Mammoth Lakes, California Short-Term Rental Market
Mammoth Lakes STRs averaged $369/night at 32.8% occupancy in April 2026, with February historically the strongest month at nearly 62% occupancy.
Quick Answer: Mammoth Lakes, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Mammoth Lakes market area is 49%. average monthly revenue in the Mammoth Lakes market area is $3,335. average daily rate in the Mammoth Lakes market area is $308. the top operator in the Mammoth Lakes market area is RedAwning with 650 listings. market score is 45/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the wider Mammoth Lakes market, which covers 2 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Mammoth Lakes.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Mammoth Lakes, California operates one of the most distinctive short-term rental markets in the western United States, driven almost entirely by ski-season demand from Southern California and Nevada. As of April 2026, the market recorded an average daily rate of $369 across 3,784 active listings, with occupancy at 32.8% and RevPAR at $121. April is a shoulder month between ski and summer seasons, and these figures reflect that seasonal trough rather than peak-market performance.
The listing mix is overwhelmingly entire-place accommodations: 3,752 of 3,784 active listings (99.2%) are entire-place rentals, with just 32 private-room listings. By bedroom count, two-bedroom units dominate at 1,453 listings (38.4% of inventory), followed by one-bedroom at 936 (24.7%), three-bedroom at 920 (24.3%), four-bedroom at 414 (10.9%), and five-bedroom at 61 (1.6%).
Channel distribution shows that 2,431 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO simultaneously, while 807 are Airbnb-exclusive and 546 are VRBO-exclusive. The Mammoth Lakes market indexes notably higher than most ski markets on VRBO, consistent with the destination’s established group-travel base.
Year-over-year, April 2026 showed occupancy down 15.7% from April 2025, with ADR essentially flat at +1.0% and revenue off 20.4%. The occupancy decline tracks with a broader normalization following the exceptional 2020-2021 demand surge that hit mountain destinations hard. Looking at annual averages, 2025 delivered $377 ADR and 46.2% average occupancy, up modestly from 2024’s $364 ADR and 45.6% occupancy. The 2025 annual average revenue per listing of $4,947 represents a modest recovery from 2024’s $4,664.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 58% |
| Feb | 62% |
| Mar | 55% |
| Apr | 42% |
| May | 30% |
| Jun | 51% |
| Jul | 59% |
| Aug | 48% |
| Sep | 33% |
| Oct | 33% |
| Nov | 37% |
| Dec | 60% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Mammoth Lakes are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Mammoth Lakes market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Mammoth Lakes market as a whole, which includes Mammoth Lakes, so these counts are not Mammoth Lakes-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RedAwning | 650 | 12,948 | ★ 4.48 |
| 2 | Mammoth Reservations | 183 | 5,313 | ★ 4.42 |
| 3 | Nomadness | 175 | 5,703 | ★ 4.70 |
| 4 | Central Reservations of Mammoth | 130 | 8,268 | ★ 4.68 |
| 5 | Vacasa | 128 | 9,466 | ★ 4.42 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Mammoth Lakes?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Mammoth Lakes 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 | 21.3% |
| vrbo | 14.4% |
| both | 64.2% |
Home Value Trends (Mammoth Lakes)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Mammoth Lakes 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 Mammoth Lakes — 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
Mammoth Lakes has one of California’s more structured STR licensing systems, shaped largely by Measure Z (2015), which froze zoning and banned STRs from residential-only zones.
STRs are permitted in the Town of Mammoth Lakes, but only in specific zones: Commercial (CG, CL), Resort (R), Residential Multi-Family 2 (RMF-2), and certain Specific Plan areas including North Village and Clearwater. Residential Single-Family (RSF), Rural Residential (RR), and Residential Multi-Family 1 (RMF-1) zones prohibit STRs. Single-family homes in traditional neighborhood zones cannot be rented short-term, regardless of HOA rules. HOA restrictions may apply additional limits even in permitted zones.
To operate legally, a host must obtain three items annually: a Certified Property Authorization Number (CPAN), the primary STR registration introduced under the Certified Properties Program in April 2024; a Business Tax Certificate; and a Transient Occupancy Certificate posted in the unit. The CPAN registration costs $250 per year.
Operators must collect and remit a 15% Transient Occupancy Tax (raised from 13% effective January 1, 2025, per Ordinance OR24) plus a 1% Tourism Business Improvement District assessment, for a combined 16% on gross rental revenue. Monthly TOT returns are required. There is no stated maximum nights-per-year cap and no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement.
Enforcement is rated strict. The Town maintains an online TOT property search tool and a violation hotline. Violations can result in fines and permit revocation.
Note: Mono County (unincorporated areas outside Town limits) adopted separate STR rules via Ordinance 25-005 effective February 23, 2026, requiring Use Permits. Properties outside Town boundaries are subject to county, not Town, rules.
Market Comparison
Against U.S. STR benchmarks of approximately 55% median occupancy and $220 median ADR, Mammoth Lakes in April 2026 tracked at 32.8% occupancy and $369 ADR. The occupancy gap reflects April’s shoulder positioning between ski and summer seasons, not a structural market weakness. Historical annual average occupancy of 46.2% (2025) is below the U.S. median but within normal range for high-altitude ski markets where winter compression creates extreme seasonal peaks.
ADR of $369 in April is 67.7% above the U.S. median of $220, consistent with Mammoth Lakes’ premium positioning as a destination resort market. The market competes directly with Lake Tahoe, Aspen, and Park City, where comparable ADR ranges and occupancy patterns are observed.
The property management landscape is heavily consolidated. RedAwning leads with 650 listings and a 4.48-star average. Mammoth Reservations holds 183 listings (4.42 stars), Nomadness manages 175 (4.70 stars), Central Reservations of Mammoth operates 130 (4.68 stars), and Vacasa manages 128 (4.42 stars). Together, these five operators account for 1,266 listings, approximately 33.5% of the 3,784 active listings.
The market’s total score of 45.1 (out of 100) reflects the investability strength (69.4) offset by high seasonality risk (45.8 seasonality score). Investors comfortable with concentrated seasonal revenue and zoning-restricted supply will find a well-defined, repeat-visitor destination with strong per-night rates.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mammoth Lakes, California
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