High St. Haven. Historic Gibraltar neighborhood. Entire home · 3 bedrooms Rated 5.00 - Revenue
- $60,939
- Occupancy
- 43.4%
- Daily rate
- $408
Airbnb market data · 202612 months to October 2026
The average Airbnb in Council Bluffs brought in $17,175 over the 12 months through October 2026, about 32% less than the Iowa average of $25,215.
The short answer
Rates and bookings both trail the Iowa average. Listings averaged $182 a night and were booked on 38% of available nights, against $225 and 42% for the Iowa average.
Timing matters: in June, usually the best month, the average listing earns about 3.5 times as much as in January, usually the slowest.
With 89 active listings, Council Bluffs is the 13th-largest of 40 Iowa markets AirROI tracks. From a year earlier, average revenue rose 8%.
Browse the live Council Bluffs Airbnb market See Every Council Bluffs ListingRevenue
Gross bookings per Council Bluffs listing averaged $17,175 over the 12 months to October 2026 (Iowa average: $25,215), before cleaning, platform and management costs and taxes.
In a typical year, the average Council Bluffs listing brings in $4,240 in June, its best month, and $1,200 in January, its slowest. The three strongest months bring in 39% of a full year's revenue, where an even calendar would give any three months 25%.
In a typical month, a top-quarter listing earns at least 3.3 times as much as a bottom-quarter one.
These are monthly figures for listings active in each month. The annual average above also counts listings that operated for only part of the year, so it runs below twelve times these figures.
June earns about 3.5 times what January does
Average revenue per active listing, by month, October 2024 to September 2026
Each point is one month as recorded, averaged over the listings active in it. The best and slowest months in the text average each calendar month over the past two years, so they can differ from the highest and lowest points here.
Latest 12 months in the October 2026 data. October's figures are still coming in, so the rows run to September.
June 2026 led on revenue, nightly rate and bookings alike.
| Month | Avg. Revenue | Occupancy | Avg. Nightly Rate | RevPAR | Booking Lead Time | Avg. Length of Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | $1,917 | 40.7% | $174 | $62 | 27 days | 4.4 nights |
| Nov 2025 | $1,790 | 34.0% | $176 | $60 | 23 days | 3.9 nights |
| Dec 2025 | $1,639 | 32.8% | $177 | $53 | 22 days | 3.8 nights |
| Jan 2026 | $961 | 20.4% | $173 | $31 | 20 days | 4.3 nights |
| Feb 2026 | $1,246 | 30.5% | $169 | $44 | 25 days | 3.9 nights |
| Mar 2026 | $2,075 | 38.1% | $175 | $67 | 26 days | 6.2 nights |
| Apr 2026 | $1,733 | 33.4% | $182 | $58 | 39 days | 4.2 nights |
| May 2026 | $2,863 | 44.5% | $196 | $92 | 34 days | 5.4 nights |
| Jun 2026 | $4,641 | 57.4% | $256 | $155 | 63 days | 4.2 nights |
| Jul 2026 | $3,316 | 52.0% | $186 | $107 | 38 days | 6.5 nights |
| Aug 2026 | $2,390 | 41.5% | $181 | $77 | 32 days | 3.1 nights |
| Sep 2026 | $2,096 | 43.0% | $177 | $70 | 31 days | 2.8 nights |
Averages per active listing in each month. Highlighted: the highest-revenue month of the 12. RevPAR is the month's revenue spread over its nights, booked or not. Booking lead time is the days between booking and check-in, and length of stay the nights per booking, for stays in that month.
For a figure on one home rather than the whole Council Bluffs market, enter its address and size in the free Airbnb calculator, which compares it with similar listings nearby.
Profit
Yes, when it's run well. The average Council Bluffs Airbnb took in $17,175 in the 12 months to October 2026, and run by its owner at everyday costs, about $900 a month of that is left after running costs, so a home that costs less than that to own or rent makes money. A listing in the top quarter leaves about $1,540 a month.
