Most Americans Would Rather Live Next To Their In-Laws Than An Airbnb

Many, many years ago when Instagram was still filled with bad coffee pictures and AI was something that existed only in movies, Airbnb was cool. Hosts would leave you small thank you gifts and welcome you to their home in person. The company marketed itself as a way to experience cities authentically, away from the sterile bubbles of hotels. Then, investors realized they could make a lot of money by buying up hundreds of properties and renting them at prices that locals could hardly afford. This is how the majority of Americans (and probably the world) came to hate Airbnb. To find out just how terribly the country thinks of the platform, Anytime Estimate surveyed 1,000 people about their attitudes toward it. The results are sobering.

Almost half (46% ) of those surveyed believe that Airbnbs have a negative impact on the neighborhood. People worry about increased noise, crime, and littering, and believe that having an Airbnb nearby would devalue their houses. The hatred runs so deep that a full 55% of participants said that they would rather live next to their in-laws. Even more surprisingly, 30% would prefer living near an ex than having to deal with tourists constantly coming in and out of nearby houses. Some people (16% of respondents) hate Airbnb so much that they think owners deserve to have their property damaged. Yikes. To make matters worse for the company, travelers are turning away from Airbnbs because of high prices, safety issues, and annoying chore lists.

This growing anti-Airbnb sentiment isn't just happening in the United States. It seems like no one wants the platform in their city. As a response to intense ongoing protests in cities like Barcelona, which have become unlivable because of overtourism, Spain is cracking down on short-term rentals. Similar protests are taking place in Mexico City, where these platforms are contributing to gentrification and unaffordable costs of living. Though Medellin, Colombia hasn't experienced protests (yet), local businesses are having to close down in the upscale neighborhoods tourists flock to and Colombian people can hardly afford to live in these areas anymore. Other popular tourist cities like New York and San Francisco join the list of places where Airbnb has caused more harm than good.

This is exactly why travel experts like Rick Steves are asking people to stop using Airbnbs and other short-term rentals, and instead start giving their money to locally owned bed and breakfasts. Knowing that such a large percent of people would hate to live next to an Airbnb shows that he might be right in his advice. After all, no one wants to make locals feel less safe or uncomfortable in their own homes. If the sentiments revealed in the survey seem a bit extreme, ask yourself whether you'd like your next door neighbor to rent their house on Airbnb. Having a new set of random people storming in every couple of days? No thanks, we'll pass.