Side-by-side comparison

Chicago vs Clark County Nv: which is better for Airbnb investment?

We compare the United States short-term rental markets across occupancy, daily rate, RevPAR, year-over-year trend, and regulation.

Bottom line

Chicago edges ahead of Clark County Nv on higher occupancy (54% vs 30%), stronger RevPAR (£36 vs £28).

Head-to-head metrics

 ChicagoClark County Nv
Median occupancy54%30%
Median daily rate£111£111
Median RevPAR£36£28
Active listings6,08610,947
YoY occupancy-4 pts
YoY daily rate-0.7%
Regulation risk
Annual night capNoneNone
License requiredNoNo

Full analysis: Chicago vs Clark County Nv

Chicago finishes decisively ahead of Clark County Nv on our composite of occupancy, revenue per available night and regulation risk — and it is the calendar rather than the price tag doing the work. Chicago sells 24 more points of its calendar — 54% median occupancy against 30% in Clark County Nv. Revenue per available night — rate and occupancy combined, the figure that actually reaches an owner — is 25.4% higher in Chicago: £36 against £28. That is not a rounding difference, and it compounds over a hold period.

Chicago takes both halves of the yield equation, which is less common than it sounds. It charges more per night — £111 against £111 — and still fills more of the year, 54% against 30%. A market that leads on price and utilisation at once is normally one where demand has outrun supply, rather than one where hosts are discounting to keep the calendar busy. RevPAR reflects the double advantage at £36 against £28.

That verdict needs a caveat, because Clark County Nv is not simply the weaker market of the two. Clark County Nv is the deeper market at 10,947 active listings against 6,086, which usually means better comparables going in and a wider buyer pool coming out. Its strongest submarket, City of Henderson, clears £53 RevPAR on its own — city medians hide that kind of spread. If your model leans on that dimension, the ordering above can reasonably flip.

Neither Chicago nor Clark County Nv currently has a verified short-term rental regulation record in our register, so the comparison above is a yield comparison only. Regulation is the single largest source of downside in this asset class — an unverified market is an unpriced risk, not an absent one.

The two calendars also behave differently. Chicago peaks in September at 51.4% and bottoms in February at 25.2%; Clark County Nv runs from 58.5% in August down to 33.7% in December. Both swing by a similar amount across the year, so neither offers meaningfully steadier cash flow than the other.

Who each suits, then. Chicago suits buyers who want a conventional, lightly regulated entry. Clark County Nv answers to the same regulatory profile, so the split between them is operational rather than legal. Every figure above comes from the same Inside Airbnb snapshot pipeline on both sides, dated 2025-09, filtered to listings with at least one booking in the last twelve months. Occupancy medians are drawn from 2,560 active Chicago listings and 5,656 in Clark County Nv.

Frequently asked questions

Is Chicago or Clark County Nv better for Airbnb investment?
Chicago, on the data we track. It leads on higher occupancy (54% vs 30%), stronger RevPAR (£36 vs £28), and higher median annual revenue (£12,988 vs £10,352). Clark County Nv is not the weak side of this pair, though — it wins on a deeper market (10,947 vs 6,086 active listings).
Which has higher occupancy, Chicago or Clark County Nv?
Chicago, at 54% median occupancy against 30% in Clark County Nv — a gap of 24 points. That is a wide spread by short-term rental standards and usually reflects a structural demand difference rather than better hosting.
Which has higher nightly rates, Chicago or Clark County Nv?
Chicago, at £111 a night against £111 in Clark County Nv — roughly 0.7% more. Revenue per available night agrees rather than contradicts: £36 in Chicago against £28, so the rate premium survives contact with the occupancy figures.
Which has stronger year-over-year growth, Chicago or Clark County Nv?
We can only measure one side, so this comparison stays open. Clark County Nv moved −4 points on occupancy year over year. Chicago lacks a comparable snapshot from roughly twelve months earlier, and we would rather leave the cell empty than compare against a mismatched date.
Which is the bigger Airbnb market, Chicago or Clark County Nv?
Clark County Nv, with 10,947 active listings against 6,086 in Chicago. Size cuts both ways: a deep market gives you comparables, contractors and an exit, while a thinner one means fewer near-identical rivals competing for the same search results.
How much can you earn from an Airbnb in Chicago vs Clark County Nv?
Chicago earns more: roughly £12,988 a year for a median listing against £10,352 in Clark County Nv. Those are gross booking revenues before cleaning, management, platform fees, furnishing amortisation and tax — budget for a meaningful share of them, and note that a median listing is a median operator, not a good one.

Go deeper on each city

Market guide
Airbnb in Chicago
Occupancy, ADR, neighborhoods, regulation
Market guide
Airbnb in Clark County Nv
Occupancy, ADR, neighborhoods, regulation
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