Top 30 Best Places in Iowa, United States to Invest in Airbnb & Short-Term Rentals (2025)

Source: AirROI

Last updated: 2025-06-01

Unlock high-ROI opportunities in Iowa, United States‘s booming short-term rental (STR) market. This 2025 Airbnb investment guide from AirROI leverages cutting-edge Airbnb data analytics to pinpoint the most profitable cities for Airbnb and vacation rental entrepreneurs. Whether you’re scaling your portfolio or making your first STR investment, discover markets with strong rental demand, high revenue potential, and favorable regulations. We are committed to providing trustworthy insights based on comprehensive market analysis, and you can learn more about our rigorous approach to data accuracy.

Our STR market analysis dives deep into key performance indicators like monthly revenue, average daily rates (ADR), occupancy trends, property counts, and regulatory landscapes across Iowa, United States. We go beyond simple rankings to provide the context you need for informed investment decisions using reliable Airbnb data.

Explore the data-driven insights below to identify the premier short-term rental investment hotspots and high ROI Airbnb markets in Iowa, United States for 2025.

Top Short-Term Rental Markets in Iowa, United States

Rank:#1Market:Des MoinesCountry:United StatesProperties:536Monthly Revenue:$1408.98Daily Rate (ADR):$134.86Occupancy:44.82%Regulation:Low
Rank:#2Market:Cedar RapidsCountry:United StatesProperties:216Monthly Revenue:$1200.85Daily Rate (ADR):$116.47Occupancy:44.84%Regulation:Low
Rank:#3Market:DubuqueCountry:United StatesProperties:199Monthly Revenue:$1798.88Daily Rate (ADR):$167.14Occupancy:43.13%Regulation:Low
Rank:#4Market:Arnolds ParkCountry:United StatesProperties:174Monthly Revenue:$2455.83Daily Rate (ADR):$347.32Occupancy:37.06%Regulation:Low
Rank:#5Market:DecorahCountry:United StatesProperties:163Monthly Revenue:$1765.56Daily Rate (ADR):$193.24Occupancy:40.99%Regulation:Low
Rank:#6Market:Iowa CityCountry:United StatesProperties:157Monthly Revenue:$1864.59Daily Rate (ADR):$211.04Occupancy:42.76%Regulation:Low
Rank:#7Market:DavenportCountry:United StatesProperties:146Monthly Revenue:$1360.14Daily Rate (ADR):$134.26Occupancy:44.21%Regulation:Low
Rank:#8Market:Clear LakeCountry:United StatesProperties:124Monthly Revenue:$1995.24Daily Rate (ADR):$248.85Occupancy:37.04%Regulation:Low
Rank:#9Market:West Des MoinesCountry:United StatesProperties:120Monthly Revenue:$1595.95Daily Rate (ADR):$151.00Occupancy:52.95%Regulation:Low
Rank:#10Market:Cedar FallsCountry:United StatesProperties:114Monthly Revenue:$1062.69Daily Rate (ADR):$124.03Occupancy:36.23%Regulation:Low
Rank:#11Market:Council BluffsCountry:United StatesProperties:98Monthly Revenue:$1099.84Daily Rate (ADR):$153.97Occupancy:37.71%Regulation:Low
Rank:#12Market:Spirit LakeCountry:United StatesProperties:96Monthly Revenue:$1780.43Daily Rate (ADR):$300.45Occupancy:35.55%Regulation:Low
Rank:#13Market:AmesCountry:United StatesProperties:93Monthly Revenue:$1997.22Daily Rate (ADR):$208.19Occupancy:42.14%Regulation:Low
Rank:#14Market:WaterlooCountry:United StatesProperties:70Monthly Revenue:$1124.40Daily Rate (ADR):$122.20Occupancy:40.57%Regulation:Low
Rank:#15Market:AnkenyCountry:United StatesProperties:63Monthly Revenue:$1800.56Daily Rate (ADR):$175.28Occupancy:44.61%Regulation:Low
Rank:#16Market:BurlingtonCountry:United StatesProperties:58Monthly Revenue:$1065.97Daily Rate (ADR):$105.15Occupancy:45.40%Regulation:Low
Rank:#17Market:Sioux CityCountry:United StatesProperties:51Monthly Revenue:$1359.25Daily Rate (ADR):$129.09Occupancy:49.00%Regulation:Low
Rank:#18Market:PellaCountry:United StatesProperties:46Monthly Revenue:$1800.97Daily Rate (ADR):$169.02Occupancy:42.59%Regulation:Low
Rank:#19Market:LansingCountry:United StatesProperties:45Monthly Revenue:$1849.99Daily Rate (ADR):$215.26Occupancy:34.71%Regulation:Low
Rank:#20Market:BooneCountry:United StatesProperties:39Monthly Revenue:$713.40Daily Rate (ADR):$90.34Occupancy:36.75%Regulation:Low
Rank:#21Market:BettendorfCountry:United StatesProperties:38Monthly Revenue:$1811.47Daily Rate (ADR):$156.43Occupancy:47.81%Regulation:Low
Rank:#22Market:FairfieldCountry:United StatesProperties:38Monthly Revenue:$1165.00Daily Rate (ADR):$136.16Occupancy:39.69%Regulation:Low
Rank:#23Market:MarionCountry:United StatesProperties:37Monthly Revenue:$1654.98Daily Rate (ADR):$145.25Occupancy:51.00%Regulation:Low
Rank:#24Market:BellevueCountry:United StatesProperties:35Monthly Revenue:$1618.42Daily Rate (ADR):$180.22Occupancy:35.79%Regulation:Low
Rank:#25Market:CoralvilleCountry:United StatesProperties:34Monthly Revenue:$1830.04Daily Rate (ADR):$219.24Occupancy:34.74%Regulation:Low
Rank:#26Market:Le ClaireCountry:United StatesProperties:34Monthly Revenue:$1731.99Daily Rate (ADR):$176.54Occupancy:41.36%Regulation:Low
Rank:#27Market:UrbandaleCountry:United StatesProperties:30Monthly Revenue:$2117.75Daily Rate (ADR):$254.74Occupancy:43.19%Regulation:Low
Rank:#28Market:WaukeeCountry:United StatesProperties:27Monthly Revenue:$1286.14Daily Rate (ADR):$153.30Occupancy:47.42%Regulation:Moderate
Rank:#29Market:MoraviaCountry:United StatesProperties:25Monthly Revenue:$1077.29Daily Rate (ADR):$199.29Occupancy:25.11%Regulation:Low
Rank:#30Market:McGregorCountry:United StatesProperties:24Monthly Revenue:$1038.90Daily Rate (ADR):$185.36Occupancy:29.25%Regulation:Low

