Rutherfordton & Forest City, Hickory Airbnb revenue and occupancy data
What Airbnb listings in Rutherfordton & Forest City earn, how often they're booked, and how that compares with the rest of Hickory, NC.
Over the past 12 months, regularly available listings in Rutherfordton & Forest City earned $23,189 on average, were booked for 46% of the nights they were open, and averaged $235 a night. The median gross yield, before expenses, is 11.7%.
Yearly revenue
$23,189
Occupancy
46%
Nightly rate
$235
Gross yield
11.7%
before expenses
Median of 97 listings
Active listings
115
My take on Rutherfordton & Forest City
In Rutherfordton & Forest City, two-bedroom listings averaged $19,624 in trailing-year booking revenue, compared with $26,068 for the same bedroom group across Hickory, NC. Their median potential gross yield was 12.7%, compared with 9.5% in the wider market.
Lower booking revenue does not settle the purchase decision when potential yield points the other way. That yield uses annual room-revenue potential, not the trailing-year revenue average, and is before expenses, financing and taxes. For a two-bedroom purchase, test whether the specific property's price and comparable rental revenue support the same yield advantage.
Commentary uses groups of at least 20 listings. Tables may include smaller groups.
How much do Airbnb hosts make in Rutherfordton & Forest City?
Regularly available Airbnb listings in Rutherfordton & Forest City earned an average of $23,189 over the past 12 months. That is 29% less than the Hickory, NC average of $32,794. That is booking revenue including cleaning fees, before Airbnb fees, operating costs and taxes.
What is the Airbnb occupancy rate in Rutherfordton & Forest City?
Listings in Rutherfordton & Forest City were booked for an average of 46% of the nights they were open for booking over the past 12 months. That is 2 points lower than the Hickory, NC average of 48%. Nights a host blocked off don't count.
How much does an Airbnb cost per night in Rutherfordton & Forest City?
The average nightly rate in Rutherfordton & Forest City was $235 over the past 12 months, including cleaning fees. That is 27% lower than the Hickory, NC average of $320.
Is an Airbnb in Rutherfordton & Forest City profitable?
For homes with a matched home value, the median room-revenue potential in Rutherfordton & Forest City is $26,911 a year and the median gross yield is 11.7%. Gross yield is 2.6 points higher than the Hickory, NC median. Gross yield is measured before expenses, financing and taxes, so profit depends on what you pay for a home and what it costs to run. Analyze the exact property before you buy.
Reveal any property's Airbnb profitabilityHow much do Airbnb hosts make in Rutherfordton & Forest City by bedroom count?
Two-bedroom homes have the highest gross yield in Rutherfordton & Forest City, at 12.7%. The table shows average yearly revenue and median gross yield for each home size, with the Hickory, NC figure for the same size under each one.
| Bedrooms | Yearly revenue | Gross yield |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom 20 listings | $17,027 Hickory, NC: $22,798 | 10.1% Hickory, NC: 11.1% |
| 2 bedrooms 36 listings | $19,624 Hickory, NC: $26,068 | 12.7% Hickory, NC: 9.5% |
| 3 bedrooms 33 listings | $24,926 Hickory, NC: $32,056 | 11.9% Hickory, NC: 8.4% |
| 4+ bedrooms 24 listings | $32,132 Hickory, NC: $53,648 | 8.1% Hickory, NC: 7.7% |
How does Rutherfordton & Forest City compare with nearby areas?
Every row uses the same method and data date. Nearby areas link to their own pages.
| Area | Yearly revenue | Occupancy | Nightly rate | Gross yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutherfordton & Forest City This area 115 listings | $23,189 | 46% | $235 | 11.7% |
| Hickory, NC market 10,314 listings | $32,794 | 48% | $320 | 9.1% |
| Nebo & Lake James 72 listings | $42,591 | 48% | $469 | 7.9% |
| Shelby & Kings Mountain 40 listings | $18,479 | 49% | $198 | 10.4% |
| Mill Spring 47 listings | $35,055 | 52% | $375 | 8.0% |
| Lake Lure & Chimney Rock 355 listings | $31,696 | 47% | $328 | 8.5% |
Where is Rutherfordton & Forest City?
The Hickory, NC market includes 49 areas based on local neighborhood and city boundaries. Each listing is counted in the area containing it. Figures cover Rutherfordton and Forest City together.
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About these figures
How is yearly revenue measured?
It is the average booking revenue a regularly available listing earned over the past 12 months, including cleaning fees and before Airbnb fees, operating costs and taxes. It is an estimate, not verified host payouts.
How is occupancy measured?
For each listing, BNBCalc divides the nights booked by the nights it was open for booking over the past 12 months, then averages the results. Nights a host blocked off are left out.
How is the nightly rate measured?
It is the average price per booked night over the past 12 months, including cleaning fees.
What is room-revenue potential?
It estimates what a listing would earn in a year from its nightly rates if it were available all year at its expected occupancy, based on its last 12 months of bookings. It excludes cleaning fees. It is an estimate, not income a host received.
What is gross yield?
For each listing, BNBCalc divides its room-revenue potential by an estimated value for a home with the same ZIP code and bedroom count, then reports the median. It is measured before expenses, financing and taxes, so it is not profit or a full return on investment.
Which listings are included?
Yearly revenue, occupancy and nightly rate cover listings of every type and size that were open for booking at least 127 nights over the past year (115 in Rutherfordton & Forest City). Room-revenue potential and gross yield cover entire homes with one to five bedrooms that were also booked for at least 30% of their open nights and have a matched home value. BNBCalc shows no figure for an area with fewer than 5 qualifying listings.
How current is this data?
Figures are current as of November 3, 2026 and refresh monthly.
Why are these figures different from the Hickory, NC market page?
The market page summarizes all of Hickory, NC from a separate monthly market dataset. This page averages the individual listings in each area, so the two can differ. Use this page to compare areas with each other.
What can't these figures tell me?
They don't include operating costs, financing, taxes, insurance or the price of a specific home, and they don't show whether short-term rentals are allowed. Check local rules and analyze the exact property before you buy.
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Go deeper on Rutherfordton & Forest City
With BNBCalc Markets, compare Rutherfordton & Forest City by bedroom count and performance level, see home prices, and browse its listings on the map.