La Quinta, California Short-Term Rental Market
La Quinta, CA STRs averaged $620/night at 57.1% occupancy in April 2026, with houses generating $10,509/month.
Quick Answer: La Quinta, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 41%. average monthly revenue is $4,764. average daily rate is $403. the top operator is Vacasa with 539 listings. market score is 44/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Coachella Valley regional market, which includes La Quinta. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to La Quinta.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
La Quinta is a premier golf and resort destination in California’s Coachella Valley, home to PGA West, the La Quinta Resort and Club, and a dense concentration of luxury vacation rental inventory. In April 2026, the STR market averaged $619.99/night ADR at 57.1% occupancy, generating $9,006 in average monthly revenue. Revenue grew 7.51% year-over-year, despite a 1.07 percentage point decline in occupancy, as a 1.85% ADR gain drove overall revenue improvement.
Important regulatory note: since January 4, 2024, the City of La Quinta has permanently banned new General and Primary STVR permits in residential neighborhoods. New Homeshare permits (owner present during stays) and permits for qualifying Large Lot parcels (25,000+ sq ft, via City Council hearing) remain available, as do permits in tourist-commercial, village-commercial, and SilverRock Resort zones. See the regulatory summary for details.
Entire-place listings dominate inventory at approximately 96.0% of all listings; private rooms account for 3.9% and shared rooms under 0.1%. Three-bedroom configurations are the most common (30.6% of inventory), followed by two-bedroom (24.9%), one-bedroom (19.5%), four-bedroom (16.0%), and five-bedroom-plus (9.0%). This bedroom distribution reflects La Quinta’s group-vacation and golf-getaway guest profile, where larger homes accommodating multiple guests are the primary product type. The channel breakdown shows 9,543 listings cross-listed on both Airbnb and VRBO, with 5,345 Airbnb-exclusive and 2,028 VRBO-exclusive listings.
The market’s investability score of 73.54 out of 100 is among the highest in the Coachella Valley, despite a total score of 44.44 that reflects regulatory friction. Revenue growth scores 60.43 and seasonality at 63.33 indicate moderate year-round consistency with a defined January-through-April peak season aligned with Southern California’s winter golf and resort calendar.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56% | $338 | $4,767 |
| Feb | 70% | $364 | $5,671 |
| Mar | 72% | $425 | $7,431 |
| Apr | 57% | $515 | $7,136 |
| May | 39% | $389 | $4,558 |
| Jun | 45% | $367 | $4,435 |
| Jul | 47% | $344 | $4,317 |
| Aug | 44% | $334 | $3,784 |
| Sep | 40% | $341 | $3,469 |
| Oct | 46% | $355 | $4,030 |
| Nov | 55% | $374 | $4,667 |
| Dec | 49% | $388 | $4,869 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in La Quinta
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 539 | 12,998 | ★ 4.48 |
| 2 | Evolve | 342 | 9,790 | ★ 4.71 |
| 3 | AvantStay | 252 | 5,340 | ★ 4.80 |
| 4 | Acme House | 187 | 6,136 | ★ 4.78 |
| 5 | Park Royal Indian Palms Intervals | 170 | 5 | ★ 5.00 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in La Quinta?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 3,301 |
| 2 bed | 4,201 |
| 3 bed | 5,169 |
| 4 bed | 2,710 |
| 5 bed | 1,516 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $412 |
| Luxury | $952 |
| Professionally Managed | $511 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,322 |
| Entire Place | $4,850 |
| House | $5,517 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 31.6% |
| vrbo | 12% |
| both | 56.4% |
Investment Analysis
At the April 2026 snapshot, La Quinta STRs generate an average of $9,006/month across all listing types. Annualized, that projects to approximately $108,070 in gross revenue per listing, representing a gross revenue yield of roughly 14.4% against the typical home value of $748,659 (Zillow estimate, April 2026). This is a gross figure before platform commissions, management fees, cleaning, insurance, and property taxes; net returns will be substantially lower depending on management structure.
The ADR tier gap is unusually wide. The luxury tier averages $1,235/night, 2.0x the market-wide $620. The professionally managed tier averages $787/night, 27% above the market mean. Houses specifically generate $10,509/month in average revenue. These figures reflect a market where premium property positioning can double revenue relative to average listings.
Revenue trend shows stabilization after a 2022 peak: 2022 averaged $5,680/month, dipped to $5,265 in 2023, recovered to $5,468 in 2024 and $5,564 in 2025. The 2026 partial-year average of $7,664/month reflects strong winter and spring performance. Housing context: median sale prices of $861,000 compare to median list prices of $885,500 (sale-to-list ratio of 0.972), with 620 units for sale and a median 46 days to pending.
