If You Want to Airbnb as a Side Hustle, This Is the City With the Highest Profit Margins

Calling all football fans.
bedroom with orange and red striped walls
Yuki Sugiura

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Investing in a second home to rent out can be a great way to gain some passive income. But not all metro areas are created equal, according to HomeAdvisor. Some U.S. zip codes can yield a much higher ROI than others. By analyzing the average monthly home payments for 100 of America’s largest cities (using data from the National Association of Realtors) and the average nightly Airbnb cost, HomeAdvisor determined how many days you would have to rent out your space in order to break even each month. 

The city with the highest profit margins? Sorry, New York and San Francisco, Green Bay, Wisconsin, takes the win. Airbnbs in this metro area accrue an average profit of $313 per day, closely followed by Charleston, South Carolina, with $311, and Nashville with $284. On the other hand, rental owners in San Jose, California, lose $65 every day. 

Luckily, location isn’t everything, as we’ve learned from superhosts like Darrel Maxam, who insists that the key to securing bookings is having a space with a strong personality. “If you loved the ’70s flower-power era, don’t be scared to put that in the listing,” he says. “People are dying for different.” Even if you don’t know where to start, scour positive (and negative) reviews to get a sense of what folks are looking for. Hint: Guests love clear signage, rainy-day activities, and quality soaps and shampoos. Also, take it from rental owner Patricia Azze: No one wants to be the one sleeping in the room with the teeny-tiny bed, so invest in queen- and king-size mattresses. And clearly, hanging any Green Bay Packers–related memorabilia or artwork can’t hurt. 

Kate McGregor

Writer/Editor

Kate McGregor covers everything related to the home, from design inspiration to IKEA hacks. She has been the market assistant at ELLE Decor where she focused on curating product for the print magazine’s market pages.