Performance indicators for the Mentone short-term rental market based on reliable data.
Listings
Reliable / Active
Cap Rate
Middle-Earners Gross Yield
Revenue
Middle-Earners Revenue
Occupancy
Middle-Earners Occupancy
Home Value
Median Home Sale Price
Top Earners
Top-Earners Revenue
The highest-performing listings in Mentone.
Loading top listings...
Challenging to Investors
San Bernardino County’s Housing Element explicitly bans short‑term rentals (≤30 days) in the Valley region where Mentone lies, allowing only long‑term rentals (≥31 days). This creates a clear but restrictive rule—STRs are de facto prohibited in the area, while LTRs are permitted with standard county and state obligations (no special STR permit or TOT). The prohibition makes STR investment untenable, though LTR compliance is straightforward.
Local STR Agent
STR specialist · Mentone, CA
Mentone is a small unincorporated community nestled in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains in San Bernardino County, California. With a population of roughly 8,000 residents, it carries the laid-back character of a foothill town while functioning as a quiet residential pocket between the Inland Empire and the high country. The community is best known as a low-key gateway to the San Bernardino National Forest and the alpine destinations beyond, with Highway 38 passing directly through town on its way up to Big Bear. Mentone sits approximately sixty miles east of downtown Los Angeles and about ten miles east of San Bernardino, putting it within reach of the Inland Empire's urban amenities while preserving a distinctly small-town feel.
A short drive up Highway 38 brings visitors to Big Bear Lake, one of Southern California's most popular four-season mountain getaways, located roughly 45 to 60 minutes northeast of Mentone depending on traffic and weather. The lake draws visitors year-round for boating, fishing, and swimming in warmer months and for skiing and snowboarding at the adjacent resorts during winter, making it a reliable anchor attraction for vacationers staying in the valley below.
To the northwest, Lake Arrowhead offers a quieter, more residential mountain experience, accessible in about an hour from Mentone via Highway 330 and surrounding mountain roads. The lake is encircled by the small village of Lake Arrowhead, where visitors find a walkable waterfront, lake cruises, and a more subdued alternative to the busier Big Bear scene.
The broader San Bernardino National Forest envelops the mountains above Mentone, offering hiking, camping, and scenic drives throughout the surrounding high country. Forest access points are within minutes of town, giving short-term rental guests a wide range of outdoor options without long commutes.
Just down the hill, the neighboring city of Redlands offers a walkable historic downtown, the restored Santa Fe Depot, and a popular Saturday farmers market, all within a short drive of Mentone and providing a complementary inland Southern California experience.
Mentone's appeal as a short-term rental base comes from this layering of experiences: a peaceful, small-town setting within a short drive of major mountain recreation, well-connected to Los Angeles and the Inland Empire, and surrounded by the natural assets of the San Bernardino range. Guests can return each evening to a quieter community while spending their days exploring lakes, forests, and historic towns that span multiple seasons and interests.