The critical entry barrier is regulatory. New General permits are permanently banned in residential zones since January 4, 2024. Investors must either acquire an existing permitted property (permits renew with the property), pursue a Homeshare permit requiring owner presence, or qualify for a Large Lot Council exemption. These supply constraints limit new competition and may sustain rate premiums for permitted existing inventory.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
La Quinta STRs show an average booking lead time of 114 days (approximately 16 weeks) and an average length of stay of 4.52 nights as of April 2026.
The 114-day lead window is exceptionally long by STR standards and reflects the resort and golf market’s advance planning culture. Groups planning golf weekends, Coachella Valley winter escapes, and festival-adjacent stays typically book 3-4 months ahead to secure preferred properties at high-demand dates. This creates a long pricing runway that rewards proactive revenue management.
For operators, the implication is that peak-season dates (February through April) should be priced from an early-open position beginning in October and November, when the booking window for those dates opens. Operators who wait until 30 days out to set peak-season prices have already missed a substantial portion of their early-booker demand at premium rates.
The 4.52-night average stay falls just below a full week, suggesting a mix of long-weekend and mid-week booking patterns typical of resort golf markets. At 4.52 nights per stay, turnover runs roughly 6-7 times per month (30 days divided by 4.52 nights), which is moderate and manageable for professionally operated properties. Cleaning and restocking logistics should be planned accordingly given the mix of 3-5 night stays throughout the month.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
La Quinta requires both a Short-Term Vacation Rental (STVR) permit and a city business license for any stay of 30 consecutive days or fewer. The defining regulatory event for new investors is the permanent ban on new General and Primary STVR permits in residential neighborhoods, effective January 4, 2024 (codified in LQMC Chapter 3.25). New investors cannot legally launch a standard vacation rental in La Quinta’s residential areas by obtaining a fresh permit.
The available entry paths for new operators are: (1) acquiring an existing permitted property whose annual permit can be renewed; (2) a Homeshare permit, which requires the owner to remain on-site throughout each guest’s stay; (3) a Large Lot Qualified/Certified parcel (single parcel of 25,000+ sq ft, subject to a City Council public hearing under Section 3.25.057); or (4) a property in a tourist-commercial, village-commercial, or SilverRock Resort specific-plan zone.
Annual permit fees vary by category and bedroom count: Homeshare $315-$577.50, Primary $787.50-$1,312.50, General $1,050-$1,312.50, plus a 5% technology fee and business-license fee based on gross income. Operators must collect a 10% Transient Occupancy Tax plus a 1% Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) assessment on stays of 27 days or fewer, filed monthly. Parking is capped at a 4:1 occupant-to-vehicle ratio and a good-neighbor brochure must be provided to each guest. Enforcement is strict: a dedicated STVR hotline, weekly published permit lists, and escalating fines of $1,500/$3,000/$5,000 for first/second/third violations, with permit suspension or revocation for unpermitted operation.
Market Comparison
La Quinta operates at a significant premium relative to national STR benchmarks. The U.S. STR market median occupancy is approximately 55%; La Quinta’s April 2026 rate of 57.1% is slightly above this threshold, though the 2024 and 2025 full-year averages of 50.0% each fall below the national median. The national median ADR is approximately $220; La Quinta’s $620 April 2026 ADR is 2.8x that figure, placing it firmly in the luxury resort tier nationally.
The top five property managers reflect the market’s professional, high-volume character. Vacasa leads with 539 listings and 12,998 reviews at a 4.48 average rating. Evolve operates 342 listings with 9,790 reviews and a 4.71 rating. AvantStay manages 252 listings with a 4.80 rating (5,340 reviews). Acme House holds 187 listings with a 4.78 rating (6,136 reviews). Park Royal Indian Palms Intervals rounds out the top five with 170 listings and a 5.00 rating (5 reviews).
The investability score of 73.54 is the primary market strength signal, reflecting high revenue potential relative to property values despite regulatory friction. Rental demand scoring at 48.88 is below average, consistent with occupancy rates that trend near or below the national median in non-peak months. Revenue growth at 60.43 and regulation at 59.18 round out a market profile where the premium rate structure compensates for moderate annual occupancy and meaningful entry barriers tied to the 2024 permit ban.
Frequently Asked Questions About La Quinta, California
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