Top 30 Best Places in Alabama, United States to Invest in Airbnb & Short-Term Rentals (2026)

Source: AirROI

Last updated: 2026-01-01

Unlock high-ROI opportunities in Alabama, United States‘s booming short-term rental (STR) market. This 2026 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 Alabama, 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 Alabama, United States for 2026.

Top Short-Term Rental Markets in Alabama, United States

Rank:#1Market:Gulf ShoresCountry:United StatesProperties:4,926Monthly Revenue:$3641.72Daily Rate (ADR):$382.86Occupancy:39.82%Regulation:Low
Rank:#2Market:Orange BeachCountry:United StatesProperties:4,090Monthly Revenue:$3318.15Daily Rate (ADR):$396.68Occupancy:37.17%Regulation:Low
Rank:#3Market:BirminghamCountry:United StatesProperties:895Monthly Revenue:$1862.48Daily Rate (ADR):$199.92Occupancy:40.83%Regulation:Low
Rank:#4Market:Dauphin IslandCountry:United StatesProperties:605Monthly Revenue:$3439.09Daily Rate (ADR):$373.31Occupancy:37.54%Regulation:Low
Rank:#5Market:HuntsvilleCountry:United StatesProperties:545Monthly Revenue:$1378.69Daily Rate (ADR):$139.69Occupancy:40.46%Regulation:Low
Rank:#6Market:MobileCountry:United StatesProperties:496Monthly Revenue:$1608.29Daily Rate (ADR):$160.64Occupancy:41.57%Regulation:Low
Rank:#7Market:MontgomeryCountry:United StatesProperties:446Monthly Revenue:$1744.77Daily Rate (ADR):$158.44Occupancy:45.30%Regulation:Low
Rank:#8Market:AuburnCountry:United StatesProperties:396Monthly Revenue:$2496.81Daily Rate (ADR):$334.13Occupancy:32.34%Regulation:Low
Rank:#9Market:TuscaloosaCountry:United StatesProperties:365Monthly Revenue:$2462.67Daily Rate (ADR):$445.41Occupancy:25.46%Regulation:Low
Rank:#10Market:NorthportCountry:United StatesProperties:226Monthly Revenue:$2698.75Daily Rate (ADR):$427.46Occupancy:30.47%Regulation:Low
Rank:#11Market:FairhopeCountry:United StatesProperties:201Monthly Revenue:$3405.90Daily Rate (ADR):$295.18Occupancy:43.80%Regulation:Low
Rank:#12Market:FoleyCountry:United StatesProperties:201Monthly Revenue:$2281.59Daily Rate (ADR):$208.29Occupancy:44.19%Regulation:Low
Rank:#13Market:GuntersvilleCountry:United StatesProperties:201Monthly Revenue:$1817.74Daily Rate (ADR):$213.68Occupancy:34.38%Regulation:Low
Rank:#14Market:MentoneCountry:United StatesProperties:170Monthly Revenue:$2245.47Daily Rate (ADR):$216.46Occupancy:36.54%Regulation:Low
Rank:#15Market:FlorenceCountry:United StatesProperties:164Monthly Revenue:$1695.79Daily Rate (ADR):$174.28Occupancy:40.11%Regulation:Low
Rank:#16Market:DadevilleCountry:United StatesProperties:162Monthly Revenue:$2970.02Daily Rate (ADR):$396.79Occupancy:31.00%Regulation:Low
Rank:#17Market:MadisonCountry:United StatesProperties:150Monthly Revenue:$1674.66Daily Rate (ADR):$176.20Occupancy:42.36%Regulation:Low
Rank:#18Market:DothanCountry:United StatesProperties:121Monthly Revenue:$1518.15Daily Rate (ADR):$139.90Occupancy:44.14%Regulation:Low
Rank:#19Market:CullmanCountry:United StatesProperties:110Monthly Revenue:$2203.75Daily Rate (ADR):$246.49Occupancy:35.76%Regulation:Low
Rank:#20Market:Crane HillCountry:United StatesProperties:99Monthly Revenue:$3489.69Daily Rate (ADR):$451.01Occupancy:34.61%Regulation:Low
Rank:#21Market:EnterpriseCountry:United StatesProperties:97Monthly Revenue:$1426.98Daily Rate (ADR):$129.27Occupancy:45.50%Regulation:Low
Rank:#22Market:OpelikaCountry:United StatesProperties:95Monthly Revenue:$2862.57Daily Rate (ADR):$302.28Occupancy:33.94%Regulation:Low
Rank:#23Market:DaphneCountry:United StatesProperties:88Monthly Revenue:$2512.94Daily Rate (ADR):$174.42Occupancy:50.20%Regulation:Low
Rank:#24Market:ScottsboroCountry:United StatesProperties:79Monthly Revenue:$2224.21Daily Rate (ADR):$219.90Occupancy:40.10%Regulation:Low
Rank:#25Market:Fort PayneCountry:United StatesProperties:77Monthly Revenue:$1658.49Daily Rate (ADR):$175.13Occupancy:37.11%Regulation:Low
Rank:#26Market:AthensCountry:United StatesProperties:57Monthly Revenue:$1723.04Daily Rate (ADR):$177.44Occupancy:35.92%Regulation:Low
Rank:#27Market:HooverCountry:United StatesProperties:57Monthly Revenue:$1451.22Daily Rate (ADR):$143.85Occupancy:41.28%Regulation:Low
Rank:#28Market:DecaturCountry:United StatesProperties:56Monthly Revenue:$1469.36Daily Rate (ADR):$148.81Occupancy:39.48%Regulation:Low
Rank:#29Market:Alexander CityCountry:United StatesProperties:54Monthly Revenue:$3275.39Daily Rate (ADR):$412.99Occupancy:37.17%Regulation:Low
Rank:#30Market:EclecticCountry:United StatesProperties:54Monthly Revenue:$3936.27Daily Rate (ADR):$427.19Occupancy:37.35%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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This report is powered by our industry-leading Airbnb Data API, providing direct access to live short-term rental data from global markets like Alabama. Use this data to build powerful analytics tools, discover investment opportunities, and inform your vacation rental strategy.

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