AirDNA Identified Top Short-Term Rental Markets

The latest report highlights 17 emerging submarkets across the U.S. that offer high rental yields for individual hosts.

Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Apartments

Bold vector editorial illustration showing a small wooden house model perched on a cluster of keys, representing independent real estate investment. — AirDNA identified 17 top short-term rental submarkets in the U.S. offering annual yields exceeding 10 percent for individual hosts. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you believe the growth of short-term rentals in your area harms local housing affordability?

AirDNA has identified 17 top submarkets for short-term rental investment where individual hosts can secure annual yields exceeding 10 percent. Rockford, Illinois, currently holds the top position on the list with an annual revenue potential of $40,024.

Why it matters

Investors are increasingly targeting affordable markets to offset high mortgage rates while seeking respite from urban environments. These specific regions provide a strategic entry point for individual hosts to avoid intense competition from large professional management firms.

Rockford, Illinois, leads with a 14 percent rental yield and an average home value of $300,442. Akron, Ohio, and Warner Robins, Georgia, follow with yields of 13 percent and 12 percent, respectively.

The players

AirDNA

This organization provides data and analytics for the short-term rental industry to assist property investors.

National Association of Realtors

This trade association represents professionals in the real estate industry and tracks housing affordability trends.

The details

To qualify for the list, submarkets were selected based on having 400 to 1,000 listings and professional management saturation below 20 percent. This criteria ensures that individual hosts retain a competitive edge over large-scale corporate operators in these selected zones.

The National Association of Realtors released its August 2026 Housing Affordability Index.
AirDNA published its report identifying the top rental submarkets on September 21, 2026.

Apartments
Sept. 18
U.S. Apartment Rents Declined Annually in August
Construction
Sept. 18
Single-Family Housing Starts Rose in August
Residential
Sept. 18
30-Year Mortgage Rates Have Reached 6.95 Percent

Culture Shift

The growing interest in these submarkets reflects a broader shift toward seeking value in secondary locations during periods of housing market volatility. This trend aligns with the regional data provided by the National Association of Realtors' August Housing Affordability Index.

For potential investors, these findings suggest that targeting markets with under 20 percent professional management concentration may offer the best path to profitability. Prospective hosts should evaluate home purchase costs against local revenue potential to ensure the yield meets their personal financial goals.

The takeaway

Individual investors can mitigate the impact of high mortgage rates by focusing on secondary markets with lower professional competition. Carefully vetting the percentage of managed properties in a region is essential for sustaining long-term rental income.