Do Airbnbs Make Good Neighbors? 2025 Data Reveals Widespread Concerns About Airbnbs in Neighborhoods

Few See Airbnbs as Good Neighbors | Concern, Annoyance Top Reactions to Airbnb Next Door | Strong Support for Short-Term Rental Rules | Methodology | FAQ

When Airbnb first went online more than 15 years ago, it represented a dramatic change in the way people travel, not to mention the opportunities it presented to homeowners with extra space and real estate investors in tourist-friendly markets. 

There’s no doubt that the emergence of short-term rentals has provided visitors with more lodging options and a chance to experience areas beyond the usual hotel-heavy tourist districts. 

However, it’s equally true that the proliferation of Airbnbs in some communities has dramatically transformed the experience of those living there full time, who often face the negative impacts of short-term rentals with little direct benefit beyond the hope of added tourist dollars for local businesses.  

It’s a distinction that has many asking: Do Airbnbs really make good neighbors, and how should residential communities handle those who want to operate one there?

To find out, Anytime Estimate surveyed 1,000 Americans, including 33% who have stayed in an Airbnb and 24% who have or had one in their community, about their views on Airbnbs and other short-term rentals such as Vrbo, their potential impact on their neighborhoods, and more.

Just 4 in 10 Americans See Airbnbs as Good Neighbors, Half Favor Outright Bans

Issues with neighbors have existed as long as people have lived near one another, but the sometimes unexpected and often uncontrolled expansion of Airbnbs and other short-term rentals into residential communities has added a new, modern element to the problem. 

Nearly two decades into their existence, just 40% of Americans think Airbnbs make good neighbors, and only 30% believe Airbnb guests care about the neighborhood’s well-being. 

Roughly 40% of Americans believe a neighbor converting their home into an Airbnb would decrease the quality of life for local residents, more than 4x the number who say it would improve it (9%). Similarly, more than 3x as many respondents think a nearby Airbnb would decrease (39%) long-term residents' willingness to stay in the neighborhood rather than increase it (11%). 

In the minds of many Americans, there’s a clear mismatch between who pays the costs and reaps the benefits of Airbnbs.

Nearly three-quarters (71%) believe short-term rental owners benefit the most from Airbnbs, 60 percentage points higher than the second most-chosen beneficiary, Airbnb guests (11%). On the flip side, 70% say neighbors benefit the least from short-term rentals. 

The prospect of living near a short-term rental is enough to seriously harm interest in a house for 60% of respondents. These Americans say that, if they were shopping for a home today, the presence of a nearby Airbnb would make them either offer less on the home (28%) or not make an offer at all (32%). Having an Airbnb nearby seems to be a far bigger deal to older potential buyers. Almost two-thirds of boomers (64%) would offer less or not at all, compared to 41% each of millennials and Gen Z who say the same.

Meanwhile, nearly 1 in 3 Americans (31%) would be willing to pay more for a home in a community where short-term rentals aren’t allowed.

The negativity stems not just from present concerns but future ones, too. Almost half of respondents (46%) believe short-term rentals will have a negative impact on their neighborhood’s housing market in the next five to 10 years, double the number who foresee a positive impact (23%). 

Nearly half also believe Airbnbs unfairly drive up prices for local home buyers (46%) and are making it harder for first-time buyers to enter the market (46%). Another 38% see short-term rentals contributing to housing shortages. 

The result of these negative feelings shouldn’t be surprising. About half of Americans would sign a petition to restrict Airbnbs in their neighborhood (48%), while 49% think short-term rentals should be banned outright in residential areas.

Majority Think Short-Term Rentals Are Good for the Economy but Don’t Want to Run Them Themselves

Although there’s no mistaking Americans' negative feelings about the prospect of an Airbnb in their community, many also take a more nuanced approach to them, generally speaking. 

This includes a solid majority (59%) who believe Airbnbs and other short-term rentals are good for their local economy. Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds (64%) see them as a source of much-needed revenue, saying local governments should tax Airbnb profits and use the money to fund affordable housing.

Still, a whopping 70% of Americans say they have no interest in becoming a short-term rental host, more than 3x the number who say they’d do it but only if they needed extra income (22%). 

Just 7% would become an Airbnb host even if they didn’t need the cash. Among those who’d be open to it, more than half (57%) say they would need to earn $3,000 per month or more to do it, and more than 1 in 3 (35%) would want $5,000 or more. 

Others tend to judge the decision rather harshly. Almost 1 in 4 (23%) believe only desperate people would convert their home into an Airbnb, and roughly 1 in 6 (16%) think people who rent their homes on Airbnb deserve to have their property damaged.

Many seemingly prefer to restrict short-term rentals at the source, with 52% believing that people shouldn’t be allowed to buy properties for the sole purpose of making them into an Airbnb.

