Airbnb market data · 202612 months to October 2026
Salem, VA Airbnb Market Data: Revenue, Occupancy & Trends
The average Airbnb in Salem brought in $20,795 over the 12 months through October 2026, across just 29 active listings, so a single property can move that figure.
The short answer
Salem Airbnb Market at a Glance
Rates and bookings both trail the Virginia average. Listings averaged $212 a night and were booked on 37% of available nights, against $300 and 40% for the Virginia average.
Timing matters: in July, usually the best month, the average listing earns about 2.1 times as much as in January, usually the slowest. With only 29 active listings, a few bookings can reorder the months.
With 29 active listings, Salem is the 136th-largest of 220 Virginia markets AirROI tracks.
Browse the live Salem Airbnb market See Every Salem ListingRevenue
How Much Do Airbnb Hosts Make in Salem?
Gross bookings per Salem listing averaged $20,795 over the 12 months to October 2026 (Virginia average: $33,560), before cleaning, platform and management costs and taxes.
In a typical year, the average Salem listing brings in $3,340 in July, its best month, and $1,560 in January, its slowest. The three strongest months bring in 31% of a full year's revenue, where an even calendar would give any three months 25%.
Across Salem's 29 active listings, monthly revenue by tier:
- Best-in-class properties (top 10%) earn $5,810+ a month, about three times the typical property.
- Strong performers (top 25%) earn $3,450 or more, roughly $1,500 a month above the median.
- Typical properties (median) earn about $1,920 a month.
- Entry-level properties (bottom 25%) earn $917 or less, about half of the median.
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.
July earns about 2.1 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.
Salem Airbnb Data by Month
Latest 12 months in the October 2026 data. October's figures are still coming in, so the rows run to September.
July 2026 led on revenue. Nightly rates peaked in May 2026 and bookings in August 2026, so the best-paying month is not always the busiest or the priciest.
| Month | Avg. Revenue | Occupancy | Avg. Nightly Rate | RevPAR | Booking Lead Time | Avg. Length of Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | $2,624 | 28.3% | $207 | $85 | 81 days | 4.2 nights |
| Nov 2025 | $2,217 | 32.4% | $202 | $74 | 62 days | 5.5 nights |
| Dec 2025 | $2,771 | 41.4% | $201 | $89 | 29 days | 4.2 nights |
| Jan 2026 | $1,461 | 18.2% | $184 | $47 | 16 days | 3.6 nights |
| Feb 2026 | $1,768 | 34.5% | $186 | $63 | 27 days | 8.2 nights |
| Mar 2026 | $2,759 | 34.6% | $191 | $89 | 27 days | 6.3 nights |
| Apr 2026 | $2,236 | 29.3% | $200 | $75 | 57 days | 3.8 nights |
| May 2026 | $2,700 | 35.0% | $214 | $87 | 104 days | 4.3 nights |
| Jun 2026 | $2,724 | 32.7% | $211 | $91 | 46 days | 2.3 nights |
| Jul 2026 | $3,473 | 38.9% | $212 | $112 | 50 days | 5.1 nights |
| Aug 2026 | $3,182 | 45.3% | $202 | $103 | 32 days | 3.1 nights |
| Sep 2026 | $3,024 | 41.3% | $208 | $101 | 68 days | 2.6 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 Salem market, enter its address and size in the Airbnb revenue calculator, which compares it with similar listings nearby.
Profit
Is an Airbnb in Salem Profitable?
Yes, when it's run well. The average Salem Airbnb took in $20,795 in the 12 months to October 2026, and run by its owner at everyday costs, about $1,140 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 $2,070 a month.
Cleaning it yourself keeps the $1,810 a year guests pay in cleaning fees, for about $1,290 a month. Handing the listing to a co-host at about 10% of nightly bookings still leaves about $980 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.
