Is it profitable to do Airbnb in Santa Cruz, The United States?
What is the occupancy rate of Airbnb in Santa Cruz, The United States?
What is the average daily rate of Airbnb in Santa Cruz, The United States?
Airbnb Revenue in Santa Cruz, The United States: 2025 Short-Term Rental Data & Insights
Average Airbnb Revenue in Santa Cruz
A typical short-term rental in Santa Cruz is booked for 219 nights per year, generating a medium Airbnb occupancy rate of 60% and an average daily rate (ADR) of $310 in local currency . In June, 2024 - May, 2025, the average annual short-term rental revenue in Santa Cruz was $65K in local currency . As of 4th July, 2025, there are 1,512 active Airbnb listings in Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz Airbnb Income Data Summary
Santa Cruz Average Monthly Revenue
$5,481
Santa Cruz YoY Revenue Change
17.98%
Santa Cruz Average Airbnb Occupancy Rate
60%
Santa Cruz Average Daily Rate
$310
Luxury
Santa Cruz Number of Listings
2,041
Medium
Airbnb Seasonality in Santa Cruz
Strong
Most Profitable Month for Airbnb in Santa Cruz
April
** Period: June, 2024 - May, 2025 | Last Updated on: 4th July, 2025
Santa Cruz Airbnb Revenue by Month
June, 2024 - May, 2025
Low
$3,761
Average
$5,521
High
$7,455
Is Airbnb Profitable in Santa Cruz, The United States?
Yes, starting an Airbnb business in Santa Cruz can be very profitable as there is strong short-term rental demand. An average vacation rental revenue of $65,777 in local currency and a median occupancy rate of 60% are considered good in the hospitality space. With 2,041 active listings, the Santa Cruz Airbnb market is strong but not oversaturated.
Tip: Investing in a short-term rental can be both stable and highly profitable.
Stability: Vacation rentals in a market like Santa Cruz are a stable investment strategy because they combine investing in real estate and in hospitality. While many potential investors worry about increasingly stricter Airbnb laws, if you can no longer rent out your property on Airbnb, you can convert it into a long-term rental and lease it to tenants on a monthly basis. Monthly rentals yield less, but they are less heavily regulated and even more stable than short-term rentals.
Profitability: Buying an Airbnb property in a city like Santa Cruz is highly profitable because the monthly cash flow from a short-term rental investment is typically double the rental rate of traditional rentals.
As a Santa Cruz Airbnb host, you can boost the performance of your short-term rental by choosing the optimal property type and the right property size and furnishing your listing with the most demanded amenities in the area.
Demand by Amenities
Average Airbnb Occupancy Rate in Santa Cruz
You can find the distribution graph of daily rate and revenue in our market dashboard. A typical Santa Cruz listing recorded a 60% average short-term rental occupancy between June, 2024 - May, 2025. The Santa Cruz vacation rental market has Strong seasonality, with April and July being the busiest months for Airbnb hosts.
About 4.72% of Santa Cruz Airbnb guests are international guests, and visitors from United states constitute the largest group. Learn more about guest origin to inform your vacation rental marketing strategy.
On the graph below, you can see the occupancy rate distribution per number of listings.
To view the distribution of average daily rates and annual revenue, refer to our Santa Cruz market dashboard.
About 4.72% of Santa Cruz Airbnb guests are international guests, and visitors from United states constitute the largest group. Learn more about guest origin to inform your vacation rental marketing strategy.
On the graph below, you can see the occupancy rate distribution per number of listings.
To view the distribution of average daily rates and annual revenue, refer to our Santa Cruz market dashboard.
Occupancy Rate: 60%
1,512 Active Listings
Starting an Airbnb in Santa Cruz: Short-Term Rental Regulations
Before launching an Airbnb in Santa Cruz, it's important to understand the local short-term rental rules and regulations. While Airbnb, Vrbo, and similar listing platforms are widely used in Santa Cruz, the legal landscape can be complex, especially for a beginner host.
In general, Santa Cruz Airbnb regulations are lenient at the city level, but zoning regulations might apply to some parts of the market. Hosts might be required to register their short-term rentals with local authorities, and there might be limitations on the number of licenses that a single host can hold. You also need to pay applicable Airbnb taxes to make your Santa Cruz vacation rental business legally compliant.
Learn more about the Airbnb rules in Santa Cruz, United States.
In general, Santa Cruz Airbnb regulations are lenient at the city level, but zoning regulations might apply to some parts of the market. Hosts might be required to register their short-term rentals with local authorities, and there might be limitations on the number of licenses that a single host can hold. You also need to pay applicable Airbnb taxes to make your Santa Cruz vacation rental business legally compliant.