Cleaning it yourself keeps the $1,880 a year guests pay in cleaning fees, for about $1,060 a month. Handing the listing to a co-host at about 10% of nightly bookings still leaves about $780 a month.
These amounts come before housing costs. Where the mortgage or rent is less each month, the difference is profit; a home owned outright keeps it all after property tax, home insurance and any HOA or condo fees.
| Line | Average listing | Top-quarter listing |
|---|---|---|
| Money in | ||
| Nightly bookings | $15,295 | $25,820 |
| Cleaning fees guests pay11% of Council Bluffs bookings | $1,880 | $3,180 |
| Gross bookings | $17,175 | $29,000 |
| Running costs | ||
| Airbnb's feeAbout 14%: 15.5% for the 91% of Council Bluffs listings on Simplified Pricing, 3% for the rest | −$2,470 | −$4,170 |
| Cleaning and laundryPaid for by the cleaning fee; $0 if you clean yourself | −$1,880 | −$3,180 |
| Utilities and internetAbout 5% of bookings | −$860 | −$1,450 |
| Guest suppliesToiletries, coffee, paper goods: about 2% | −$340 | −$580 |
| Repairs and upkeepIncluding linens and small replacements: about 3% | −$520 | −$870 |
| Short-term rental insuranceOne policy, on top of Airbnb's free AirCover | −$170 | −$170 |
| Permit and registrationWhere one is required | −$90 | −$90 |
| Management$0 when you run it; co-hosts charge from about 10% of nightly bookings | $0 | $0 |
| Pricing and messaging toolsOptional; Airbnb's own tools are free | $0 | $0 |
| Lodging taxesAdded to the guest's bill and passed on | $0 | $0 |
| Total running costsAbout 26% of bookings, plus cleaning paid for by the cleaning fee | −$6,330 | −$10,510 |
| Left for housing costs, then profit | $10,845about $900 a month | $18,490about $1,540 a month |
| Housing costs | ||
| Mortgage or rent, property tax, home insurance, HOA or condo fees | Depend on the home | |
The estimate starts from Council Bluffs's average listing, run by its owner. Change how the listing performs, who runs it and who cleans to see what is left for the mortgage or rent.
To work out the profit on one Council Bluffs home, with its price, its mortgage or rent and your own costs, use the Airbnb profit calculator. It starts from the comparable listings around the address.
What a listing keeps comes down to the figures this page measures: nightly rate, nights booked and the months it's open. A listing at the top-quarter mark takes in about $2,420 a month, against $1,430 for the average one.
Occupancy
Council Bluffs listings were booked on 38% of the nights they were open over the past year, 4 percentage points below the Iowa average (42%) and 3 points below the U.S. average (41%). In a typical year, occupancy swings from 27% in January to 54% in June.
The busiest tenth of listings are booked about 3.6 times as often as the bottom quarter.
June is usually the busiest month in Council Bluffs, January the quietest
Share of open nights booked, by month, October 2024 to September 2026
Nightly rates
The average nightly rate in Council Bluffs, known as ADR (average daily rate), was $182 over the past year, about 19% below the Iowa average of $225 and about 46% below the U.S. average of $335. In a typical year, rates swing with the seasons, from about $160 in October and November to about $250 in June.
Prices span a wide range: the top 10% charge about 3.4 times the rate of the bottom quarter.
June rates run 58% above October's
Average nightly rate (ADR), by month, October 2024 to September 2026
RevPAR, or revenue per available night, divides a listing's income by every night it was open to book, so it rises with both price and bookings. In Council Bluffs it averaged $73 over the past year, from about $39 in a typical January to about $141 in a typical June.
Per open night, by tier:
June RevPAR is about 3.6 times January's
Revenue per open night (RevPAR), by month, October 2024 to September 2026
The 12-month RevPAR of $73 averages each listing's whole year, slow months included; each month here counts only the listings booked in it.