This complex mix of feelings is also evident when Americans are asked about their attitude toward Airbnb, Vrbo, and other short-term rental operations as companies. A plurality of 43% say they’re neutral, outnumbering the 1 in 3 with positive feelings (36%) and 1 in 5 with negative views (21%) of the companies. 

Along the same lines, when asked how much they support or oppose Airbnbs in any residential neighborhoods, not just their own, the median response was 5 on a 1-to-10 scale,  with 10 indicating the strongest support.  

This is clear evidence that, despite more than a decade of existence in many markets, most people still haven’t firmly made up their minds about whether these services are a good or bad thing for their general area — even if they’re certain they don’t want one on their block.

Concern, Annoyance Are Top Reactions to an Airbnb Next Door, and Nearly Half Would Call the Police on a Disruptive Guest

Learning their neighbor was operating an Airbnb would be decidedly unwelcome news to most Americans. Their top reaction would be concern, with 44% saying so. That’s 15 percentage points higher than the next most-mentioned feeling, those who say they’d be annoyed (29%). 

Among the positive and negative emotion options offered, the most common positive reaction was intrigued (14%). Still, that’s seventh overall. 

Although many Americans would likely feel a mix of emotions about an Airbnb next door, 40% of Americans didn’t have anything positive to say, nearly twice the number who didn’t have any negative reactions (22%).  

Safety is top of mind for many, with 52% saying they’d be less comfortable letting their children play outside with an Airbnb next door. However, loud parties and increased crime are the first- and second-most annoying potential consequences of living next to a short-term rental, according to Americans. 

Americans ranked the following consequences of living next to an Airbnb from most to least annoying, with No. 1 being the most bothersome and No. 8 being the least:

Concern	Average Rank
Loud parties/events	3.38
Increased crime/safety issues	3.77
Strangers coming and going from the neighborhood	4.05
More trash/litter	4.56
Loss of privacy	4.56
Decreased property values	4.98
Increased difficulty finding street parking	5.13
Decreased sense of community	5.58

Only a quarter of Americans (25%) would wait to see if a problem with a loud short-term renter resolves on its own. Yet, barely half (52%) would contact their neighbor directly about disruptive short-term renters in their unit, compared to 43% who would call the police. In fact, 30% would call the police before reaching out to their neighbor directly about a short-term rental issue.

Americans also foresee a wide variety of other unpleasant consequences for their neighborhood if a neighbor converted their home into a short-term rental. About 61% think noise levels would increase, and 54% say the same for the amount of garbage or litter around the community. About 40% also believe crime would increase.

Meanwhile, 50% think the ability to find parking in their neighborhood would decrease, while 46% think the sense of community among neighbors would decrease as well. 

At the core of the issue may be the fact that 42% of Americans don’t trust their neighbors to follow local short-term rental laws and regulations or act as a responsible short-term landlord. 

Many don’t have any tolerance for the idea at all, regardless of the impact on their lives. About 49% say they’d report their neighbor if they learned they were operating a short-term rental that violated local laws, even if they hadn’t experienced any issues from guests or the property. A substantial 41% would go even further, arguing that people who operate Airbnbs illegally should lose their homes. 

Although the fears and concerns are apparent, they may be somewhat overblown. A plurality of respondents (42%) admit they’re not sure whether there are any active Airbnbs or short-term rentals in their community, suggesting short-term rentals can exist in neighborhoods without becoming obvious nuisances.

Over Half of Americans Would Prefer Their In-Laws Next Door Over an Airbnb

In comparison to some other potentially unwelcome neighbors, the depth of Americans’ hostility toward short-term rentals shines through. 

Roughly two-thirds of Americans (63%) say they’d prefer a traditional rental home next door rather than an Airbnb. Meanwhile, respondents are split almost evenly between those who’d prefer to live next to an Airbnb (52%) and those who’d prefer a neighbor who always tries to chat (48%). 

However, a majority (55%) would rather live next to their in-laws than an Airbnb, and nearly a third (30%) would even prefer their ex as a neighbor over a short-term rental. 

However, 60% of respondents would choose to have an Airbnb in their neighborhood as opposed to a small hotel.

It also doesn’t seem to matter who is staying in that Airbnb next door, either. Out of 20 different types of short-term renters or rental situations, just a single one had support from a majority of respondents. About two-thirds (67%) supported older couples as guests. 

Meanwhile, a business traveler or professional (46%) or a solo traveler (45%) were the only other options to even crack 40%.

Americans were least supportive of short-term rentals occupied by bachelor parties (4%), bachelorette parties (4%), a band (4%), a group of college students (5%), or a large group of friends (5%). 

Almost 1 in 4 Americans (24%) say the types of people who stay in Airbnbs are generally not ones they would want to associate with. Roughly 1 in 6 (16%) are so anti-Airbnb that they say people who stay in them deserve to be scammed, and more than 1 in 8 (13%) would go out of their way to make things unpleasant for Airbnb renters living near them.

