Host income is rising: Here are the best times of year and locations to host

Recently, we shared that Airbnb Hosts hit an incredible milestone, earning a total of $150 billion since our founding, including approximately $60 billion in the US. Today, we’re releasing new data illustrating how Airbnb Host income rose in 2021, new Host income in 2021, and the best times of year to take advantage of the growing opportunity in hosting.

When looking at all of 2021, new data shows the typical US Airbnb Host’s income rose to over $13,800 – an increase of 85 percent over 2019. This rise in income comes at a welcome time for our Host community, as the cost of living – and associated anxieties – continue to increase. In fact, in recent polling for Airbnb by residents in four US states – Arizona, California, Colorado and Florida, the current cost of living was cited as respondents’ top concern¹. The typical income of $13,800 represents over two months of pay for the median US household².

New Airbnb Hosts in the US also saw an increase in income in 2021, earning over $1.8 billion, up 34 percent from 2019. For those looking to join our Host community and start earning this valuable additional income, we know a big consideration is location. With that in mind, today we’re releasing new data looking at the top-10 states for new Host income in 2021: 

1. California – new Hosts in California earned approximately $270 million in 2021
2. Florida – new Hosts in Florida earned over $265 million in 2021
3. Texas – new Hosts in Texas earned approximately $170 million in 2021
4. New York – new Hosts in New York earned approximately $115 million in 2021
5. Georgia – new Hosts in Georgia earned approximately $80 million in 2021
6. North Carolina – new Hosts in North Carolina earned approximately $75 million in 2021
7. Tennessee – new Hosts in Tennessee earned over $60 million in 2021
8. Arizona – new Hosts in Arizona earned approximately $60 million in 2021
9. Colorado – new Hosts in Colorado earned over $55 million in 2021
10. Pennsylvania – new Hosts in Pennsylvania earned approximately $45 million in 2021 

Another consideration is often which times of year provide the most opportunity to earn, which is why we are providing insights into the times of year that netted the highest Host income in the US in 2021. As the travel revolution unfolds, with work, travel and living continuing to blur, the top times of year for hosting are not all necessarily traditional weekends and holidays: 

1. Labor Day Weekend – on Saturday, September 4, 2021, US Hosts earned more than $140 million. As summer weather peaked and families hit the road, it’s clear demand was high for this holiday weekend. 

2. Memorial Day Weekend – on Saturday, May 29, 2021, US Hosts earned more than $126 million. After a long winter, many travelers decided to kick off their summer by going out of town, marking a big opportunity for Hosts. 

3. Fourth of July – on Saturday, July 3, 2021, US Hosts earned more than $120 million. If you’re sensing a theme here, you’re not wrong – summer holidays drove huge demand for travel in 2021 and resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars for Hosts in the US. 

4. Thanksgiving – on Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021, which marked Thanksgiving, US Hosts earned more than $112 million. Many people took the opportunity to visit family and friends on this holiday, driving large demand on the platform. 

5. Fall travel – on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, US Hosts earned more than $109 million. High travel demand is not always tied to a holiday, as noted by this weekend in early October that was our fifth highest earning day of the year for US Hosts. 

6. Summer travel – on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021, US Hosts earned more than $108 million. High demand for travel is also not always tied to a weekend, as evident by this Monday in August. In fact, more families traveling during the week is a trend we saw on Airbnb last year. 
7. Christmas – on Friday, Dec. 24, 2021, US Hosts earned more than $107 million and on Monday, Dec. 27, 2021, US Hosts earned more than $104 million. Hosts rounded out the year on a high income note, as many sought destinations away from home this holiday season. In fact, this New Year’s Eve, nearly 4.5 million guests stayed on Airbnb in more than 53,000 places around the world.

While these high-demand travel times have resulted in significant income for our Host community – and can offer a good starting point for many prospective Hosts – there is increasingly an opportunity for many to share their home anytime and anywhere. The pandemic and the rise of remote and hybrid work have untethered many from offices, and for the first time, millions of people can now live anywhere. For every Host looking to experience guests who want to stay longer, there is a digital nomad eager to live like a local: Stays for 28 nights accounted for 22 percent of gross nights booked in Q4 2021.

1 Opinion poll of the general public in four U.S. states, Arizona, California, Colorado and Florida. Fieldwork conducted between 11/29-12/13. Margin of Error 3-5 %.

2 Based on the US Census report, Income and Poverty in the United States: 2020.