Santa Barbara, CA
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Overview
Annual Rev
$96.5k
12 mo avg
↑8%
from prior 12 mo
Occupancy rate
40%
12 mo avg
↓1%
from prior 12 mo
Avg daily rate
$497
12 mo avg
↑11%
from prior 12 mo
Lead time
43 days
12 mo avg
↓5 days
from prior 12 mo
Revpar
$190
12 mo avg
↑4%
from prior 12 mo
Methodology note: Figures reflect Santa Barbara market data as of September 2026. Data covers Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com listings. Values are seasonally influenced; rounding applied for readability.
Revenue per listing by bedroom
Bedroom count:
0
1
2
3
4+
Short-term rental supply growth
Performance metrics by bedroom
Bedrooms
Annual Rev
Avg. Zestimate
Gross yield
Supply
Amenity revenue impact
| Amenity | Est. revenue impact |
|---|---|
| Hot Tub | +16% $15,432/yr |
| EV Charger | 🔒 +9% · $••••/yr Revenue lift and listing count available in Markets |
| Bicycles | 🔒 +7% · $••••/yr Revenue lift and listing count available in Markets |
| Parking | 🔒 +7% · $••••/yr Revenue lift and listing count available in Markets |
| Lake Access | 🔒 +6% · $••••/yr Revenue lift and listing count available in Markets |
| Sauna | 🔒 +6% · $••••/yr Revenue lift and listing count available in Markets |
| Barbecue | 🔒 +5% · $••••/yr Revenue lift and listing count available in Markets |
| Pets Allowed | 🔒 +4% · $••••/yr Revenue lift and listing count available in Markets |
| TV | 🔒 +4% · $••••/yr Revenue lift and listing count available in Markets |
| Internet | 🔒 +3% · $••••/yr Revenue lift and listing count available in Markets |
Nightly rate by day of week
Occupancy rate by day of week
Listings by channel
Listings by rental type
Listings by amenities
Listings by size
4+ bedrooms (0%)
Listings by availability
Length of stay by bedroom
2 bedrooms (4.6 nights)
4+ bedrooms (4.4 nights)
3 bedrooms (4.4 nights)
1 bedroom (4.1 nights)
Cleaning fee by bedroom
4+ bedrooms ($369)
3 bedrooms ($263)
2 bedrooms ($170)
1 bedroom ($103)
Professional host share
Professionally managed (73%)
Independent hosts (27%)
Housing market signals
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Over the 12 months ending August 2026, the Santa Barbara market averaged 2,048 active Airbnb and VRBO listings, down 2% from a year earlier.
An average Santa Barbara listing earns $96K/year. High-performing listings earn $201K, while low-performing listings earn $32K.
Median Santa Barbara home prices by size are 1-bedroom $806K, 2-bedroom $950K, 3-bedroom $1.5M, and 4+ bedroom $1.8M.
Average gross yield is 6%, reaching 13% for high-performing listings. Gross yield excludes financing and operating costs, so net profitability varies by property.
Average occupancy in Santa Barbara is 41%, producing RevPAR of $195 per available night.
4+ bedroom listings have the highest average gross yield at 10%. They average $184K/year in revenue against a $1.8M median purchase price.
Rules vary across Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara: Strict. Permit required, 28-day minimum stay in most zones, owner-occupancy required for short-term. Active enforcement with high fines. San Luis Obispo: Strict. Permit required, owner-occupancy mandatory, 28-day minimum in residential zones. Active code enforcement. Solvang: Moderate. Business license required, TOT collection, some zoning restrictions. Moderate enforcement in residential areas. Pismo Beach: Lenient. Business license and TOT required, no owner-occupancy rules. Light enforcement, many vacation rentals operate. Verify requirements for the property's jurisdiction.
The Santa Barbara Airbnb and VRBO market does not show clear signs of oversaturation. Supply has declined 2% year-over-year, while RevPAR has increased 31%, suggesting demand is outpacing available supply.
RevPAR is highest in July and August; it is lowest in January and September.
The most common amenities are Internet (98%), Kitchen (96%), TV (96%). The strongest positive revenue associations are Washing Machine (+113%), Hot Tub (+83%), Pool (+65%).
Average daily rate in Santa Barbara is $561, up 16% year-over-year. Rates peak in July and are lowest in January.
Guests in Santa Barbara book an average of 42 days in advance. Booking windows range from 34 days for 1-bedroom listings to 57 days for 4+ bedroom listings.
Booking demand is highest on Saturday and lowest on Monday. Nightly rates peak on Saturday and are lowest on Tuesday. Weekend occupancy is 54% higher than weekday occupancy.