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Airbnb in Chicago: Income & Investment Guide 2026

By HostPal Editorial·Updated 33 days ago·Source: Inside Airbnb

Chicago Airbnb: 35.1% occupancy (+2.2 pts YoY), ~£171 median daily rate, 6,325 active listings. Seasonality, top neighbourhoods by revenue and what an…

At a glance
Median occupancy
35.1%
+2.2 pts YoY
Median daily rate
£171
+53.9% YoY
Active listings
6,325
8,695 total
Revenue per available night
£59

Year-over-year performance

Compared to the closest snapshot from approximately 12 months ago, the Chicago short-term rental market has shifted in measurable ways. Occupancy among active listings is up 2.2 points, while the median daily rate is up 53.9 percent.

Chicago — occupancy over time 33% 1y ago 2025-09 35% Now 2026-09

When Chicago Airbnbs perform best

Occupancy in Chicago peaks in September at 54% and bottoms out in February at 24%, a 30-point swing across the year. Price the peak, defend the shoulder months with minimum-stay rules, and budget the trough as empty.

Chicago — monthly occupancy 26% 24% 29% 34% 36% 43% 48% 46% 54% 53% 31% 27% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 100% 0%
Chicago Airbnb occupancy and median nightly rate by month
MonthOccupancyMedian nightly rate
January26%—
February24%—
March29%—
April34%—
May36%—
June43%—
July48%—
August46%—
September54%—
October53%—
November31%—
December27%—

Looking ahead, 36% of the next 30 nights are already booked across the market, 32% of the next 60 and 30% of the next 90 (as of 2026-10-18).

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
+5.5 pts vs national
National median: 29.6%
Daily rate vs national
-3.3% vs national
National median: £177

What kind of Airbnbs are in Chicago?

Of the 6,325 active operating listings, 78.6% are entire homes (vs private rooms), and 56.9% are operated by Airbnb Superhosts.

Bedroom mix among active listings
1 BR
2 BR
3 BR
4+ BR
Studio: 4.8%1 BR: 38.8%2 BR: 28.2%3 BR: 17.4%4+ BR: 10.7%

Top neighborhoods in Chicago

The 77 neighborhoods we track range from established tourist hotspots to emerging investment zones. Here are the 10 strongest by median annual revenue per listing, led by Near North Side at £35,422 a year.

NeighborhoodListingsOccupancyAnnual revenueRevPARYoY
Near North Side54241.1%£35,422£97+9 pts YoY
Loop31932.9%£34,985£96-2.8 pts YoY
Lincoln Park23741.1%£33,167£91+0 pts YoY
Lake View49044.4%£31,959£88+6.6 pts YoY
Burnside142.7%£31,016£85-8.3 pts YoY
North Center9747.7%£30,942£85+12.9 pts YoY
Near South Side16339.5%£28,668£79+5 pts YoY
West Town63237.8%£26,470£73+2.7 pts YoY
Fuller Park441.1%£26,397£72+13.2 pts YoY
Near West Side34336.2%£25,674£70+1.1 pts YoY

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Airbnb occupancy in Chicago?
Active Airbnb listings in Chicago run at ~35.1% occupancy (up 2.2 points year over year). Source: Inside Airbnb.
What is the median daily rate for an Airbnb in Chicago?
The median Airbnb daily rate (ADR) in Chicago is approximately £171, up 53.9% year over year. Based on listings with at least one review in the last 12 months.
How many active Airbnb listings are in Chicago?
There are approximately 6,325 active short-term rental listings in Chicago (listings with at least one booking in the last 12 months).
Is Airbnb income growing or shrinking in Chicago?
Compared to a year ago, Chicago short-term rental performance has shifted: occupancy +2.2 pts, daily rate +53.9%. Underlying data comes from the latest Inside Airbnb snapshot vs the closest archive ~12 months prior.

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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 2026-09 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=6,325, ADR n=5,897.