Santa Cruz County Airbnb: 26.3% occupancy (+1.6 pts YoY), ~£345 median daily rate, 1,425 active listings. Seasonality, top neighbourhoods by revenue and…
Year-over-year performance
Compared to the closest snapshot from approximately 12 months ago, the Santa Cruz County short-term rental market has shifted in measurable ways. Occupancy among active listings is up 1.6 points, while the median daily rate is up 64.3 percent.
Looking further back: Two years ago, 3.3 points higher.
When Santa Cruz County Airbnbs perform best
Occupancy in Santa Cruz County peaks in July at 51% and bottoms out in March 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 | 31% | — |
| February | 29% | — |
| March | 29% | — |
| April | 36% | — |
| May | 36% | — |
| June | 41% | — |
| July | 51% | — |
| August | 48% | — |
| September | 50% | — |
| October | 50% | — |
| November | 38% | — |
| December | 32% | — |
Looking ahead, 38% of the next 30 nights are already booked across the market, 35% of the next 60 and 35% of the next 90 (as of 2026-10-18).
How Santa Cruz County compares to United States
Benchmarked against 34 other United States markets we track, Santa Cruz County's metrics tell a clear story.
What kind of Airbnbs are in Santa Cruz County?
Of the 1,425 active operating listings, 85.4% are entire homes (vs private rooms), and 64.3% are operated by Airbnb Superhosts.
Top neighborhoods in Santa Cruz County
The 5 neighborhoods we track range from established tourist hotspots to emerging investment zones. Here are the 5 strongest by median annual revenue per listing, led by City of Capitola at £43,172 a year.
| Neighborhood | Listings | Occupancy | Annual revenue | RevPAR | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Capitola | 223 | 31.2% | £43,172 | £118 | +1.6 pts YoY |
| City of Watsonville | 23 | 13.2% | £31,303 | £86 | -8.2 pts YoY |
| City of Santa Cruz | 345 | 32.9% | £30,624 | £84 | +3.3 pts YoY |
| Unincorporated Areas | 817 | 24.7% | £28,285 | £78 | +1.7 pts YoY |
| City of Scotts Valley | 17 | 26.3% | £11,848 | £32 | -16.4 pts YoY |
Frequently asked questions
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