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Airbnb in Chicago: License, Income & Investment Guide 2026

By HostPal Editorial·Updated 306 days ago·Source: Inside Airbnb

Chicago short-term rental market data, neighbourhood breakdown, and regulation summary.

At a glance
Median occupancy
54%
Median daily rate
$141
Active listings
6,086
8,660 total
Revenue per available night
$45

When Chicago Airbnbs perform best

Monthly occupancy data shows the seasonal rhythm of the Chicago short-term rental market. Use this to plan dynamic pricing, target peak demand, and avoid lulls.

Chicago — monthly occupancy 26% 25% 29% 35% 36% 40% 47% 47% 51% 50% 32% 26% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 100% 0%

How Chicago compares to United States

Benchmarked against 34 other United States markets we track, Chicago's metrics tell a clear story.

Occupancy vs national
+12 pts vs national
National median: 42%
Daily rate vs national
+3.3% vs national
National median: $136.5

What kind of Airbnbs are in Chicago?

Of the 6,086 active operating listings, 78.5% are entire homes (vs private rooms), and 55.2% are operated by Airbnb Superhosts.

Bedroom mix among active listings
1 BR
2 BR
3 BR
4+ BR
Studio: 4.8%1 BR: 37.8%2 BR: 29.6%3 BR: 17.7%4+ BR: 10.1%

Top neighborhoods in Chicago

The 76 neighborhoods we track range from established tourist hotspots to emerging investment zones. Here are the five strongest by revenue.

NeighborhoodListingsOccupancyRevPARYoY
Loop25051%$90.3
Near South Side18842%$83.5
Near North Side48448%$82.4
Lincoln Park23054%$77.7
Burnside1$76.9

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Airbnb occupancy in Chicago?
Active Airbnb listings in Chicago run at ~54% occupancy. Source: Inside Airbnb.
What is the median daily rate for an Airbnb in Chicago?
The median Airbnb daily rate (ADR) in Chicago is approximately $141. Based on listings with at least one review in the last 12 months.
How many active Airbnb listings are in Chicago?
There are approximately 6,086 active short-term rental listings in Chicago (listings with at least one booking in the last 12 months).

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Going deeper?

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Property-level financials, stress tests, neighborhood-by-neighborhood breakdowns, and an AI verdict on whether to buy.

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Methodology. Market metrics are derived from Inside Airbnb's 2025-09 snapshot, filtered to active listings (those with at least one booking in the last 12 months). Year-over-year deltas compare against the closest archived snapshot ~12 months prior. Sample sizes: occupancy n=2,560, ADR n=5,651.