitors travel for multi-day beach, diving, or cultural itineraries rather than quick overnight stays. Longer stays reduce turnover costs and improve operational efficiency.
For a market where June and July absorb peak demand, operators should lock in rates and enforce minimum-stay policies in those months rather than accepting shorter high-turnover bookings that increase cleaning costs. Winter months, which still maintain 55-58% occupancy, are better suited to flexible nightly minimums to keep the calendar filled without sacrificing ADR integrity.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
La Jolla is governed by San Diego’s citywide Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) program. Any rental under 31 consecutive nights requires an STRO license before accepting bookings. The program has four tiers:
Tier 1 covers part-time rentals of 20 days or fewer per year; the host need not live on-site. Tier 2 is home-sharing, requiring the host to occupy the dwelling as a primary residence for at least 275 days per year. Tier 3 is whole-home rental exceeding 20 days per year with the host absent, which is the primary investor-relevant tier; it requires a minimum of 90 days rented per year or the license may be revoked. Tier 4 applies only to Mission Beach and is not relevant to La Jolla.
Tier 3 whole-home licensing costs approximately $1,170 (about $41 application plus $1,129 license fee) and renews biennially. Critically, Tier 3 is capped at 1% of San Diego’s total housing units outside Mission Beach. As of June 2026, approximately 4,806 of the roughly 5,606 Tier 3 licenses had been issued, leaving approximately 800 remaining citywide. Licenses are not transferable on sale. No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies to Tier 3.
The Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) in La Jolla is 11.75%, effective May 1, 2025, per Measure C’s zone-based rate structure. Enforcement is rated strict. Operators who lose or do not obtain a Tier 3 license cannot legally offer whole-home STRs on more than 20 days per year.
Market Comparison
La Jolla’s April 2026 occupancy of 65.3% runs approximately 10 percentage points above the US STR median of approximately 55%, which is consistent with a premier coastal destination. Its all-listings ADR of $299.44 is substantially above the US median of approximately $220. RevPAR of $195.55 reflects the combined impact of high rates and above-average occupancy.
Evolve leads the La Jolla operator landscape with 265 listings and 10,436 reviews at a 4.736 rating. Surf Style Vacation Homes follows with 223 listings and 10,070 reviews at 4.767. Vacasa manages 176 listings with 8,268 reviews at 4.615. Nxt Vacation Rental Management holds 164 listings with 3,008 reviews at the highest rating among the top five at 4.899. San Diego Rentals rounds out the top five at 162 listings (4.395 rating, 153 reviews).
Compared to other high-end California coastal STR markets, La Jolla occupies a mid-to-upper tier on ADR but is constrained on investability by median home values above $2.4 million. The combination of strong demand (rental demand score 79.3), above-median occupancy, and a dwindling Tier 3 license supply creates a market where existing permitted properties hold scarcity value alongside their STR income.
Frequently Asked Questions About La Jolla, California
What is the average daily rate for short-term rentals in La Jolla, CA?
What occupancy rate can I expect for a short-term rental in La Jolla?
Do I need a permit to operate a short-term rental in La Jolla, CA?
What is the best season for short-term rentals in La Jolla?
How much revenue can a short-term rental in La Jolla generate?
What is the gross yield on a short-term rental in La Jolla?
Who manages the most short-term rentals in La Jolla, CA?
Analyze La Jolla Rentals
Use our free calculator to estimate Airbnb revenue for any property in La Jolla.
Free La Jolla STR Calculator →
