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

Source: AirROI

Last updated: 2025-09-01

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:561Monthly Revenue:$1626.49Daily Rate (ADR):$148.38Occupancy:43.95%Regulation:Low
Rank:#2Market:Cedar RapidsCountry:United StatesProperties:219Monthly Revenue:$1399.72Daily Rate (ADR):$122.30Occupancy:46.42%Regulation:Low
Rank:#3Market:DubuqueCountry:United StatesProperties:188Monthly Revenue:$2033.98Daily Rate (ADR):$170.32Occupancy:44.02%Regulation:Low
Rank:#4Market:Arnolds ParkCountry:United StatesProperties:177Monthly Revenue:$2728.46Daily Rate (ADR):$355.81Occupancy:34.72%Regulation:Low
Rank:#5Market:DecorahCountry:United StatesProperties:163Monthly Revenue:$1953.54Daily Rate (ADR):$201.71Occupancy:40.80%Regulation:Low
Rank:#6Market:Iowa CityCountry:United StatesProperties:158Monthly Revenue:$1980.65Daily Rate (ADR):$220.35Occupancy:42.26%Regulation:Low
Rank:#7Market:DavenportCountry:United StatesProperties:147Monthly Revenue:$1536.02Daily Rate (ADR):$137.25Occupancy:45.88%Regulation:Low
Rank:#8Market:Clear LakeCountry:United StatesProperties:124Monthly Revenue:$2159.36Daily Rate (ADR):$263.57Occupancy:35.32%Regulation:Low
Rank:#9Market:West Des MoinesCountry:United StatesProperties:111Monthly Revenue:$2095.34Daily Rate (ADR):$164.57Occupancy:51.22%Regulation:Low
Rank:#10Market:Cedar FallsCountry:United StatesProperties:101Monthly Revenue:$1326.04Daily Rate (ADR):$129.93Occupancy:38.74%Regulation:Low
Rank:#11Market:AmesCountry:United StatesProperties:94Monthly Revenue:$2273.62Daily Rate (ADR):$216.57Occupancy:41.77%Regulation:Low
Rank:#12Market:Spirit LakeCountry:United StatesProperties:93Monthly Revenue:$2171.49Daily Rate (ADR):$326.28Occupancy:33.59%Regulation:Low
Rank:#13Market:Council BluffsCountry:United StatesProperties:88Monthly Revenue:$1392.53Daily Rate (ADR):$160.32Occupancy:38.79%Regulation:Low
Rank:#14Market:AnkenyCountry:United StatesProperties:68Monthly Revenue:$1929.02Daily Rate (ADR):$180.70Occupancy:42.16%Regulation:Low
Rank:#15Market:WaterlooCountry:United StatesProperties:60Monthly Revenue:$1438.70Daily Rate (ADR):$130.62Occupancy:45.35%Regulation:Low
Rank:#16Market:BurlingtonCountry:United StatesProperties:57Monthly Revenue:$1234.40Daily Rate (ADR):$114.07Occupancy:44.47%Regulation:Low
Rank:#17Market:FairfieldCountry:United StatesProperties:48Monthly Revenue:$1029.92Daily Rate (ADR):$128.10Occupancy:35.09%Regulation:Low
Rank:#18Market:LansingCountry:United StatesProperties:47Monthly Revenue:$1819.76Daily Rate (ADR):$215.53Occupancy:33.74%Regulation:Low
Rank:#19Market:Sioux CityCountry:United StatesProperties:45Monthly Revenue:$1617.05Daily Rate (ADR):$144.19Occupancy:47.80%Regulation:Low
Rank:#20Market:BettendorfCountry:United StatesProperties:43Monthly Revenue:$1877.76Daily Rate (ADR):$160.54Occupancy:46.58%Regulation:Low
Rank:#21Market:CoralvilleCountry:United StatesProperties:43Monthly Revenue:$1666.95Daily Rate (ADR):$195.51Occupancy:36.54%Regulation:Low
Rank:#22Market:BooneCountry:United StatesProperties:41Monthly Revenue:$918.98Daily Rate (ADR):$108.40Occupancy:38.67%Regulation:Low
Rank:#23Market:PellaCountry:United StatesProperties:41Monthly Revenue:$2064.27Daily Rate (ADR):$170.23Occupancy:43.43%Regulation:Low
Rank:#24Market:MarionCountry:United StatesProperties:39Monthly Revenue:$1752.67Daily Rate (ADR):$149.95Occupancy:51.38%Regulation:Low
Rank:#25Market:BellevueCountry:United StatesProperties:36Monthly Revenue:$1827.43Daily Rate (ADR):$186.31Occupancy:39.00%Regulation:Low
Rank:#26Market:UrbandaleCountry:United StatesProperties:35Monthly Revenue:$2519.35Daily Rate (ADR):$259.67Occupancy:41.64%Regulation:Low
Rank:#27Market:Le ClaireCountry:United StatesProperties:31Monthly Revenue:$1739.71Daily Rate (ADR):$170.97Occupancy:38.19%Regulation:Low
Rank:#28Market:WaukeeCountry:United StatesProperties:30Monthly Revenue:$1645.12Daily Rate (ADR):$150.90Occupancy:43.87%Regulation:Low
Rank:#29Market:Harpers FerryCountry:United StatesProperties:26Monthly Revenue:$1846.58Daily Rate (ADR):$227.09Occupancy:35.66%Regulation:Low
Rank:#30Market:McGregorCountry:United StatesProperties:26Monthly Revenue:$1252.42Daily Rate (ADR):$209.80Occupancy:29.97%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 Iowa. Use this data to build powerful analytics tools, discover investment opportunities, and inform your vacation rental strategy.

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