National City, California Short-Term Rental Market
National City, CA area rentals averaged $382 nightly at 75.7% occupancy in June 2026, though new STRs are now capped.
Quick Answer: National City, 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 National City. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to National City.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
National City, CA is a South Bay city of 58,460 residents in San Diego County, about 5 miles from downtown San Diego and 10 miles from the US-Mexico border. It functions largely as an affordable lodging and shopping base for visitors to greater San Diego, drawing budget-conscious travelers headed to Petco Park, Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo, the USS Midway, and Coronado, all within a short drive, along with the Mile of Cars auto-retail corridor and waterfront recreation at Pepper Park.
Listing-level inventory counts, bedroom mix, and market-score benchmarks are tracked at a shared regional level across greater San Diego rather than uniquely for National City, so this profile omits those figures rather than present them as city-specific. All occupancy, rate, and revenue figures below describe the National City area STR market rather than the city in strict isolation.
In the most recent month of data (June 2026), the National City area STR market posted an average daily rate of $382.26 and average occupancy of 75.71%, one of the higher occupancy rates in this data set. Average monthly revenue per listing was $7,597, with standalone houses averaging $8,599 a month and entire-place listings averaging $8,166, both well ahead of the $6,253 average for apartment-style listings.
Year over year, occupancy rose 4.2 percentage points and revenue per listing climbed 7.8%, even as average daily rate fell 6.2%. That combination of rising occupancy and revenue alongside a softer rate suggests operators discounted nightly pricing to capture more bookings, and it worked.
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 National City 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 National City, so these counts are not National City-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 National City?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for National City 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 (National City)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for National City 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 National City — 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
National City historically had no regulation of short-term rentals at all, but the City Council adopted its first STR ordinance, Municipal Code Chapter 6.30, in September 2025. Until the permit application process launches, expected sometime in 2026, short-term rentals are effectively prohibited citywide.
Once permits open, operators must pay a $250 annual permit fee and pass a criminal background check; applicants with certain criminal records, including prostitution or serious Penal Code Title 9 offenses, are disqualified. Applicants must reside in National City or within a quarter mile of the rental property. The city caps total STRs at 45 per council district, up to 180 citywide, creating a competitive permit process. Each operator may run only one unhosted STR, while hosted STRs, where the operator lives on the property or next door, face no unit cap. Unhosted rentals are limited to 90 rental-nights a year; hosted properties have no night limit.
A 10% transient occupancy tax applies to nightly room rates. Enforcement is rated strict, with escalating fines from $500 for a first violation up to $1,500 for a third, permit revocation possible after three citations within a year, and immediate revocation plus a 12-month reapplication wait for felony violations tied to the rental. The city adopted this ordinance in response to police concerns over loud parties, human trafficking, and violent crime linked to unregulated STRs.
Market Comparison
The National City area’s 75.71% average occupancy in the latest month runs well above the roughly 55% median occupancy typically seen across the broader US short-term rental market, and its $382.26 average daily rate sits far above the roughly $220 national median, reflecting strong demand tied to its position just outside downtown San Diego.
Property manager rankings and total listing counts for this market are tracked at a shared regional level across greater San Diego rather than distinctly for National City, so this profile omits a market-specific operator breakdown rather than present shared data as city-specific. Investors should also weigh that this strong historical performance predates National City’s new permit cap of 180 citywide STRs, a hard ceiling that will limit how many of today’s listings can legally continue operating once the new ordinance is enforced. Investors comparing National City to other San Diego-area submarkets should treat that citywide cap, not historical occupancy or rate trends, as the binding constraint on future supply.
Frequently Asked Questions About National City, California
Are short-term rentals legal in National City, CA?
How many short-term rental permits will National City issue?
What is the average Airbnb occupancy rate in the National City, CA area?
What is the average daily rate for a short-term rental in the National City, CA area?
How much revenue can an Airbnb in the National City, CA area generate per month?
What taxes and background checks apply to short-term rentals in National City, CA?
When is the best time to book or list a short-term rental in the National City, CA area?
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