Our Data-Driven Methodology for STR Market Analysis

At AirROI, our market rankings and insights are powered by a robust methodology combining comprehensive Airbnb data collection with sophisticated STR analytics techniques. We strive to provide the most accurate and actionable intelligence for short-term rental investors.

Data Collection & Scope

  • Global Coverage: We aggregate STR data from tens of millions of active short-term rental listings across platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo worldwide.
  • Real-Time Metrics: Our systems track key performance indicators (KPIs) daily, including booking rates, nightly pricing (ADR), occupancy rates, and revenue.
  • Regulatory Monitoring: We actively monitor and incorporate local short-term rental regulations, licensing requirements, and tax obligations into our market analysis.

Analysis & Ranking

  • Proprietary Algorithms: AI and machine learning models analyze booking patterns, predict seasonal demand shifts, and identify emerging market trends in the STR space.
  • Key Metric Evaluation: We evaluate markets based on a weighted combination of critical investment factors using our extensive Airbnb analytics:
    • Revenue Potential: Average Monthly Revenue and Average Daily Rate (ADR).
    • Market Demand: Occupancy Rate and booking lead times.
    • Investment Scale: Number of active properties and market growth trends.
    • Regulatory Environment: Assessed impact of local STR regulations on operational feasibility and profitability.
  • Benchmarking: Performance is benchmarked against regional and global averages to provide context for vacation rental investment potential.

Key Metrics Explained

  • Properties: The count of active short-term rental listings in the market.
  • Monthly Revenue: Average revenue generated per property per month, a key indicator for Airbnb profitability.
  • Daily Rate (ADR): Average nightly booking price.
  • Occupancy: Percentage of nights booked out of total available nights, crucial for understanding STR demand.
  • Regulation: An indicator of the local regulatory climate impacting Airbnb investment.

This rigorous approach ensures our recommendations are based on real-world performance Airbnb data and forward-looking market analysis, empowering you to invest smarter in the vacation rental market.

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