Sunnyvale, California Short-Term Rental Market
Sunnyvale permits hosted rentals only; the San Jose-Sunnyvale STR market hit $181 ADR and 77.2% occupancy in August 2026.
Quick Answer: Sunnyvale, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the San Jose/Palo Alto market area is 74%. average monthly revenue in the San Jose/Palo Alto market area is $3,359. average daily rate in the San Jose/Palo Alto market area is $169. the top operator in the San Jose/Palo Alto market area is Blueground with 446 listings. market score is 91/100 (grade A).
Market data reflects the San Jose/Palo Alto regional market, which includes Sunnyvale. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Sunnyvale.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Sunnyvale is a city of 156,792 residents in the heart of Silicon Valley. Its short-term rental performance data is reported for a shared market that covers both San Jose and Sunnyvale. Every performance figure on this page describes the San Jose and Sunnyvale area STR market, not Sunnyvale alone. In August 2026, the latest month of data, that market averaged $181 per night at 77.2% occupancy. Average monthly revenue per listing was $3,740. Compared with August 2025, occupancy rose 3.6%, ADR rose 7.5%, and revenue rose 13.6%.
On a calendar-year basis, the area averaged 73.1% occupancy, $156 ADR, and $3,151 in monthly revenue in 2025. Through the first eight months of 2026 the averages are 75.4% occupancy, $171 ADR, and $3,458 in monthly revenue. The weakest year in the series was 2020, at 63.5% occupancy and $2,040 in monthly revenue.
Demand in Sunnyvale comes mainly from business and tech travelers visiting large employers. Relocation stays, conference and interview trips, and visits to friends and relatives add to it. Leisure draws are modest. They include Baylands Park, the Murphy Avenue Historic District, and the Sunnyvale Art & Wine Festival. The city has no dedicated visitor bureau, and no reliable city-specific annual visitor count exists, so this profile does not cite one.
Sunnyvale allows only hosted stays, so whole-home figures in this data are regional context and not what a Sunnyvale host can legally earn. Listing counts, channel mix, listing-type mix, and bedroom mix are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Sunnyvale, so this profile omits them.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 65% |
| Feb | 70% |
| Mar | 70% |
| Apr | 68% |
| May | 75% |
| Jun | 81% |
| Jul | 81% |
| Aug | 74% |
| Sep | 70% |
| Oct | 70% |
| Nov | 66% |
| Dec | 62% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Sunnyvale are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in San Jose/Palo Alto market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the San Jose/Palo Alto market as a whole, which includes Sunnyvale, so these counts are not Sunnyvale-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blueground | 446 | 196 | ★ 4.30 |
| 2 | Hosteeva | 117 | 191 | ★ 4.14 |
| 3 | Cloud Living Furnished Rental Spaces | 91 | 2,358 | ★ 4.83 |
| 4 | Global Luxury Suites | 83 | 797 | ★ 4.15 |
| 5 | Host / Serena | 49 | 573 | ★ 4.85 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Sunnyvale?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Sunnyvale 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 | 75.8% |
| vrbo | 3.4% |
| both | 20.8% |
Home Value Trends (Sunnyvale)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Sunnyvale 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 Sunnyvale — 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
Sunnyvale allows short-term rentals of 30 consecutive days or less only as hosted rentals. The host must register with the city, obtain a permit, and live on the property throughout every guest stay. Whole-home and unhosted rentals are not permitted. The profile marks both owner-occupancy and primary-residence as required.
Registration must be renewed annually. The permit fee is not published in the data this profile uses. A maximum of four overnight lodgers is allowed per night, not counting minor children accompanied by an adult. Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) approved on or after January 1, 2020 cannot be used as short-term rentals. Older ADUs qualify only if the host lives on the same lot and meets the hosted requirements.
Hosts must collect and remit a 12.5% Transient Occupancy Tax to the city each month. Airbnb collects and remits it for bookings made through its platform, but hosts remain responsible for the tax on bookings through other channels. The rules sit in Municipal Code Chapter 19.76, with the tax under Chapter 3.16. Enforcement severity is rated moderate. No major regulatory change was identified in the last 24 months. Confirm current rules with the City of Sunnyvale before you list.
Market Comparison
Against the commonly cited US STR medians of about 55% occupancy and $220 ADR, the San Jose and Sunnyvale area STR market runs high on occupancy and low on rate. August 2026 occupancy of 77.2% is 22.2 percentage points above the 55% reference. ADR of $181 is about 18% below the $220 reference. Revenue per listing of $3,740 reflects that mix of high fill and a modest nightly rate.
The market is also steadier than many leisure markets. The gap between its best and worst month of occupancy is 19.3 percentage points, and the lowest month still averages 61.8%. Demand is tied to employers, not to a single season.
Top property manager data is tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Sunnyvale, so this profile omits it. That keeps operator names and listing counts from another part of the shared market from being presented as Sunnyvale’s own.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sunnyvale, California
Are short-term rentals legal in Sunnyvale?
How much do Airbnbs earn in the Sunnyvale area?
What tax do Sunnyvale short-term rental hosts pay?
What are the busiest months for STRs near Sunnyvale?
How much does a home cost in Sunnyvale?
How far ahead do guests book, and how long do they stay?
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