Los Osos, California Short-Term Rental Market
Los Osos, CA STRs averaged 53.3% occupancy and $355/night in April 2026 across approximately 4,450 active listings near Montana de Oro State Park.
Quick Answer: Los Osos, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 60%. average monthly revenue is $6,949. average daily rate is $438. the top operator is Seven Sisters Vacation Rentals with 141 listings. market score is 75/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the San Luis Obispo regional market, which includes Los Osos. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Los Osos.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Los Osos, California short-term rental market comprised approximately 4,450 active listings as of April 2026, serving this small unincorporated coastal community of roughly 14,166 residents on San Luis Obispo County’s Central Coast. The market is overwhelmingly entire-place focused, with 4,176 entire-place listings (93.8% of tracked listings), 273 private rooms, and 1 shared room. One-bedroom units are most common with 1,498 listings, followed by three-bedroom (1,110), two-bedroom (1,097), four-bedroom (464), and five-plus bedroom (277) units.
Channel distribution shows strong dual-listing rates. Among tracked listings, 1,802 are Airbnb-only, 2,308 appear on both platforms, and 340 are VRBO-only. The dual-listing rate of 51.9% and VRBO’s combined reach of 59.5% reflect a vacation-destination visitor profile where VRBO captures a substantial share of the market.
In April 2026, occupancy was 53.3% and the average daily rate was $354.90, producing a RevPAR of $189.29. Year-over-year in April, occupancy fell 0.45%, ADR rose 2.62%, and revenue grew 3.92%, indicating healthy rate-led growth. The 2025 full-year average provides the complete baseline: $351 ADR at 51.0% occupancy, producing approximately $4,928 in average monthly revenue per active listing.
Market scores are strong, led by an outstanding revenue growth score of 89.2 out of 100. The total score is 74.9, with rental demand at 71.7, regulation at 70.7, and seasonality at 71.3. Investability scores 57.2, reflecting the strict density controls that limit new permit issuance.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38% | $264 | $2,886 |
| Feb | 47% | $269 | $2,990 |
| Mar | 50% | $282 | $3,761 |
| Apr | 54% | $299 | $4,267 |
| May | 52% | $317 | $4,313 |
| Jun | 61% | $360 | $5,673 |
| Jul | 68% | $338 | $6,183 |
| Aug | 60% | $323 | $5,282 |
| Sep | 53% | $306 | $4,324 |
| Oct | 52% | $299 | $4,260 |
| Nov | 51% | $305 | $3,960 |
| Dec | 46% | $300 | $3,796 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Los Osos
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seven Sisters Vacation Rentals | 141 | 8,919 | ★ 4.81 |
| 2 | Paso Robles Vacation Rentals | 132 | 16,301 | ★ 4.88 |
| 3 | Beach Bum Holiday Rentals | 114 | 4,017 | ★ 4.68 |
| 4 | Scenic Coast Property Management | 88 | 5,427 | ★ 4.78 |
| 5 | Coastal Vacation Rentals & Property Management | 86 | 4,846 | ★ 4.68 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Los Osos?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,498 |
| 2 bed | 1,097 |
| 3 bed | 1,110 |
| 4 bed | 464 |
| 5 bed | 277 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $452 |
| Luxury | $801 |
| Professionally Managed | $586 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $5,781 |
| Entire Place | $7,210 |
| House | $7,416 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 40.5% |
| vrbo | 7.6% |
| both | 51.9% |
Investment Analysis
Los Osos presents one of the higher-ADR coastal California STR markets in the data set but is constrained by among the strictest density regulations in San Luis Obispo County. The 2025 full-year average monthly revenue of $4,928 (annualized to $59,136) is the baseline for a typical listing. Housing snapshot data was not available in this pull, so a gross yield calculation cannot be provided.
Critical investment constraint: Los Osos imposes strict density controls that make obtaining a new vacation rental permit very difficult in practice. A minimum of 9 lots or a 500-foot radius (whichever is greater) must separate any two vacation rentals. There is also a hard cap of 1 vacation rental per 100 single-family homes per neighborhood, only 1 vacation rental per owner, and corporate and partnership owners are prohibited. Permits void automatically when the property is sold. Investors must verify permit availability with SLO County (805-781-5600) before purchasing any property.
