Lakehead, California Short-Term Rental Market
Lakehead Shasta Lake STRs averaged $193/night at 63.1% occupancy in April 2026, with revenue up 7.6% year-over-year.
Quick Answer: Lakehead, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Redding market area is 66%. average monthly revenue in the Redding market area is $4,327. average daily rate in the Redding market area is $240. the top operator in the Redding market area is Shasta Lakeshore Retreat with 22 listings. market score is 74/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Redding regional market, which includes Lakehead. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Lakehead.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Lakehead is a small unincorporated community of approximately 469 permanent residents on the northern shore of Shasta Lake in Shasta County, California. The lake draws well over 1 million visitors annually to California’s largest reservoir, with 30,000 acres and roughly 365 miles of shoreline attracting houseboaters, anglers, boaters, and campers from the Sacramento area, the Bay Area, and the Pacific Northwest.
In April 2026, the Lakehead STR market posted an average daily rate of $193 and an occupancy rate of 63.1%, generating $122 in revenue per available room. Revenue grew 7.6% year-over-year through April 2026, a strong result despite a 3.48 percentage point occupancy decline, indicating that ADR gains and mix shift toward higher-value listings offset reduced occupancy.
Approximately 847 listings are active in the market. Entire-place rentals account for 700 listings (83% of the market), with 147 private rooms. The bedroom mix shows a concentration of one-bedroom units (343 listings, 40% of the market), followed by three-bedroom (213), two-bedroom (142), four-bedroom (108), and five-bedroom-plus (41). The one-bedroom concentration may reflect a mix of cabins, private rooms, and smaller units that serve individual travelers and couples alongside the larger group houseboat market.
Channel distribution: 515 listings are Airbnb-only, 298 appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, and 34 are VRBO-only. Airbnb dominates at about 61% of listings exclusively. The overall market score is 74.3 out of 100, with a rental demand score of 78.5, indicating strong underlying visitor demand relative to inventory.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 52% |
| Feb | 60% |
| Mar | 57% |
| Apr | 62% |
| May | 65% |
| Jun | 69% |
| Jul | 73% |
| Aug | 66% |
| Sep | 60% |
| Oct | 59% |
| Nov | 57% |
| Dec | 54% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Lakehead are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Redding market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Redding market as a whole, which includes Lakehead, so these counts are not Lakehead-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shasta Lakeshore Retreat | 22 | 1,063 | ★ 4.95 |
| 2 | MSTR | 21 | 1,432 | ★ 4.88 |
| 3 | Evolve | 19 | 730 | ★ 4.72 |
| 4 | Railroad Park Resort | 13 | 441 | ★ 4.87 |
| 5 | Mt Shasta Vacation Rentals | 6 | 328 | ★ 4.67 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Lakehead?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Lakehead 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 | 60.8% |
| vrbo | 4% |
| both | 35.2% |
Home Value Trends (Lakehead)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Lakehead 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 Lakehead — 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
Short-term rentals in Lakehead fall under Shasta County jurisdiction, not a city, as Lakehead is unincorporated. The county adopted Ordinance 2020-05 on July 21, 2020, codified at Shasta County Code Section 17.88.230, creating two permit paths for STRs.
The Vacation Rental permit covers entire one-family residences rented for 30 days or less and does not require owner-occupancy or primary-residence status, making investor-owned properties eligible. The Hosted Homestay permit applies when an owner resides on-site and rents only rooms. Permits are issued annually and must be renewed each year. Permits are tied to the specific property and are not transferable to a new owner, meaning buyers must obtain their own permit.
Every short-term rental is subject to an annual fire inspection. Operators must collect and remit the county Transient Occupancy Tax of 10% on stays of 30 days or less. Vacation Rentals are permitted in any zone that allows a one-family residence by right, plus the Mixed Use District. There is no published annual night cap and no limit on rental nights per year for Vacation Rentals.
The specific permit fee was not confirmed in available sources; investors should contact the Shasta County Planning Division to verify current fee schedules. Enforcement is rated moderate. County reporting indicated that approximately two-thirds of an estimated 300 county vacation rentals were remitting TOT, suggesting enforcement is active but not comprehensive.
Market Comparison
Nationally, STR markets average approximately 55% occupancy and $220 in ADR. Lakehead’s April 2026 occupancy of 63.1% is well above the national average, ranking it among the stronger occupancy markets in the data set. The $193 ADR is below the national median, reflecting the rural and budget-oriented Shasta Lake visitor base.
Revenue growth of 7.6% year-over-year through April 2026 is above average for established lake markets. The revenue growth score of 73.3 and rental demand score of 78.5 both exceed the national median, placing Lakehead in the upper-middle tier nationally on those dimensions, despite the small market size.
Shasta Lakeshore Retreat leads the Lakehead market with 22 listings and 1,063 reviews at a 4.95 average rating, representing a 2.6% share of the 847-listing market. MSTR holds 21 listings with 1,432 reviews (4.88 rating). Evolve manages 19 listings with 730 reviews (4.72 rating). The top five operators together account for 81 listings, approximately 9.6% of the market. The low concentration reflects a market dominated by independent owner-operators, consistent with the community’s character as a small residential and second-home destination.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lakehead, California
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