Chalet, a data-first platform for short-term rentals (STR), released its year-end analysis of Airbnb calculator search patterns in 2025, based on tens of thousands of searches across 3,080 cities in all 50 U.S. states. The data reveals emerging Airbnb markets and cooling former hotspots, offering early signals of shifting short-term rental dynamics heading into 2026.
Key insights from the analysis show that the Sun Belt continues to dominate. Florida, California, and Texas comprised 32.5% of all Airbnb searches on Chalet in 2025. This search activity translated into execution, as these three states also accounted for 69% of the platform’s closed deals. Chalet users closed 205% more STR property deals in 2025 than the prior year, with big city markets accounting for only 27.3% of all closed deals.
Regional markets outshone major cities in engagement. Secondary “drive-to” vacation markets saw higher engagement rates per listing than traditional urban hotspots. For example, Sevierville, TN, a gateway to the Smoky Mountains, ranked as the most-searched city with 1.8% of total searches, outranking any individual major city such as Austin, TX (1.2%) or San Diego, CA (1.0%). Nearly 70% of the 30 most-searched STR markets in 2025 were regional or destination-driven markets, and 73% of Chalet-assisted deals closed in regional markets.
Despite broad search distribution—no single market dominated, with the most-searched city accounting for only 1.8% of searches—actual purchases were more concentrated. Austin, TX emerged as the most active market for closed deals at just over 9%, followed by a second tier including San Diego, CA; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Dallas, TX; Kissimmee, FL; and Myrtle Beach, SC, each representing roughly 6% of transactions.
Strict regulations suppressed market interest. Interest in regulation-heavy metros like New York City and Los Angeles was under 0.2% of all searches, underscoring that markets with restrictive STR rules are being avoided. In contrast, markets with stable, host-friendly policies drew higher engagement.
“The overwhelming focus on Sun Belt states is both a warning and an opportunity,” said Ashley Durmo, CEO of Chalet. “It shows where momentum is strongest, but also where markets may be overheating. Our goal is to arm users with unbiased data so they can spot the next big market or avoid the next saturated hotspot.”
Chalet’s full 2025 analysis and free interactive market dashboard are available on its website. The company plans to introduce an AI Copilot in 2026 to support more efficient data interpretation. For more details, visit GetChalet.com.
