Hawaii vs Rome: which is better for Airbnb investment? (2026)

Bottom line

Rome edges ahead of Hawaii on higher occupancy (26.3% vs 15.9%).

Head-to-head metrics

	Hawaii	Rome
Median occupancy	15.9%	26.3%
Median daily rate	£284	£159
Median RevPAR	£46	£41
Active listings	23,915	27,717
YoY occupancy	-0.5 pts	+3.3 pts
YoY daily rate	+72.6%	+45%
Regulation risk	—	medium
Annual night cap	None	None
License required	No	No

Full analysis: Hawaii vs Rome

Rome finishes decisively ahead of Hawaii 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. Rome sells 10.4 more points of its calendar — 26.3% median occupancy against 15.9% in Hawaii. The twelve-month direction favours Rome too: occupancy there moved +3.3 points while Hawaii moved −0.5 points. That is not a rounding difference, and it compounds over a hold period.

The two markets reach their revenue by different routes, which is what makes this pairing worth reading rather than just tabulating. Hawaii is the rate market: £284 a night against £159, some 78.3% more, but it converts fewer of those nights at 15.9% occupancy. Rome is the volume market, filling 26.3% of its calendar at a lower headline price. Revenue per available night settles it: £46 in Hawaii against £41. Rate is what you advertise; RevPAR is what you bank.

That verdict needs a caveat, because Hawaii is not simply the weaker market of the two. Hawaii commands 78.3% more per night, £284 against £159. Nightly rates are also climbing faster in Hawaii, +72.6% over the last year against +45% in Rome. If your model leans on nightly rate rather than volume, the ordering above can reasonably flip.

We hold a verified regulation record for only one side of this pairing. Rome applies no annual night cap and requires registration but no licence, on a medium risk rating. Hawaii should be read as unverified rather than unregulated: check the local authority's own register before you underwrite anything there.

The two calendars also behave differently. Hawaii peaks in October at 49.4% and bottoms in May at 28.6%; Rome runs from 67.3% in October down to 28.9% in February. Hawaii is the steadier of the two at 20.8 points peak-to-trough against 38.4 — easier to underwrite against a mortgage — while Rome concentrates its return into a shorter window and rewards operators who price the peak aggressively instead of holding a flat rate all year.

Who each suits, then. Hawaii suits buyers who want a conventional, lightly regulated entry and who can hold rate through the shoulder season rather than discounting to fill the calendar. Rome answers to the same regulatory profile, so the split between them is operational rather than legal: it is the market for an owner whose economics survive high turnover — more bookings, more cleans, more guest contact per pound of revenue. It is also the momentum side of this pair. Every figure above comes from the same Inside Airbnb snapshot pipeline on both sides, dated 2026-09, filtered to listings with at least one booking in the last twelve months. Occupancy medians are drawn from 23,915 active Hawaii listings and 27,717 in Rome.

Frequently asked questions

Is Hawaii or Rome better for Airbnb investment?

Rome, on the data we track. It leads on higher occupancy (26.3% vs 15.9%), the better occupancy trend (+3.3 points vs −0.5 points year over year), and a lower price point (£159 a night vs £284). Hawaii is not the weak side of this pair, though — it wins on a higher nightly rate (£284 vs £159).

Which has higher occupancy, Hawaii or Rome?

Rome, at 26.3% median occupancy against 15.9% in Hawaii — a gap of 10.4 points. That is a wide spread by short-term rental standards and usually reflects a structural demand difference rather than better hosting. Over the last twelve months Hawaii shed 0.5 points and Rome gained 3.3 points, so the gap is widening.

Which has higher nightly rates, Hawaii or Rome?

Hawaii, at £284 a night against £159 in Rome — roughly 78.3% more. Revenue per available night agrees rather than contradicts: £46 in Hawaii against £41, so the rate premium survives contact with the occupancy figures.

Is Hawaii or Rome riskier for Airbnb regulation?

We hold a verified regulation record for Rome only, so we will not rank the two. Rome applies no annual night cap and requires registration but no licence, and it is rated medium risk. Treat Hawaii as unverified rather than unregulated, and check the local authority directly before committing.

Which has stronger year-over-year growth, Hawaii or Rome?

Rome, on occupancy: +3.3 points over the last twelve months against −0.5 points in Hawaii. Nightly rates rose 72.6% in Hawaii and rose 45% in Rome over the same window. One year of movement is a direction, not a trend — weigh it against the regulation picture before treating it as momentum.

Which is the bigger Airbnb market, Hawaii or Rome?

Rome, with 27,717 active listings against 23,915 in Hawaii. 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.

Go deeper on each city

Market guide

Airbnb in Hawaii →

Occupancy, ADR, neighborhoods, regulation

Market guide

Airbnb in Rome →

Occupancy, ADR, neighborhoods, regulation

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