An empirical analysis of Airbnb listings in forty American cities

ABSTRACT: Over the last decade, Airbnb has evolved from a small bed and breakfast service to a global hospitality giant operating in 80,000 cities worldwide, offering various accommodations and experiences. With its expansion, there’s increased scrutiny from cities, researchers, and the public on its impacts and the need for regulation. This paper investigates how demographics, socioeconomics, and transportation influence Airbnb listings across 40 US cities. Findings reveal that listings are more prevalent in neighborhoods with good transit access, proximity to city centers, and higher median house values and incomes, indicating potential social inequality risks in the sharing economy.