Learn more about the Airbnb rules in Santa Cruz, United States.
Signup and check out more in-depth vacation rental data for free.
Explore Santa Cruz's Airbnb Data ⟶
Most Profitable Areas for Vacation Rentals in Santa Cruz
Wondering where to invest in Santa Cruz for the best Airbnb returns? Look no further!
The best Airbnb markets in Santa Cruz are:
The best Airbnb markets in Santa Cruz are:
- Neary Lagoon
- Airbnb Annual Revenue: $137,876 in local currency
- Airbnb Occupancy Rate: 81%
- Airbnb Average Daily Rate: $448 in local currency
- Westside
- Airbnb Annual Revenue: $121,272 in local currency
- Airbnb Occupancy Rate: 54%
- Airbnb Average Daily Rate: $607 in local currency
- Lighthouse
- Airbnb Annual Revenue: $98,234 in local currency
- Airbnb Occupancy Rate: 70%
- Airbnb Average Daily Rate: $379 in local currency
- Natural Bridges
- West King Street
- Capitola
- Beach Flats
- Spring Street
- Circles
- Harvey West
Find the top Airbnb location in Santa Cruz for your specific needs and aspirations.
Most Popular Airbnbs in Santa Cruz
Airbtics has been tracking all Airbnb listings since 2019. This allows us to understand interesting metrics, like which properties earn the most in the market. Here are our top picks. Go to the app to find detailed information about 1,512 listings.
See Airbnb Statistics on All 1,512 Listings
Professional Airbnb Property Managers in Santa Cruz
You can turn your Santa Cruz Airbnb investment into a source of passive income and navigate the short-term rental regulatory framework easily by hiring one of the best Airbnb property management companies in the area.
To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of the professional short-term rental property managers in Santa Cruz with the most Airbnb properties.
To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of the professional short-term rental property managers in Santa Cruz with the most Airbnb properties.
Find out the top Airbnb management company in Santa Cruz, United States for your needs.
Other short-term rental market data in Santa Cruz
Here is a breakdown of short-let properties in Santa Cruz. You might wonder about more specific data before buying an Airbnb property. For example, how much can an average listing with 4 bedrooms and a pool make? Or, what is the seasonality in booking? When is the peak month? Click the below button and check out more in-depth vacation rental data for free.
Santa Cruz Airbnb Listings by Property Size
Santa Cruz Airbnb Listings by Property Type
Santa Cruz Airbnb Listings by Cancelation Policy Type
Santa Cruz Vacation Rentals by Channel
Estimate Your Potential Earnings in Santa Cruz with the Airbtics Airbnb Calculator
Ready to start looking for the most profitable Airbnb investment opportunities in Santa Cruz?
Use our Airbnb income calculator to instantly get an accurate estimate of the earning potential of any neighborhood and area.
Use our Airbnb income calculator to instantly get an accurate estimate of the earning potential of any neighborhood and area.
Santa Cruz Airbnb FAQs
How Much Can You Make on Airbnb in Santa Cruz, The United States?
The average Santa Cruz Airbnb host was able to make $65K in local currency in June, 2024 - May, 2025. Your actual vacation rental revenue can vary depending on your listing's location, type, size, amenities, target guest persona, property management style, marketing strategy, and other factors. Check out our detailed Santa Cruz Airbnb data to see how different factors affect revenue and estimate your potential income.
How Profitable Is Airbnb in Santa Cruz?
With an ADR of $310 local currency and a median occupancy rate of 60%, short-term rentals in Santa Cruz can be very profitable. However, exactly how much money you can make from Airbnb in Santa Cruz is determined by multiple factors. Remember that profitable Airbnb investments start with the best location. Buy an Airbnb property in one of the most profitable locations in Santa Cruz.
What Is the ROI on Airbnb in Santa Cruz?
The return on investment (ROI) on Airbnb properties in Santa Cruz depends on factors like the purchase price, rental income, and operating costs. While the exact ROI varies by property, you can get an estimate by using key metrics such as annual rental income, daily rates, and occupancy.In Santa Cruz, the annual Airbnb revenue is $65K in local currency . To estimate your ROI, compare this income against your property's purchase price and operating expenses. Our Airbnb calculator can help you run the numbers based on your investment and strategy.
What Is the Average Occupancy Rate for Airbnb in Santa Cruz?
The median Airbnb occupancy rate in Santa Cruz was 60% in June, 2024 - May, 2025. However, your actual occupancy depends on many factors, such as your property type, number of bedrooms, pricing strategy, and marketing efforts.
How Many Airbnbs Are There in Santa Cruz?
As of March 2025, there are 1,512 active listings on the Airbnb platform in Santa Cruz.