La Mesa, California Short-Term Rental Market
La Mesa, CA STRs averaged $299/night at 65.2% occupancy in April 2026, with revenue up 9.6% year-over-year.
Quick Answer: La Mesa, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the San Diego market area is 76%. average monthly revenue in the San Diego market area is $7,597. average daily rate in the San Diego market area is $382. the top operator in the San Diego market area is Evolve with 266 listings. market score is 65/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the San Diego regional market, which includes La Mesa. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to La Mesa.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
La Mesa is a city of 60,797 residents in eastern San Diego County, known for its walkable historic downtown village on La Mesa Boulevard, the Mount Helix Park scenic overlook, and proximity to San Diego’s urban core. As part of the greater San Diego metro area, La Mesa benefits from year-round mild coastal climate, strong regional visitor demand, and no rain seasonality to disrupt STR performance.
The market area tracked in this record encompasses approximately 26,985 active listings, a scale that reflects a broader regional footprint than La Mesa city limits and is consistent with East San Diego County and metro San Diego area coverage. The data is best interpreted as representative of market conditions in La Mesa and its surrounding region.
The STR market recorded an average daily rate of $299 and occupancy of 65.2% in April 2026, translating to RevPAR of $195.07 and average monthly revenue of $5,328 per listing. Year-over-year, revenue grew 9.6% as occupancy rose 8.3 percentage points; ADR eased 0.7%. These metrics reflect strength in demand relative to the prior year’s April.
Entire-place rentals represent 24,307 listings (90.1% of total), with 2,656 private-room listings and 22 shared rooms. Airbnb is the primary channel: 13,340 listings are Airbnb-only, 11,960 are active on both Airbnb and VRBO, and 1,685 are VRBO-only.
By bedroom count, 1-bedroom units dominate at 11,274 listings, followed by 2-bedroom (6,946), 3-bedroom (4,599), 4-bedroom (2,457), and 5-bedroom (1,667). The market’s composite score of 65.4 reflects a regulation score of 64.6 and an investability rating of 53.5, the latter likely reflecting San Diego County’s high home prices relative to STR income.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 56% |
| Feb | 65% |
| Mar | 69% |
| Apr | 62% |
| May | 64% |
| Jun | 74% |
| Jul | 77% |
| Aug | 68% |
| Sep | 61% |
| Oct | 61% |
| Nov | 58% |
| Dec | 57% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for La Mesa are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in San Diego market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the San Diego market as a whole, which includes La Mesa, so these counts are not La Mesa-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 266 | 10,486 | ★ 4.73 |
| 2 | Surf Style Vacation Homes | 225 | 10,113 | ★ 4.77 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 179 | 8,447 | ★ 4.62 |
| 4 | Nxt Vacation Rental Management | 165 | 3,059 | ★ 4.90 |
| 5 | San Diego Rentals | 162 | 153 | ★ 4.40 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in La Mesa?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for La Mesa 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 | 49.4% |
| vrbo | 6.2% |
| both | 44.3% |
Home Value Trends (La Mesa)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for La Mesa 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 La Mesa — 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
La Mesa is one of the most permissive short-term rental markets in San Diego County. The city’s official Short-Term Rentals page states plainly that a business license is not required for short-term rentals. There is no dedicated STR permit, registration, or licensing program.
La Mesa Municipal Code Chapter 6.09 addresses the city’s Transient Occupancy Tax but specifically applies to hotel uses; the city has clarified that a short-term vacation rental is not identified in Chapter 6.09 as a land use subject to TOT. Accordingly, STR operators are not currently directed to collect or remit city TOT, unlike hotels and motels.
There is no published owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, no cap on nights per year, and no STR-specific zoning overlay or neighborhood cap. General residential nuisance, noise, and land-use codes apply.
The regulation score of 64.6 out of 100 reflects this light-touch framework. However, the regulatory situation could change; no framework is permanent, and the city could enact a permit, TOT, or zoning requirement at any time. Investors should verify the current status directly with La Mesa’s Business License or Licensing office before relying on the no-license, no-TOT position, as this unusual stance is subject to policy revision.
No new STR ordinance or city-council action was identified through mid-2026. La Mesa’s notable recent housing activity has been its ADU ordinance, which is separate from STR rules.
Market Comparison
La Mesa market area’s April 2026 occupancy of 65.2% is notably above the approximate U.S. STR median of 55%, reflecting the region’s year-round demand and appeal as a coastal California destination. The average daily rate of $299 is well above the U.S. median of approximately $220, consistent with San Diego’s premium coastal positioning.
Compared to adjacent California coastal markets, La Mesa’s regulation score of 64.6 and permissive STR framework stand out positively: many neighboring San Diego County jurisdictions impose registration, TOT, and zoning requirements that La Mesa currently does not.
Property management is competitive. Evolve leads with 266 listings and 10,486 reviews (rating 4.73). Surf Style Vacation Homes manages 225 listings (rating 4.77). Vacasa operates 179 listings (rating 4.62), Nxt Vacation Rental Management holds 165 listings (rating 4.90), and San Diego Rentals manages 162 listings (rating 4.40). The top five operators collectively manage 997 listings, approximately 3.7% of total supply, leaving the large majority of the market independently managed.
Frequently Asked Questions About La Mesa, California
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