Seasonality
Council Bluffs has one high season, May through July, which makes it a highly seasonal market. Business is slowest from September to April. A listing earns about 2.3 times as much a month in June through August as in December through February.
Average revenue by month in Council Bluffs
Average revenue per active listing, each calendar month averaged over the past two years
| Month | Season | Revenue per listing |
|---|---|---|
| January | Low season | $1,200 |
| February | Low season | $1,300 |
| March | Low season | $1,890 |
| April | Low season | $1,650 |
| May | High season | $2,690 |
| June | High season | $4,240 |
| July | High season | $2,940 |
| August | Shoulder season | $2,200 |
| September | Low season | $1,910 |
| October | Low season | $1,900 |
| November | Low season | $1,650 |
| December | Low season | $1,620 |
| Season | Revenue per month | Occupancy | Nightly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| High seasonMay–July | $3,290 | 48% | $209 |
| Shoulder seasonAugust | $2,200 | 42% | $178 |
| Low seasonSeptember–April | $1,640 | 36% | $164 |
Guests book Council Bluffs stays 35 days ahead on average (about five weeks). June stays are booked furthest out, about 57 days ahead, and February stays closest to arrival, about 20 days. A typical June booking is made in mid-April.
June stays are booked furthest ahead
Average days between booking and check-in, by month of stay, October 2024 to September 2026
The 12-month figure of 35 days averages each listing's year as a whole; each month here averages only the listings with stays in it.
Permits
None of the 89 active listings in Council Bluffs display a registration, permit or license number. That doesn't mean no rules apply: some places don't ask hosts to show a number on the listing, and listing data doesn't capture every scheme.
Registration, permit, zoning and occupancy-tax rules vary by address and change often, so confirm them with the city or county before buying or listing in Council Bluffs.
Neighborhoods
AirROI's area guide picks eight Council Bluffs neighborhoods that draw short-term rental guests, led by Downtown Council Bluffs, Tanger Outlet Mall and Lake Manawa. The picks reflect guest appeal, not earnings data or permit eligibility, so check local permit rules for a specific address before buying.
| Area | Who it suits | Landmarks nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Council Bluffs | The hub of activity with restaurants, shops, and cultural attractions. Ideal for visitors attending events at the nearby CenturyLink Center and the riverfront promenade. | CenturyLink Center, Harrah's Casino, Union Pacific Railroad Museum, Lewis and Clark Monument, River's Edge Park |
| Tanger Outlet Mall | A popular shopping destination just across the river from Omaha. Great for families and shoppers looking for deals, increasing overnight stays in the area. | Tanger Outlet, Lake Manawa, Shopping and dining options |
| Lake Manawa | A beautiful natural area with a lake, offering recreation opportunities such as boating, fishing, and picnicking. Attractive to nature lovers and families looking for outdoor activities. | Lake Manawa State Park, Boating and fishing, Trails and picnic areas, Wildlife watching |
| Midtown | A diverse neighborhood offering a mix of residential areas and commercial spaces. Close to the vibrant arts scene and local eateries, appealing to a variety of guests. | Pottawattamie Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Local cafes and restaurants, Community events and festivals |
| East Council Bluffs | Quiet residential areas with easy access to Omaha, making it attractive to visitors who want to explore both cities without the hustle and bustle. | Local parks, Access to Interstate 80, Residential vibe close to city attractions |
| West Broadway | Known for its mix of businesses and entertainment options, it is a convenient location for travelers looking for local dining and nightlife. | Local diners and bars, Small shops, Proximity to public transport |
| Historic 100 Block | Rich in history with charming architecture, this area draws visitors interested in heritage and culture, great for historical tours and community events. | Historic buildings, Local art galleries, Community events, Revitalized shops |
| North Council Bluffs | A growing area with new developments and family-friendly attractions, it provides easy access to parks and recreational facilities, perfect for families visiting the area. | Parks and recreational areas, Community centers, Shopping options |
Area descriptions are AI-assisted from public sources and are not checked against zoning.
