Pacifica, California Short-Term Rental Market
Pacifica STRs averaged $221/night at 71.6% occupancy in April 2026, with strict owner-occupancy rules limiting investor entry.
Quick Answer: Pacifica, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the San Francisco market area is 83%. average monthly revenue in the San Francisco market area is $5,556. average daily rate in the San Francisco market area is $260. the top operator in the San Francisco market area is Blueground with 267 listings. market score is 92/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the San Francisco regional market, which includes Pacifica. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Pacifica.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Pacifica, California is a coastal city 15 miles south of San Francisco with a large short-term rental market shaped by proximity to the Bay Area and stringent local regulation. As of April 2026, the market shows approximately 11,636 active listings across platforms, with 8,749 entire-place units, 2,831 private rooms, and 56 shared rooms. The average daily rate is $221, occupancy runs at 71.6%, and RevPAR is $158 per night.
Bedroom distribution skews heavily toward 1-bedroom units (6,656), followed by 2-bedroom (2,430), 3-bedroom (1,496), 4-bedroom (667), and 5-bedroom-plus (364). Airbnb-exclusive listings total 8,365, VRBO-exclusive 521, and 2,750 properties cross-list on both platforms, indicating strong Airbnb market dominance.
Year-over-year as of April 2026, occupancy improved 1.0%, ADR rose 4.5%, and revenue increased 5.8%, continuing a gradual recovery from the 2023-2024 plateau. The market total score of 92.0 out of 100 reflects strong rental demand (84.4) and near-perfect revenue growth (97.6), though the investability score of 45.9 reflects regulatory barriers that significantly constrain non-owner-occupied investment.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 63% |
| Feb | 67% |
| Mar | 70% |
| Apr | 68% |
| May | 72% |
| Jun | 78% |
| Jul | 77% |
| Aug | 74% |
| Sep | 73% |
| Oct | 71% |
| Nov | 64% |
| Dec | 61% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Pacifica are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in San Francisco market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the San Francisco market as a whole, which includes Pacifica, so these counts are not Pacifica-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blueground | 267 | 86 | ★ 4.28 |
| 2 | Kasa Properties | 76 | 3,125 | ★ 4.50 |
| 3 | Luxury Bookings FZE | 60 | 31 | ★ 4.30 |
| 4 | Landmark | 53 | 214 | ★ 4.55 |
| 5 | Anyplace | 44 | 86 | ★ 4.86 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Pacifica?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Pacifica 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 | 71.9% |
| vrbo | 4.5% |
| both | 23.6% |
Home Value Trends (Pacifica)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Pacifica 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 Pacifica — 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
Pacifica adopted Ordinance No. 901-C.S. on August 11, 2025, enacting one of the stricter STR frameworks in the Bay Area. The ordinance requires that all STRs operate out of the host’s primary residence. Second homes and pure investment vacation rentals are not permitted.
Unhosted STRs (owner not on-site during the rental) are capped at 60 nights per calendar year. Hosted STRs (owner present) have no annual night cap. Unhosted rentals are prohibited outright in multi-family buildings (two or more units) and in accessory dwelling units. A minimum stay of two consecutive nights applies to unhosted stays.
The annual permit fee is $1,704, with an additional $263 inspection fee for non-coastal-zone properties. A city business license and a signed STR Safety Declaration are also required. Operators must provide one parking space per rented bedroom, maintain quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., designate a 24/7 local contact, and carry liability insurance.
Pacifica’s Transient Occupancy Tax is 15%. Enforcement severity is rated high, with a strike system penalizing violations. Coastal-zone properties (west of Highway 1) face a separate track: coastal enforcement was pending California Coastal Commission certification as of February 2026. Non-coastal permits became subject to the new rules on October 31, 2025.
Market Comparison
Pacifica’s 71.6% April occupancy is well above the US STR median of approximately 55%, placing it among the higher-occupancy coastal markets nationally. The ADR of $221 is close to the US median of approximately $220, but the Bay Area context means the underlying property costs are far above national norms, compressing yields.
Among the top operators, Blueground leads with 267 listings and an average rating of 4.28. Kasa Properties holds 76 listings with 3,125 reviews at a 4.50 rating, and Luxury Bookings FZE manages 60 listings at a 4.30 rating. Collectively the top five operators account for 500 listings, or roughly 4.3% of the market, indicating a heavily fragmented, owner-operated market structure.
The total market score of 92.0 is high and driven by seasonal consistency (98.8) and revenue growth (97.6). However, the investability score of 45.9 accurately reflects the ownership and night-cap restrictions. Investors from outside Pacifica who cannot establish primary residency cannot operate a compliant unhosted STR beyond 60 nights per year under current rules.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pacifica, California
What is the average nightly rate for Airbnbs in Pacifica, CA?
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Do I need a permit to run an STR in Pacifica?
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What is the occupancy tax rate in Pacifica?
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