Strong Support for Airbnb Licensing, Background Checks, Noise Restrictions

Americans have complicated – and sometimes contradictory – views on these types of rentals, at least philosophically. Roughly 1 in 8 (12%) believe people shouldn’t be allowed to rent residential homes for short-term stays at all, while 17% take the opposite view, arguing people should be allowed to do anything they want on their property without the interference of the government or their neighbors.

The majority of respondents comes down somewhere in the middle, with 71% believing people should be allowed to rent their homes short term but only subject to government approval or permitting of some kind.

On a more practical and local level, 94% approve of at least some regulations for Airbnbs in their area. 

Some restrictions that have strong support among Americans include:

• Requiring a business license for hosts (82%)
• Requiring all renters to pass a background check (78%)
• Requiring hosts to notify neighbors when guests are staying (71%)
• Additional noise restrictions and quiet hours (64%)
• Limiting the number of guests (62%)
• Strict trash/disposal rules (59%)
• Banning parties (55%)
• Parking rules and restrictions (55%)

Nevertheless, 53% also say they’d approve of their local officials doing more to encourage additional Airbnb and other short-term rentals to open in their town. A slim majority of respondents feel positively about staying in an Airbnb themselves, either for a weekend vacation (51%) or a weeklong trip (52%). Taken together with other skeptical responses about Airbnbs, many Americans appear to favor the concept of short-term rentals somewhere in their city or town, as long as they aren’t taking over residential communities. 

Negative Airbnb Feelings Increase as Distance From Home Decreases

More evidence for this “not in my backyard” approach to short-term rentals can be found as respondents consider their actual neighborhood. A substantial 42% would have positive feelings about their neighborhood association or HOA banning Airbnbs altogether.

Meanwhile, only 20% of respondents would feel positively about their neighbor down the street turning their home into a short-term rental, a number that drops to just 16% if their next-door neighbor did the same. This last number is barely a third of those who feel negatively about it (45%).  

The top reasons for this disapproval aren’t surprising: loud guests (75%), potential parties (67%), and worries about illegal or suspicious activities (62%). However, more than half also point to general safety issues (59%), increased traffic or parking problems (56%), or the potential for property damage (54%).

For nearly half, the issue is fundamental and far less friendly. Forty-nine percent admit they simply don’t want strangers in their neighborhood. 

Among those who’d support a full ban on short-term rentals in their area, more than 1 in 4 (27%) say there’s nothing that could make them reconsider their opposition. However, nearly half of those who support a ban on Airbnbs (44%) say they could be convinced to support short-term rentals if there were clear and enforceable noise and behavior rules for guests.

Around a third say they could be won over with stricter licensing requirements for Airbnb hosts – such as permits, background checks, or proof of insurance (32%) – or through regular official inspections of the property’s safety and conditions (32%).

More than 1 in 5 of those who currently support banning Airbnbs also say they'd drop their opposition in exchange for:

• Extra police patrols (26%)
• Lower property taxes for the whole neighborhood (24%)
• Restrictions against corporate or multiple-property hosts in residential areas (23%)
• Guaranteed financial compensation for neighbors affected by bad guests (22%)

An Overwhelming Majority Think Airbnbs Should Face the Same Rules, Taxes as Hotels

As Airbnb has grown from an air mattress on an apartment floor to a company generating $25 billion in guest dollars per year with a variety of high-end offerings, many Americans have come to view it as a comparable option to hotels. 

However, this similarity cuts both ways, as 83% believe Airbnbs and other short-term rentals should be subject to the same taxation and rules as hotels, including inspections and safety standards.

Overall, Americans seem to view the entire short-term rental space as somewhat sketchy compared to traditional hotels. Over three-quarters (76%) believe that most Airbnb hosts would stop renting if they had to meet the same standards as hotels, and 43% go as far as calling them a loophole to run illegal hotels. 

In general, Americans aren’t convinced there are broad advantages to staying in an Airbnb in their neighborhoods over a hotel. Of the presumed benefits of staying in an Airbnb, none received majority support. Having kitchen access to cook meals received the most support at 41%. 

Only 39% believe local short-term rentals offer the advantage of more space than hotels, just 34% see advantages in unique accommodations, and 32% think local Airbnbs have privacy benefits compared to hotels.

For a weekend vacation, 82% of respondents say they’d feel positively about staying in a hotel, compared to just 51% of respondents who say the same about choosing an Airbnb for that timeframe. Although many have promoted Airbnb as a desirable alternative for more extended stays, Americans are still far more positive about hotels (71%) for vacations of a week or longer compared to Airbnbs (52%). 

Methodology

Anytime Estimate surveyed 1,000 American adults, asking them questions about their views on Airbnbs as neighbors and broader short-term rental policy in their area and nationwide. This survey was conducted May 11, 2025. 

About Anytime Estimate

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