San Francisco, California Short-Term Rental Market
San Francisco allows only primary-residence STRs; Bay Area STRs earned $5,511 a month at $261 and 78.4% occupancy, August 2026.
Quick Answer: San Francisco, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the San Francisco market area is 77%. average monthly revenue in the San Francisco market area is $4,983. average daily rate in the San Francisco market area is $247. the top operator in the San Francisco market area is Blueground with 273 listings. market score is 92/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the wider San Francisco market, which covers 9 areas. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to San Francisco.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
San Francisco shares one data series with San Mateo, Redwood City, Half Moon Bay, San Rafael, San Anselmo, and Stinson Beach. All seven places sit in the San Francisco Bay Area, so the performance figures below describe the Bay Area STR market, not the city alone. In August 2026, the latest month on file, the average daily rate (ADR) was $261 and occupancy was 78.4%. Average monthly revenue per listing was $5,511. Against August 2025, occupancy was up 6.5%, ADR was up 7.1%, and revenue was up 11.4%. Entire-place listings earned $6,609 a month, with an entire-home ADR of $319. Houses averaged $6,142 a month and apartments averaged $4,567.
The city has 842,000 residents. San Francisco Travel reports about 23.06 million visitors in 2024, who spent $9.26 billion and supported nearly 62,000 jobs. Visitors are a mix of domestic leisure travelers, international tourists, and business and convention attendees at Moscone Center. The series shows an average length of stay of 6.61 nights and a booking lead time of 61.0 days.
Listing counts, bedroom mix, channel mix, and listing-type mix are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for San Francisco, so this profile omits them. The same applies to the top operator table.
Over the long run the Bay Area market has moved up. Average occupancy was 65.5% in 2017 and 71.3% in 2025. ADR rose from $174 to $219 over the same years. Average monthly revenue per listing rose from $2,903 to $4,251. The 2026 figures cover January through August only. They average 75.8% occupancy at a $237 ADR, and those eight months include the summer peak.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 63% |
| Feb | 67% |
| Mar | 70% |
| Apr | 68% |
| May | 72% |
| Jun | 78% |
| Jul | 78% |
| Aug | 75% |
| Sep | 73% |
| Oct | 71% |
| Nov | 64% |
| Dec | 61% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for San Francisco 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 San Francisco, so these counts are not San Francisco-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blueground | 273 | 85 | ★ 4.24 |
| 2 | Kasa Properties | 76 | 3,135 | ★ 4.50 |
| 3 | Luxury Bookings FZE | 60 | 31 | ★ 4.30 |
| 4 | Landmark | 53 | 214 | ★ 4.55 |
| 5 | Anyplace | 44 | 87 | ★ 4.86 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in San Francisco?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for San Francisco 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 | 71.8% |
| vrbo | 4.6% |
| both | 23.6% |
Home Value Trends (San Francisco)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for San Francisco 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 San Francisco — 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
San Francisco allows short-term rentals, meaning stays under 30 days, only in a host’s primary residence. The Office of Short-Term Rentals enforces the rules under Administrative Code Chapter 41A. The profile rates enforcement as strict, and the owner-occupancy model effectively bans pure investment STRs.
To qualify as a permanent resident, the host must live in the unit at least 275 nights a year and must have lived there at least 60 days before applying. The host needs a Business Registration Certificate from the Treasurer and Tax Collector, which renews each year by May 31. The host also needs a Short-Term Residential Rental Certificate. The application fee is $925 and the certificate is valid for two years.
Un-hosted rentals, with the host away, are capped at 90 nights a year. Hosted rentals have no cap. Hosts file quarterly activity reports with the Office of Short-Term Rentals. Airbnb and Vrbo require a valid San Francisco registration number to list. Unregistered operation can bring significant fines.
Hosts collect and remit a 14% Transient Occupancy Tax. Since November 1, 2024, Tourism Improvement District assessments of 2.25% in Zone 1 and 2.00% in Zone 2 can apply on top of it, depending on location. Core STR rules have not changed. Check with the city before buying or applying.
Market Comparison
This guide uses US STR figures of about 55% occupancy and a $220 ADR as a benchmark. In August 2026 the Bay Area STR market ran above both, at 78.4% occupancy and a $261 ADR. ADR was about 19% above the benchmark. Occupancy was about 23 points higher. The 2025 annual average was 71.3% occupancy at a $219 ADR, which puts annual ADR close to the benchmark.
Occupancy beats the benchmark in every month of the year. The lowest month, December, still averages 60.7%. The strongest months, June and July, average above 77%.
The top operator table is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for San Francisco, so this profile omits it. Operator shares drawn from that table would not describe the city itself. The area profile notes a strong convention calendar at Moscone Center, which supports business demand. It also says a strong US dollar and geopolitical factors dampen leisure growth.
Frequently Asked Questions About San Francisco, California
Can I run an Airbnb in San Francisco?
How much do short-term rentals earn in the San Francisco Bay Area?
What does an STR certificate cost in San Francisco?
What are the best months for Bay Area STRs?
What occupancy tax applies to San Francisco STRs?
How does the Bay Area compare to the US STR average?
How far ahead do guests book, and how long do they stay?
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