Salem Airbnb Income, Expenses and Profit per Year
| Line | Average listing | Top-quarter listing |
|---|---|---|
| Money in | ||
| Nightly bookings | $18,985 | $34,180 |
| Cleaning fees guests pay9% of Salem bookings | $1,810 | $3,250 |
| Gross bookings | $20,795 | $37,430 |
| Running costs | ||
| Airbnb's feeAbout 14%: 15.5% for the 90% of Salem listings on Simplified Pricing, 3% for the rest | −$2,950 | −$5,320 |
| Cleaning and laundryPaid for by the cleaning fee; $0 if you clean yourself | −$1,810 | −$3,250 |
| Utilities and internetAbout 5% of bookings | −$1,040 | −$1,870 |
| Guest suppliesToiletries, coffee, paper goods: about 2% | −$420 | −$750 |
| Repairs and upkeepIncluding linens and small replacements: about 3% | −$620 | −$1,120 |
| Short-term rental insuranceOne policy, on top of Airbnb's free AirCover | −$210 | −$210 |
| Permit and registrationWhere one is required | −$100 | −$100 |
| 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 | −$7,150 | −$12,620 |
| Left for housing costs, then profit | $13,645about $1,140 a month | $24,810about $2,070 a month |
| Housing costs | ||
| Mortgage or rent, property tax, home insurance, HOA or condo fees | Depend on the home | |
Estimate Your Own Salem Airbnb Profit
The estimate starts from Salem'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 Salem 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.
How Salem's Top Earners Get There
- More nights booked. The busiest quarter of Salem listings are booked on 50% or more of their nights, against 29% for the median listing. Ten more booked nights a year at the median rate of $185 adds about $1,850 in bookings.
- Prices that follow demand. Ranked by price, the top quarter charge $230 a night or more, against a median of $185. That is a separate ranking from the busiest quarter, so the two marks don't multiply into one listing's takings. For the average listing, a 10% higher rate on the nights it already books adds about $1,900 a year.
- Open for the busy months. In a typical year, July brings the average listing about $3,340, against $1,560 in January, so a calendar that is open and full in the busy months carries the year.
- Reviews that stand out. Salem listings average 4.90 stars, and 69% carry Airbnb's Guest Favorite badge, which guests can filter for.
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 $3,120 a month, against $1,730 for the average one.
Occupancy
What Is the Airbnb Occupancy Rate in Salem?
Salem listings were booked on 37% of the nights they were open over the past year, 3 percentage points below the Virginia average (40%) and 4 points below the U.S. average (41%). In a typical year, occupancy climbs to 41% in August and falls to 24% in January.
Across Salem's 29 active listings, the share of open nights booked by tier:
- Best-in-class properties (top 10%) are booked 67%+ of open nights, 38 points above the median.
- Strong performers (top 25%) fill 50% or more, roughly four nights a week.
- Typical properties (median) fill about 29% of open nights.
- Entry-level properties (bottom 25%) fill 15% or less, under two nights a week.
August is usually the busiest month in Salem, January the quietest
Share of open nights booked, by month, October 2024 to September 2026
The 12-month rate of 37% averages each listing's whole year, slow months included; each month here counts only the listings booked in it.
Nightly rates
How Much Does an Airbnb Cost per Night in Salem?
The average nightly rate in Salem, known as ADR (average daily rate), was $212 over the past year, about 29% below the Virginia average of $300 and about 37% below the U.S. average of $335. Averaged month by month over the past two years, rates peak in May and July at about $210 and bottom out in January and December at about $175.
Across Salem's 29 active listings, nightly rates by tier:
- Best-in-class properties (top 10%) charge $280+ a night, about 1.5 times the median.
- Strong performers (top 25%) charge $230 or more, about $45 above the median.
- Typical properties (median) charge about $185 a night.
- Entry-level properties (bottom 25%) charge $140 or less, about three-quarters of the median.
May rates run 19% above January's
Average nightly rate (ADR), by month, October 2024 to September 2026
The 12-month ADR of $212 averages each listing's own rate across its whole year; the monthly points average listings month by month, so the two differ.
What Is the RevPAR for Airbnb in Salem?
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 Salem it averaged $80 over the past year, from about $50 in a typical January to about $108 in a typical July.
Across Salem's 29 active listings, RevPAR by tier:
- Best-in-class properties (top 10%) earn $170+ per open night, about 2.5 times the median.
- Strong performers (top 25%) earn $95 or more, about $25 a night above the median.
- Typical properties (median) earn about $69 per open night.
