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From the bustling streets of Los Angeles to the stunning beaches of San Diego, California remains one of the most popular states for traveling nurses and other healthcare providers (HCPs) filling temporary assignments around the nation. While you’ll find an array of living options in the Golden State, being home to over 38 million residents often makes finding suitable travel nurse housing in California challenging. Limited availability and high costs can make home options scarce. Vivian Health gathered essential tips to help you balance comfort, convenience and affordability so you don’t miss out on the ultimate California Dreamin’ assignment.
California’s Limited Travel Nurse Housing Market
Working in the Golden State on a travel assignment offers an exciting opportunity to experience everything the state has to offer, from iconic attractions to a spectacular climate. Travel nurses have even more reasons to love California, with its higher-than-average pay and legally mandated safe nurse staffing requirements. However, navigating California’s notably competitive rental market often requires adaptability and strategic planning.
Flexibility in lease terms is crucial for travel nurses who typically stay in a location for only a few months. It’s essential to find property owners or managers willing to offer short-term lease options or month-to-month arrangements to align with your contract duration. Unfortunately, these options often come with the highest price tag.
Furthermore, the transient and short-term nature of travel nursing also requires finding fully furnished accommodations. It’s simply not practical to drag necessary furnishings to each assignment. Although renting furniture could be a feasible alternative, it’s not always an ideal option or available everywhere.
Cost of Living Considerations for Transient Nurses in California
California’s vibrant cities and scenic locales come at a premium, with the state’s cost of living notoriously higher than the national average. Inflated costs for housing, utilities and daily essentials are crucial factors for travel nurses to consider when evaluating travel nursing contracts.
According to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC), California had the third-highest cost of living compared to the national average based on annual data for 2023. The Golden State’s average cost of living was 38.5% higher than the national average, with housing costs the primary influencer.
California’s average cost of housing was nearly double the national average at 198.8%, and utility costs were 27% higher. Based on fair market value (FMV) data effective from October 2023 to September 2024 published by the United States Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), the FMV of a one-bedroom apartment in California, including utilities, was $1,421. A two-bedroom jumped to $1,788 and a three-bedroom to $2,429 for those nurses traveling with family.
RELATED: Tips for How to Successfully Travel Nurse with Family
Short-term housing in California with multiple bedrooms may be even more scarce, and FMVs vary greatly by location. The metro area with the highest FMV for a single bedroom during this period was Santa Cruz-Watsonville at $3,085, while the lowest FMV of $802 was in Modoc County, in the far northeastern corner of the state. For clarity, the following table lists several California metro areas and their corresponding FMVs.
| Metro Area | Fair Market Value of 1-Bedroom |
| Bakersfield | $967 |
| Visalia-Porterville | $989 |
| Fresno | $1,157 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $1,611 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande | $1,731 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale | $2,006 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad | $2,248 |
| Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine | $2,344 |
| San Francisco | $2,818 |
As you can see, popular metros are often at the higher end of the spectrum, while those a few hours away from the ocean are typically lower in cost. Travel nurses who qualify for tax-free stipends can use these funds to cover housing, but it might not be enough in really high-cost areas. Also, the averages above include utilities, but energy prices fluctuate based on season, region and provider.
RELATED: How Travel Nurse Housing Stipends Work
These higher living costs are why travel nursing jobs in California often pay so much more than similar jobs in other states. Although many salaries in the state may seem lucrative, it’s essential to ensure it’s actually a livable wage.
According to salary data on Vivian Health in early June 2024, the average salary for California travel nursing jobs was $2,411 per week. While this was about 13% more than the national average, travel nursing salaries in California vary by location. For example, jobs in Oxnard paid a premium during this period, averaging $4,792 weekly, while one full-time travel contract in Glendale paid well below average at $1,643 per week.
RELATED: Dollars and Sense: Travel Nurse Salaries Explained
Seasonal Fluctuations and Short-Term Housing Challenges
Because certain parts of California have gorgeous weather year-round, seasonal fluctuations might not be as noticeable but do occur. These fluctuations could impact housing availability and rental prices, further complicating the search for short-term housing.
Southern California is a popular haven for snowbirds — older adults seeking warmer climates during the winter months — and the region’s plentiful RV parks and outdoor activities strengthen the draw. While the influx of snowbirds in the winter likely won’t impact the availability of short-term housing much, it could increase patient census as aging adults often have more medical needs. Increased patient load typically means a greater need for temporary staff to help out, resulting in more job openings.
Conversely, the summer season sees an influx of tourists, especially in coastal cities and major tourist destinations such as world-famous theme parks. Hospitals and clinics may see an increased patient load due to rising injuries and illnesses among non-residents and require additional staff.
Unlike the winter season, the increased tourist population could impact the availability of short-term housing. On the plus side, vacationers typically stick to rental booking sites like Airbnb and Vrbo. While travel nurses may turn to these platforms if they can’t find anything elsewhere, they usually aren’t their preferred housing locator services because rentals typically cost more than other options.
Travel nurses can plan their assignments during off-peak periods to mitigate seasonal housing challenges. While this may slightly impact pay rates and job availability, the high overall demand for healthcare professionals in California usually softens any negative effects. Plus, landlords may offer rentals at discounted rates outside an area’s regular tourist season. Reduced rent could help further defray a possible pay cut.