Listings
Entire homes make up 85% of listings in Council Bluffs, alongside 13 private-room listings (15%). Houses account for 76% of the stock; apartments and condos come next at 17%.
Mostly entire homes, with a private-room segment
Council Bluffs Airbnb listings by room type
| Room type | Share of listings | Listings |
|---|---|---|
| Entire home | 85.4% | 76 |
| Private room | 14.6% | 13 |
Houses dominate the property mix
Council Bluffs Airbnb listings by property type
| Property type | Share of listings | Listings |
|---|---|---|
| House | 76.4% | 68 |
| Apartment/Condo | 16.9% | 15 |
| Hotel/Boutique | 4.5% | 4 |
| Others | 1.1% | 1 |
| Cabin/Outdoor | 1.1% | 1 |
Two-bedroom homes are the most common size in Council Bluffs (57% of entire homes), followed by one-bedroom homes (18%). Shares are of the 76 entire homes that give a bedroom count; rented rooms are left out.
Council Bluffs entire homes by number of bedrooms
Entire homes with each number of bedrooms, of those with a bedroom count on file
| Bedrooms | Share of entire homes with a bedroom count | Entire homes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | 18.4% | 14 |
| 2 bedrooms | 56.6% | 43 |
| 3 bedrooms | 13.2% | 10 |
| 4 bedrooms | 6.6% | 5 |
| 5+ bedrooms | 5.3% | 4 |
A typical one-bedroom home in Council Bluffs earned $13,100 over the past year, against $26,000 for a three-bedroom home.
| Home size | Listings | Typical annual revenue (median) | Average annual revenue | Avg. nightly rate | Occupancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | 14 | $13,100 | $14,800 | $139 | 46% |
| 2 bedrooms | 43 | $13,100 | $13,100 | $163 | 39% |
| 3 bedrooms | 10 | $26,000 | $35,300 | $277 | 41% |
The most common capacity in Council Bluffs is four guests (43% of listings), and 40% of listings sleep six or more. Shares are of the 77 listings with a guest capacity on file (87% of the market).
Council Bluffs listings by guest capacity
Share of listings by the number of guests they sleep, of those with a capacity on file
| Guest capacity | Share of listings with a capacity on file | Listings |
|---|---|---|
| 2 guests | 7.8% | 6 |
| 3 guests | 2.6% | 2 |
| 4 guests | 42.9% | 33 |
| 5 guests | 6.5% | 5 |
| 6 guests | 18.2% | 14 |
| 7 guests | 1.3% | 1 |
| 8+ guests | 20.8% | 16 |
Council Bluffs hosts set up an average of 2.7 beds per listing, close to one bed per bedroom. Only 16% of listings show their exact location on the listing map; the rest show an approximate area.
Free on-site parking is close to standard in Council Bluffs: 94% of listings offer it, and 54% have a backyard.
Share of Council Bluffs listings with each common amenity
Guests
Council Bluffs draws mostly domestic guests: 98% of those who left reviews live in the United States. No single city dominates: Chicago is the largest source, at about 2% of reviews.
98% of Council Bluffs guests are domestic
Where guests who left reviews live
Where Council Bluffs guests come from: top cities
Share of guests who left reviews
| Origin city | Share of guests |
|---|---|
| Chicago | 2.3% |
| Denver | 2.1% |
| Kansas City | 2.1% |
| Minneapolis | 1.8% |
| Sioux Falls | 1.3% |
Where Council Bluffs guests come from: top countries
Share of guests who left reviews
| Origin country | Share of guests |
|---|---|
| United States | 97.6% |
| Canada | 0.8% |
| United Kingdom | 0.4% |
| Mexico | 0.4% |
| South Carolina | 0.3% |
Languages spoken by Council Bluffs guests
Share of guests who left reviews
| Language | Share of guests |
|---|---|
| English | 79.2% |
| Spanish | 9.9% |
| French | 1.8% |
| German | 1.5% |
| Russian | 1.2% |
Council Bluffs Airbnbs average 4.87 stars, and 56% of listings hold Airbnb's Guest Favorite badge. Guests are toughest on location: it scores 4.80, against 4.95 for host communication and check-in. Listings here carry long review histories, about 96 reviews each on average.
