Vacaville, California Short-Term Rental Market
Vacaville, CA prohibits residential STRs under 30 days; operators active on platforms face high enforcement risk.
Quick Answer: Vacaville, California is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the California Central Valley market area is 63%. average monthly revenue in the California Central Valley market area is $2,724. average daily rate in the California Central Valley market area is $157. the top operator in the California Central Valley market area is Evolve with 177 listings. market score is 57/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the California Central Valley regional market, which includes Vacaville. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Vacaville.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Vacaville is an I-80 corridor city of approximately 104,917 residents located midway between San Francisco and Sacramento. Tourism spending reached $240 million in 2024, driven by the Premium Outlets, Travis Air Force Base events, and outdoor recreation visitors. Despite significant overnight lodging demand ($30.9 million in 2024 lodging expenditures), Vacaville does not permit short-term rentals in residential zones.
Platform data shows approximately 9,773 listings across Airbnb and Vrbo in the broader market area, with entire-place listings at 7,098, private rooms at 2,664, and shared rooms at 11. Bedroom distribution shows 1-bedroom units as the largest segment (4,549 listings), followed by 3-bedroom (1,993), 2-bedroom (1,548), 4-bedroom (1,212), and 5-bedroom-plus (463). Channel distribution is heavily Airbnb-weighted: 6,913 listings on Airbnb only versus 292 on Vrbo only, with 2,568 on both platforms.
The market’s seasonality score is 98.8 out of 100, the highest among markets in this dataset, reflecting extremely consistent year-round demand with minimal monthly swing. Occupancy ranges from approximately 54.7% in January to 66.8% in June. The relatively narrow band is unusual for a California market and reflects the city’s function as a transit and logistics hub rather than a seasonal destination.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 55% |
| Feb | 61% |
| Mar | 61% |
| Apr | 61% |
| May | 64% |
| Jun | 66% |
| Jul | 67% |
| Aug | 63% |
| Sep | 61% |
| Oct | 61% |
| Nov | 58% |
| Dec | 57% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Vacaville are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in California Central Valley market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the California Central Valley market as a whole, which includes Vacaville, so these counts are not Vacaville-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 177 | 4,215 | ★ 4.55 |
| 2 | Stay Smart | 85 | 925 | ★ 4.36 |
| 3 | Guest Equity, Inc. | 47 | 4,153 | ★ 4.71 |
| 4 | Fresno Short Term Rentals | 43 | 3,803 | ★ 4.86 |
| 5 | LUSH Garden Hideaway | 42 | 875 | ★ 4.95 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Vacaville?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Vacaville 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 | 70.7% |
| vrbo | 3% |
| both | 26.3% |
Home Value Trends (Vacaville)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Vacaville 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 Vacaville — 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
Vacaville prohibits short-term rentals in residential zones. The city’s Municipal Code classifies any lodging rented to the public for less than 30 days as a hotel, and hotels are only permitted in commercial and mixed-use zones. There is no STR permit, registration, or licensing program for residential properties.
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) cannot be used for stays under 31 days, consistent with California state law (Government Code 65852.2). The City Council has publicly opposed legalizing short-term vacation rentals, and no legalization ordinance is pending as of May 2026.
The city’s Transient Occupancy Tax of 8% applies to legally operating hotels and motels in commercial zones, not to prohibited residential STRs. Enforcement is handled by the Code Enforcement division. Operators listing a Vacaville residence for stays under 30 days are subject to zoning violation citations.
Legal short-stay accommodation options are limited to commercial hotels, motels, and licensed bed-and-breakfast inns in properly zoned districts. Stays of 30 days or longer are treated as residential rentals and fall outside STR regulation.
Market Comparison
Vacaville’s 59.1% occupancy in April 2026 sits above the U.S. STR annual median of approximately 55%, reflecting the market’s consistent year-round demand. The $141 ADR is well below the national median of approximately $220, consistent with the market’s budget-tier and transit-lodging character rather than premium vacation positioning.
The seasonality score of 98.8 is the highest in this dataset, meaning Vacaville has among the flattest seasonal demand curves of any tracked STR market. This consistency has value for cash-flow predictability but comes paired with lower average rates.
Among operators in the broader market area, Evolve leads with 177 listings and a 4.55 rating. Stay Smart follows with 85 listings. Guest Equity, Inc. holds 47 listings with a 4.71 rating and 4,153 reviews. Fresno Short Term Rentals (43 listings, 4.86 rating) and LUSH Garden Hideaway (42 listings, 4.95 rating) round out the top five. Investors should verify the legal operating status of any property before engaging a property manager for STR use in Vacaville’s residential zones.
Frequently Asked Questions About Vacaville, California
Are Airbnb rentals legal in Vacaville, CA?
What is the average Airbnb revenue in the Vacaville market area?
Is Vacaville a year-round STR market?
What is the typical home value in Vacaville?
How far in advance do Vacaville-area guests typically book?
What Transient Occupancy Tax applies to lodging in Vacaville?
Which property managers operate in the broader Vacaville market area?
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