- Entry-level properties (bottom 25%) earn $38 or less, about 55% of the median.
July RevPAR is about 2.1 times January's
Revenue per open night (RevPAR), by month, October 2024 to September 2026
Seasonality
Best and Worst Months for Airbnb in Salem
With only 29 active listings, the monthly pattern in Salem is noisy, since a few long or pricey stays can lift a month; revenue has tended to peak in July and bottom out in January.
Average revenue by month in Salem
Average revenue per active listing, each calendar month averaged over the past two years
Revenue by month in Salem in numbers
| Month | Revenue per listing |
|---|---|
| January | $1,560 |
| February | $2,100 |
| March | $2,150 |
| April | $2,210 |
| May | $2,670 |
| June | $2,500 |
| July | $3,340 |
| August | $2,940 |
| September | $2,360 |
| October | $2,500 |
| November | $2,250 |
| December | $2,340 |
How Far in Advance Do Guests Book Airbnb in Salem?
Guests book Salem stays 68 days ahead on average (about two months), so guests here plan well ahead. May stays are booked furthest out, about 101 days ahead, and January stays closest to arrival, about 17 days. A typical May booking is made in early February.
May 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 68 days averages each listing's year as a whole; each month here averages only the listings with stays in it.
Permits
Airbnb Permits and Registration in Salem
None of the 29 active listings in Salem 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 Salem.
Neighborhoods
Best Neighborhoods for Airbnb in Salem
AirROI's area guide picks eight Salem neighborhoods that draw short-term rental guests, led by Downtown Salem, South Salem and North Salem. 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 Salem | The heart of Salem, featuring local shops, restaurants, and historic sites. Ideal for visitors looking to explore the local culture and history of the city. | Salem Museum, Winston Link Museum, Roanoke College, Historic Salem, Local restaurants and shops |
| South Salem | A residential area close to parks and nature, great for families and those seeking a tranquil stay with easy access to outdoor activities. | Sherwood Park, South Salem Park, The Roanoke River Greenway, Local hiking trails |
| North Salem | A quieter area with beautiful landscapes and larger properties, ideal for longer stays or family vacations away from the busy downtown. | Local farms, Natural scenic views, Hiking trails, Community markets |
| West Salem | A suburban area with a mix of residential homes and commercial spots, popular with visitors looking for convenience and accessibility to nearby attractions. | Local shopping centers, Community parks, Proximity to downtown Salem |
| East Salem | Offers a blend of residential comfort and access to outdoor activities; great for Airbnb hosts who want to provide a nature-centric experience. | Green Hill Park, Walking trails, Local wildlife areas |
| Salem Historic District | Rich in history and charm, this area attracts tourists interested in heritage, making it a prime spot for Airbnb rentals focused on historical experiences. | Historic homes, Cultural sites, Walking tours, Local festivals |
| Salem Fairgrounds | A vibrant spot for events and fairs, hosting various festivals throughout the year; great for short-term rentals during high-traffic events. | Annual Salem Fair, Concerts, Community events |
| Near Roanoke | Just a short drive from Roanoke, offers guests the opportunity to explore both Salem and the larger city amenities while enjoying a quieter stay. | Mill Mountain Park, Hiking paths, Cultural venues in Roanoke |
Area descriptions are AI-assisted from public sources and are not checked against zoning.
Nearby markets
Salem vs. Nearby Airbnb Markets
Of the eight nearby markets in the table, all within 48 km, Goodview (33 km away, 34 listings) earned the most per listing, about 2.4 times as much as Salem. Roanoke and Bedford were the busiest, each booked on 43% of nights against 37% in Salem.