Communication and check-in score highest in Council Bluffs; location is lowest
Average guest rating out of 5 by category; the bars start at 4.0
| Category | Average rating (out of 5) |
|---|---|
| Accuracy | 4.90 |
| Cleanliness | 4.86 |
| Communication | 4.95 |
| Location | 4.80 |
| Check-in | 4.95 |
| Value | 4.83 |
Booking patterns
About nine in ten Council Bluffs listings are open to guests more than 180 days a year, but only 11% are booked or blocked that many days. The most common booked-or-blocked total is 91 to 180 days a year, covering 35% of listings; blocked nights include any the host closes off.
Days a year Council Bluffs listings are open to guests
Share of listings by days a year
| Days a year | Share of listings | Listings |
|---|---|---|
| 271-366 days | 57.3% | 51 |
| 181-270 days | 33.7% | 30 |
| 91-180 days | 9.0% | 8 |
Days a year Council Bluffs listings are booked or blocked
Share of listings by days a year
| Days a year | Share of listings | Listings |
|---|---|---|
| 181-270 days | 11.2% | 10 |
| 91-180 days | 34.8% | 31 |
| 31-90 days | 33.7% | 30 |
| 1-30 days | 20.2% | 18 |
The average Council Bluffs booking lasts 5.5 nights, longest in July and shortest in August. Listings took about 20 bookings each over the year, some 1,740 in all. More than six in ten listings that give a check-in time set it at 3 p.m., with check-out usually at 11 a.m.
Average length of stay by month in Council Bluffs
Average nights per booking, by month of stay
Two-year average by calendar month.
More than seven in ten listings in Council Bluffs accept stays of one or two nights.
Minimum stay set by Council Bluffs listings
Share of listings by the shortest stay they accept, from one night to 30 or more
Moderate is the most common cancellation policy in Council Bluffs, used by 27% of listings; it refunds guests in full if they cancel at least five days before check-in. Hosts here lean flexible: more than half of listings offer Flexible or Moderate terms, against 25% on Firm or stricter ones.
Cancellation policies of Council Bluffs listings, from most to least flexible
Share of listings by the policy they use
84% of Council Bluffs listings charge a cleaning fee. The typical fee is $86, and some higher fees lift the average to $121. Spread over the average stay of 5.5 nights, that adds roughly $16 a night to what guests pay. For listings that charge one, cleaning fees make up about 11% of gross revenue.
Top earners
The top-grossing Airbnb in Council Bluffs, a three-bedroom home, took in $60,900 over the past year, about 3.5 times the city's average of $17,200. Three of the six listings below have five or more bedrooms; the other three have three bedrooms.
High St. Haven. Historic Gibraltar neighborhood. Entire home · 3 bedrooms Rated 5.00
14 bed Farnsworth Mansion Entire home · 8 bedrooms Rated 4.88
Majestic VIEWS! FunAmenities & Best for Huge Group Entire home · 5 bedrooms Rated 4.86
Cozy Lakeside Cottage for Families and Fun Seekers Entire home · 3 bedrooms Rated 4.99
Accessible Escape- Completely Handicap accessible! Entire home · 3 bedrooms Rated 4.93
Fully fenced family home near center of Omaha Entire home · 5 bedrooms Rated 4.93 Only 1% of Council Bluffs listings are classed as professionally managed, though 44% of listings have a co-host. 65% of listings are run by Superhosts, so a strong review record is the norm here rather than an edge. Most hosts still vet their guests: only 10% of listings accept Instant Book. Airbnb's Simplified Pricing, where the host pays the whole service fee and guests see one price with no separate Airbnb charge, covers 91% of listings.
