Side-by-side comparison

Chicago vs Columbus: 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 and Columbus score similarly on the metrics that matter most for short-term rental returns. The right pick depends on whether you optimise for yield (lower regulation risk, higher RevPAR) or capital growth.

Head-to-head metrics

 ChicagoColumbus
Median occupancy54%54%
Median daily rate$141$111
Median RevPAR$45$35.8
Active listings6,0862,366
YoY occupancy+19.5 pts
YoY daily rate-1.8%
Regulation risk
Annual night capNoneNone
License requiredNoNo

Go deeper on each city

Market guide
Airbnb in Chicago
Occupancy, ADR, neighborhoods, regulation
Market guide
Airbnb in Columbus
Occupancy, ADR, neighborhoods, regulation
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