| Market | Listings | Avg. annual revenue | Avg. nightly rate | Occupancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke 10 km | 337 | $20,388 | $164 | 43% |
| Blacksburg 32 km | 326 | $37,972 | $560 | 36% |
| Goodview 33 km | 34 | $49,216 | $471 | 40% |
| Christiansburg 36 km | 94 | $25,349 | $393 | 34% |
| Moneta 42 km | 182 | $43,879 | $475 | 37% |
| North Shore 44 km | 34 | $25,662 | $355 | 36% |
| Bedford 47 km | 63 | $24,780 | $186 | 43% |
| Floyd 48 km | 95 | $20,443 | $186 | 37% |
Other Airbnb Markets in Virginia
- Virginia Beach Airbnb data 1,388 listings
- Williamsburg Airbnb data 1,187 listings
- Richmond Airbnb data 1,044 listings
- Arlington Airbnb data 993 listings
- Norfolk Airbnb data 823 listings
- Alexandria Airbnb data 694 listings
- Charlottesville Airbnb data 688 listings
- Lynchburg Airbnb data 526 listings
See all 220 Virginia Airbnb markets
Markets Similar to Salem
Markets elsewhere in the United States with a similar nightly rate and occupancy to Salem:
- Lake Wales Airbnb data FL · $216/night · 36.6%
- Rome Airbnb data GA · $216/night · 36.7%
- Detroit Airbnb data MI · $214/night · 37.1%
- College Park Airbnb data GA · $212/night · 35.9%
- Murphy Airbnb data NC · $214/night · 37.1%
- Sunrise Manor Airbnb data NV · $217/night · 36.3%
FAQ
Salem Airbnb FAQ
How much do Airbnb hosts make in Salem?
An active Salem Airbnb grossed $20,795 on average in the 12 months to October 2026, according to AirROI's tracking of 29 active listings. That is before cleaning, management, taxes and financing. Busier, better-run listings do far better: the top quarter took in $3,450 or more in a typical month.
How much can I make on Airbnb in Salem?
It depends most on the home's size, location and how it's run. The middle half of Salem listings earn between $917 and $3,450 in a typical month, and the top tenth $5,810 or more. For one home, enter its address and bedroom count in the Airbnb income calculator: it compares the home with similar listings nearby.
What is the average Airbnb occupancy rate in Salem?
Listings in Salem were booked on 37% of available nights over the past year. That compares with 40% for the Virginia average. August is usually the busiest month.
How much does an Airbnb cost per night in Salem?
The average booked night in Salem cost $212 before fees. Half of listings charge between $140 and $230, so bedroom count and location move the price more than the average suggests.
Do you need a permit for an Airbnb in Salem?
None of the active Salem 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.
Is Airbnb profitable in Salem?
Yes, when it's run well. The average Salem Airbnb grossed $20,795 in the 12 months to October 2026, 38% below the Virginia average of $33,560, though with only 29 active listings a single property can move that figure. Run by its owner, with the cleaning fee covering the cleaner and everyday costs for Airbnb's fee, utilities, supplies, upkeep and insurance, $13,645 a year (about $1,140 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 $2,070 a month. Check a specific home in the Airbnb calculator.
When is Airbnb peak season in Salem?
July usually pays best, averaging $3,340 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.
What is the Airbnb RevPAR in Salem?
Each night a Salem listing was open to book earned $80 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 $170 or more.
How far in advance do guests book Airbnbs in Salem?
Salem stays were booked 68 days (about two months) before arrival on average over the past year, so a listing that opens its calendar late misses many bookings.
How long do guests stay at Airbnbs in Salem?
The average Salem Airbnb stay lasted 5.8 nights over the past year. A listing took 21 reservations over the year on average.
How are Airbnbs in Salem rated?
Guests rate Salem Airbnbs 4.90 out of 5 on average. Guests score location highest and value lowest.
What are the best neighborhoods for Airbnb in Salem?
Downtown Salem, South Salem and North Salem draw the most short-term rental interest in Salem. The neighborhood guide explains what brings guests to each.
How many Airbnbs are there in Salem?
AirROI counted 29 active Airbnb listings in Salem as of October 2026. The closest tracked market is Roanoke, 10 km away.
How much are Airbnb cleaning fees in Salem?
In Salem, about seven in ten listings add a cleaning fee, and the typical fee is about $99.
How many tourists visit Salem, VA?
All of Virginia had 117.1 million visitors in 2025, Virginia Tourism Corporation reports. AirROI estimates 601 Airbnb stays in Salem, VA in the 12 months to October 2026, which counts bookings and not tourists. See Virginia tourism statistics.
Method
About This Data
Figures on this page cover 29 active Airbnb listings in Salem 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.