Nearby markets
Of the four nearby markets in the table, all within 85 km, Papillion (20 km away, 34 listings) earned the most per listing, about 2.4 times as much as Council Bluffs.
See all 40 Iowa Airbnb markets
Markets elsewhere in the United States with a similar nightly rate and occupancy to Council Bluffs:
FAQ
An active Council Bluffs Airbnb grossed $17,175 on average in the 12 months to October 2026, according to AirROI's tracking of 89 active listings. That is before cleaning, management, taxes and financing. Busier, better-run listings do far better: the top quarter took in $2,930 or more in a typical month.
It depends most on the home's size, location and how it's run. The middle half of Council Bluffs listings earn between $868 and $2,930 in a typical month, and the top tenth $4,760 or more. For one home, enter its address and bedroom count in the Airbnb income calculator: it compares the home with similar listings nearby.
Listings in Council Bluffs were booked on 38% of available nights over the past year. That compares with 42% for the Iowa average. June is usually the busiest month.
The average booked night in Council Bluffs cost $182 before fees. Half of listings charge between $105 and $220, so bedroom count and location move the price more than the average suggests.
None of the active Council Bluffs listings display a registration, permit or license number. That doesn't mean no rules apply, so confirm registration, permit and occupancy-tax rules with the city or county before buying.
Yes, when it's run well. The average Council Bluffs Airbnb grossed $17,175 in the 12 months to October 2026, 32% below the Iowa average of $25,215. Run by its owner, with the cleaning fee covering the cleaner and everyday costs for Airbnb's fee, utilities, supplies, upkeep and insurance, $10,845 a year (about $900 a month) is left before the mortgage or rent. A home that costs less than that to own or rent makes a profit, and a listing at the top-quarter mark leaves about $1,540 a month. Check a specific home in the Airbnb calculator.
June usually pays best, averaging $4,240 per active listing over the past two years, and January usually pays least. The month-by-month table above shows how the latest 12 months played out.
Each night a Council Bluffs listing was open to book earned $73 on average over the past year, booked or not. That figure, revenue per available night (RevPAR), folds price and occupancy into one number; the top 10% of listings made $149 or more.
Council Bluffs stays were booked 35 days (about five weeks) before arrival on average over the past year, so most of a month is booked well before it starts.
The average Council Bluffs Airbnb stay lasted 5.5 nights over the past year. A listing took 20 reservations over the year on average.
Guests rate Council Bluffs Airbnbs 4.87 out of 5 on average. Guests score communication highest and location lowest.
Downtown Council Bluffs, Tanger Outlet Mall and Lake Manawa draw the most short-term rental interest in Council Bluffs. The neighborhood guide explains what brings guests to each.
AirROI counted 89 active Airbnb listings in Council Bluffs as of October 2026. The closest tracked market is Bellevue, 15 km away.
In Council Bluffs, 84% of listings add a cleaning fee. The median fee is $86, and some higher fees lift the average to $121.
All of Iowa had 46.3 million visitors in 2025, the Iowa Tourism Office reports. AirROI estimates 1,738 Airbnb stays in Council Bluffs, IA in the 12 months to October 2026, which counts bookings and not tourists. See Iowa tourism statistics.
Method
Figures on this page cover 89 active Airbnb listings in Council Bluffs from November 2025 to October 2026 (trailing twelve months). AirROI refreshes them monthly from listing-level booking and calendar data covering 20+ million properties worldwide. Money figures are in U.S. dollars. Annual revenue averages every listing active during the period, including those listed for only part of it; monthly figures average the listings active in each month; the tier lists show the spread. Neighborhood descriptions are AI-assisted. See the methodology for definitions.
Need this programmatically? The same metrics are available through the AirROI Airbnb Data API and bulk downloads in the data portal.