Practical Tips for Securing Short-Term Housing Solutions
Securing short-term housing in California’s competitive rental market requires travel nurses to employ strategic approaches tailored to their transient lifestyle. Consider these practical tips to navigate this complex undertaking effectively.
- Maximize Housing Flexibility: Consider all types of housing options, including corporate housing, extended-stay hotels, sublets, shared housing and vacation rentals. While a fully furnished private apartment is ideal, being flexible about alternative options increases your odds of finding a comfortable, affordable place in your desired location..
- Conduct Remote Property Assessments: Visiting properties in person for upcoming assignments is often impossible, but you want to see where you’ll live over the next few months to ensure it’s clean and safe. Take advantage of technology and request virtual tours of the properties under consideration. If this isn’t possible, only utilize online platforms that offer detailed photos and reviews of potential rentals.
- Leverage Online Platforms: The continual popularity of travel nursing has resulted in several specialized housing websites that cater to healthcare professionals seeking short-term housing solutions. Some of these sites target rentals close to medical facilities, and most only feature fully furnished options to accommodate transient HCPs. Properties often include all utilities, removing one major hurdle from a traveler’s to-do list, and additional amenities, such as common household items like kitchenware and linens, to reduce packing lists. Best of all, they generally have flexible leasing options designed for temporary renters.
RELATED: Travel Nurse Housing: Tips and Tricks
Where to Find Travel Nurse Housing in California
Start your search for travel nurse housing in California online with popular short-term housing sites like:
- Airbnb is known for vacation rentals, but this popular online platform may also provide short-term housing options for healthcare professionals. Although it often costs more than other rental options, Airbnb provides access to a broad range of rental types. It also allows guests to leave reviews to potentially help you avoid a bad experience. On the downside, hosts can cancel with little notice, leaving you to scramble at the last minute to secure alternative housing. It’s the largest housing platform, with over 6 million listings in over 100,000 cities worldwide, including more than 1,000 California rentals located throughout the state.
- Extended Stay America is a viable chain hotel option that specializes in providing accommodations for several weeks or months. The spacious apartment-like suites include full kitchens and WiFi access, and pets are welcome for an additional fee. The perks of hotel living include added amenities like gyms, pools and spas, which you don’t typically get with other rentals. However, hotel rooms offer less privacy than private homes, and even discounted rates may be higher than some housing options. Extended Stay has numerous locations in cities across California.
- Furnished Finder is the most cited niche housing website specifically for travel nurses and other healthcare professionals. Since 2014, this site has specialized in finding short-term housing for travelers. All properties listed are fully furnished, but the site operators don’t verify the accuracy of these listings. However, lease terms often align well with lengthy yet short-term needs since tenants aren’t vacationers but traveling professionals. It currently boasts 1,000s of options in popular California cities, such as Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco.
- ShortTermHousing.com specializes in 30-day corporate housing rentals for traveling professionals, including all types of healthcare workers. It boasts that it has listings specifically for HCPs and can locate housing regardless of location, duration or budget. The site requires you to work with a rental expert who can help you find listings near major medical centers to shorten your commute but takes away the ability to book a rental yourself. All rentals are fully furnished and include all utilities, including phone, internet and cable TV. ShortTermHousing.com has more than 60,000 rentals in over 6,000 cities across all 50 states, including many popular cities in California, such as properties in Hollywood and Santa Barbara.
- Vrbo (Vacation Rentals By Owner), part of the Expedia Group, is similar to Airbnb because it connects travelers with property owners. Like Airbnb, it’s not a traditional traveling nurse housing site, but traveling HCPs have found suitable accommodations through Vrbo. The site also offers a wide range of housing types but fewer properties than Airbnb. Services fees can be high, but it allows partial payments at booking instead of full payment required and access to 24/7 customer service and emergency assistance. Its site boasts over 2 million bookable rentals, flexible cancellation policies if plans change and stays for every budget, including 100s of housing options throughout California.
RELATED: 10 Best Websites for Finding Travel Nurse Housing in 2024
Benefits of Proximity to Healthcare Facilities
An additional consideration is prioritizing housing close to healthcare facilities to minimize commute times and enhance work-life balance. Being close to work can alleviate some of the anxiety associated with navigating new areas, especially in emergency situations or when you have irregular shifts.
However, when you can’t find nearby housing, proximity to public transportation can be a viable alternative. Relying on public transportation may be the best route, especially in sprawling California cities where traffic can be intense. Driving on unfamiliar, high-traffic highways can add tremendous stress on top of working in demanding travel roles. Luckily, major cities in California, where traffic tends to be the worst, have extensive public transportation systems.
Consult with your recruiter, who may have insider information about properties for rent conveniently located near major hospitals and clinics. Your staffing company may even partner with local housing providers for agency-provided options that eliminate the hassle of finding a place to live. However, you will lose your housing stipend if you don’t secure your own accommodations.
Begin Your Travel Nursing Journey in California
Navigating California’s dynamic housing market as a travel nurse requires insight, strategy and flexibility. By understanding the state’s short-term housing challenges and possible seasonal fluctuations, you can secure lodging that supports your professional commitments and personal needs. Don’t overlook the higher cost of living in most areas, but know that many positions have increased salaries to help offset these costs. Start exploring your housing options and prepare for an exciting journey in one of the most vibrant states for healthcare professionals.
Sign up for Vivian Health to start your travel nurse job search in California or anywhere today!
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