Airbnb market dataThrough 4,737 listingsHow we measure
Yes, with caveats. Chicago’s median annual Airbnb revenue is $38,240, with a median occupancy of 55% and ADR of $184 (Chalet data).
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Written from an earlier data window, so some figures differ from the live numbers above.
Chalet AI
A typical active Chicago Airbnb earned $38,240 in the 12 months to Sep 2026. The top 25% of listings averaged $68,993, about 1.8× that. The bottom 25%, which includes rarely booked listings, averaged $3,396.
$3.4k
Bottom 25% average
$38.2k
Typical listing
$69k
Top 25% average
1-bedroom homes are the most common in Chicago (40% of listings).
| Bedrooms | Share of listings |
|---|
The best three months, Sep, Jul and May, brought in 31% of a typical Chicago listing's revenue over the 12 months to Sep 2026.
Apr–Jun and Sep beat a year earlier; Aug was 13% lower
Typical monthly revenue per listing, Oct 2025–Sep 2026, against the same month a year earlier
No year-earlier data for Oct–Mar yet.
South Shore has the highest gross yield of the 63 Chicago neighborhoods we rank, at 22.2%, with typical revenue of $31,168 a year.
| # | neighborhood | Gross yield | Revenue/yr | Occupancy | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Shore | 22.2% | $31,168 | ||
| 2 | Washington Park | 21.3% | $42,509 | ||
| 3 | Gold Coast | 18.1% | $77,997 | ||
| 4 | South Loop | locked | locked | locked | locked |
| 5 | Englewood | locked | locked | locked | locked |
| 6 | River North | locked | locked | locked | locked |
| 7 | Streeterville | locked | locked | locked | locked |
| 8 | Edgewater Beach | locked | locked | locked | locked |
| 9 | Rogers Park | locked | locked | locked | locked |
and 54 more neighborhoods
The median Chicago home is worth $334,030 (Zillow, Aug 2026), up 5.2% in a year. At typical revenue that's a 11.4% gross yield, before the mortgage, taxes and running costs.
1 in Chicago, the rest elsewhere in Illinois.
A typical active Airbnb in Chicago, IL earned $38,240 in the 12 months to Sep 2026. The median listing was booked 55% of nights, and the average nightly rate was $184 in Sep 2026. Against a median home value of $334,030, that's a 11.4% gross yield before the mortgage, taxes and running costs.
A typical active listing earned $38,240 in the 12 months to Sep 2026. The top 25% of listings averaged $68,993 and the bottom 25% $3,396. Estimated by size: 1-bedroom about $29,262; 2-bedroom about $50,863; 3-bedroom about $62,126 and 4-bedroom about $79,977 a year.
The typical listing was booked 55% of nights in the 12 months to Sep 2026, from 67% in June to 32% in January.
Based on 4,737 Chicago short-term rental listings tracked by Chalet, with data through Sep 2026. Home values come from the Zillow Home Value Index.
Airbnb data sites count different things. Some average every listing, including ones that are rarely booked; some use a whole metro area instead of the town; some use a calendar year. We show typical figures for active listings in Chicago over the last 12 months, and label each number with what it counts. Compare like with like before comparing sites.
| Nightly rate |
|---|
| Occupancy |
|---|
| Est. revenue/yr |
|---|
| Studio | 5% | $155 | 62% | $34,844 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | 40% | $137 | 59% | $29,262 |
| 2 bedrooms | 28% | $231 | 60% | $50,863 |
| 3 bedrooms | 18% | $321 | 53% | $62,126 |
| 4 bedrooms | 6% | $470 | 47% | $79,977 |
| 5 bedrooms | 2% | $633 | 44% | $101,209 |
Estimated revenue = nightly rate × occupancy × 365, last 12 months.
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Estimate its revenue, costs and cash flow with Chicago's numbers.
| Month | Revenue | Occupancy | Nightly rate | Revenue a year earlier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | $3,444 | 64% | $184 | |
| Nov 2025 | $2,770 | 53% | $175 | |
| Dec 2025 | $2,711 | 47% | $175 | |
| Jan 2026 | $2,073 | 32% | $156 | |
| Feb 2026 | $2,170 | 41% | $166 | |
| Mar 2026 | $2,928 | 54% | $180 | |
| Apr 2026 | $2,982 | 55% | $200 | |
| May 2026 | $3,794 | 65% | $235 | |
| Jun 2026 | $3,653 | 67% | $259 | |
| Jul 2026 | $3,965 | 67% | $285 | |
| Aug 2026 | $3,558 | 63% | $263 | |
| Sep 2026 | $4,192 | 67% | $262 |
Ranked by gross yield (typical yearly revenue ÷ median home value), last 12 months. 85 neighborhoods have fewer than 20 listings or incomplete data and aren't ranked.
Yield isn't everything: zoning and HOA rules decide which streets allow short-term rentals.
Yes, Airbnbs are legal in Chicago if registered and operated in compliance with city ordinances.
Yes, registration is mandatory for all short-term rentals in Chicago.
The city does not codify HOA/condo STR restrictions, but private covenants may apply.
The total effective lodging tax for Chicago STRs is 27.75%, and a state sales tax rate of 10.25% applies to rentals under 6 months.
The 10 largest operators in Chicago each ran 27 or more listings as of May 2025.
and 3 more
Of guests from the top 10 cities, 46% live within a day's drive. Guests book 57 days ahead on average.
and 3 more
Buying here?
A Chicago STR agent knows which properties and streets work as short-term rentals.
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September; July and May earned the most, bringing in 31% of a typical listing's revenue in the 12 months to Sep 2026.
$334,030 as of August 2026 (Zillow Home Value Index), up 5.2% in a year.
1-bedroom homes make up 40% of listings, earning an estimated $29,262 a year.
The top origin cities are Chicago, IL (6.5% of guests); New York, NY (2.9% of guests) and Minneapolis, MN (1.8% of guests). Of guests from the top 10 cities, 46% live within a day's drive.
Chalet tracks 4,737 short-term rental listings in Chicago, IL, with data through Sep 2026.
For education only, not financial, legal or investment advice. Full methodology
