These 10 tourist destinations have one-third of Maine’s Airbnb units

These 10 tourist destinations have one-third of Maine’s Airbnb units

More than a third of Airbnb units in Maine are concentrated in just 10 tourism communities, according to an analysis of data from Airbnb tracker AirDNA.

Portland led the list with 680 active listings, followed by York, Wells, Newry, Bar Harbor, Old Orchard Beach, Rangeley, Bethel, Kingfield and Ellsworth. The 10 towns make up 3,500 of Maine’s nearly 10,000 active Airbnb listings, defined as those that have been either booked or available for at least one day in the past month.

The numbers showcase how Airbnbs have gained ground from hotels and other lodgings in popular tourist towns to the potential risk of local renters. Studies over the past few years show a clear trend of short-term rentals like Airbnb decreasing the supply of long-term rentals and likely raising costs of renting and buying.

The top listings are a combination of popular tourist destinations along Maine’s coast in the Portland metro and Bar Harbor areas, as well as lodging for people traveling to the state’s recreation hotspots.

As Maine inches closer to a summer that could be its busiest ever for short-term rentals, the numbers also provide a preview of the spots that will likely see the largest influx of tourists, busying local roads but also generating significant revenue for businesses.

These 10 tourist destinations have one-third of Maine’s Airbnb units