ADR tiers show a very significant professional management premium. Professionally managed properties averaged $459.92 per night in April 2026, approximately $95 above the entire-home average of $365.02 and $105 above the all-listings average of $354.90. The luxury tier averaged $643.60 per night, approximately 81% above the all-listings average.
Revenue by property type in April 2026: house listings averaged $5,307 per month, entire-place listings averaged $5,128, and apartment listings averaged $4,051. Houses outperformed the broader entire-place category by $179 per month.
Revenue has grown from $3,068 per month in 2017 to $4,928 in 2025, a roughly 61% increase over eight years. ADR drove most of this: from $253 in 2017 to $351 in 2025. The revenue growth score of 89.2 is among the highest tracked.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Los Osos, CA guests book an average of 48.9 days in advance, with stays averaging 3.4 nights. The roughly 49-day lead window is moderate for a Central Coast destination, suggesting guests plan trips five to seven weeks ahead, consistent with California weekend and week-long getaway travel patterns.
For operators, the 49-day window means rate decisions made 50 to 65 days before arrival capture most demand. Summer peak bookings for July fill in May and early June. The early-summer rate premium is real here: June ADR ($350) historically exceeds July ADR ($338), reflecting that early-summer booking intensity drives premium pricing before peak inventory is absorbed.
The 3.4-night average stay is consistent with extended weekends and short vacation trips rather than full-week stays. Operators can align with this pattern by offering 3-night minimums during peak summer months, accepting that full-week stays (7-night minimums) may leave occupancy on the table given the dominant 3- to 4-night demand segment. During October through March low-season, 2-night minimums can improve occupancy without significantly impacting per-stay revenue.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Los Osos is an unincorporated community in San Luis Obispo County and is subject to SLO County’s vacation rental ordinance with Los Osos-specific density overlays that are among the most restrictive in the county.
To operate legally, an owner must obtain: (1) a Minor Use Permit and vacation rental zoning clearance from SLO County Planning and Building, approximately $556 for the initial application, and (2) a County Business License (approximately $50/year) with a Transient Occupancy Tax certificate.
Guests pay a 10.5% combined tax on rental amounts: 9% county TOT plus a 1.5% Tourism Marketing District assessment. As of January 2026, a new annual STR review fee was added to the program (separate from the business license renewal); the exact dollar amount was not published in available primary sources.
Los Osos-specific density rules are strict: (1) Vacation rentals must be separated by a minimum of 9 lots or a 500-foot radius, whichever is greater; (2) hard cap of 1 vacation rental per 100 single-family homes per neighborhood; (3) only 1 vacation rental per owner is allowed; (4) corporate and partnership ownership is prohibited; (5) vacation rentals are banned in multi-family dwellings and mobile home parks; (6) permits void automatically upon sale of the property.
Owner-occupancy is not required. Enforcement is assessed as strict.
Practical consequence for investors: the density caps make new permits difficult to obtain in most neighborhoods. Investors should verify permit availability with SLO County Planning (805-781-5600) before purchasing any property. An existing permitted property carries a regulatory premium on acquisition because the permit does not transfer with a sale.
Market Comparison
Los Osos’s 51.0% annual average occupancy (2025) sits near the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%. However, its 2025 annual ADR of $351 is approximately 60% above the U.S. median ADR of $220, positioning it as a premium-priced coastal California market. The revenue growth score of 89.2 is among the highest in the data set for any market, reflecting sustained long-run ADR appreciation from $253 in 2017 to $351 in 2025.
The RevPAR of $189.29 in April 2026 is among the highest in this wave of content generation, reflecting the combination of premium ADR and moderate occupancy in a supply-constrained market.
The operator landscape in Los Osos is locally specialized and moderately concentrated. The top five property managers collectively hold 561 listings, representing approximately 12.6% of the 4,450 total active listings. Seven Sisters Vacation Rentals leads with 141 listings and a 4.81 rating across 8,919 reviews. Paso Robles Vacation Rentals follows with 132 listings and an exceptional 4.88 rating across 16,301 reviews. Beach Bum Holiday Rentals holds 114 listings at a 4.68 rating. Scenic Coast Property Management operates 88 listings at a 4.78 rating.
All five top operators are locally or regionally specialized, with no national platform operators (Vacasa, Evolve) in the top five. This reflects a market where local expertise and established permit relationships are competitive advantages, consistent with the strict local density controls.
Frequently Asked Questions About Los Osos, California
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