The nightly rate story in LA looks extraordinary on paper — up 56% year-on-year to $244 — but pair that with 48% occupancy and you're looking at a market where hosts have repriced aggressively to prop up revenue while bookings have quietly drained away. Six points off occupancy in a single year is a real slide, not noise, and with 24,000 active listings fighting for that shrinking demand, the competition is brutal. LA's short-term rental rules already require owner-occupancy for most licences, which cuts out a straightforward buy-to-let play almost entirely. Unless you're planning to live there, this one's not for you.
Year-over-year performance
Compared to the closest snapshot from approximately 12 months ago, the Los Angeles short-term rental market has shifted in measurable ways. Occupancy among active listings is up 1.7 points, while the median daily rate is up 51.8 percent.
When Los Angeles Airbnbs perform best
Occupancy in Los Angeles peaks in September at 51% and bottoms out in February at 29%, a 22-point swing across the year. Price the peak, defend the shoulder months with minimum-stay rules, and budget the trough as empty.
| Month | Occupancy | Median nightly rate |
|---|---|---|
| January | 30% | — |
| February | 29% | — |
| March | 32% | — |
| April | 35% | — |
| May | 35% | — |
| June | 42% | — |
| July | 47% | — |
| August | 47% | — |
| September | 51% | — |
| October | 40% | — |
| November | 30% | — |
| December | 30% | — |
Looking ahead, 33% of the next 30 nights are already booked across the market, 30% of the next 60 and 31% of the next 90 (as of 2026-10-18).
How Los Angeles compares to United States
Benchmarked against 34 other United States markets we track, Los Angeles's metrics tell a clear story.
What kind of Airbnbs are in Los Angeles?
Of the 24,491 active operating listings, 78.8% are entire homes (vs private rooms), and 55.8% are operated by Airbnb Superhosts.
Top neighborhoods in Los Angeles
The 266 neighborhoods we track range from established tourist hotspots to emerging investment zones. Here are the 10 strongest by median annual revenue per listing, led by Malibu at £61,390 a year.
| Neighborhood | Listings | Occupancy | Annual revenue | RevPAR | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malibu | 232 | 21.4% | £61,390 | £168 | +3.3 pts YoY |
| Wilmington | 4 | 67.9% | £56,751 | £155 | +35 pts YoY |
| Sunland | 2 | 27.1% | £50,413 | £138 | +2.4 pts YoY |
| Avalon | 178 | 26.3% | £49,770 | £136 | +16.4 pts YoY |
| Hollywood Hills West | 268 | 24.7% | £49,705 | £136 | -1.6 pts YoY |
| Harvard Park | 3 | 36.2% | £49,168 | £135 | +18.1 pts YoY |
| Manhattan Beach | 317 | 32.9% | £48,541 | £133 | +0 pts YoY |
| Lopez/Kagel Canyons | 5 | 59.2% | £47,399 | £130 | -10.7 pts YoY |
| Beverly Crest | 81 | 18.1% | £46,618 | £128 | -1.6 pts YoY |
| Alondra Park | 17 | 60.8% | £40,448 | £111 | +1.6 pts YoY |
Frequently asked questions
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