2.5% of Tri-Cities housing stock second homes, airbnb rentals

By DON FENLEY

They’re a housing element all-unto themselves that often gets little attention in the broader conversation about housing in the Tri-Cities region. According to Census and web services counts there are a little over 5,000 second homes and almost 3,000 airbnbs in the region. That’s about 2.5% of the region’s total housing stock.

The most reliable number is the Census count of second homes. It’s a count that will be updated next month.

Census typically counts these homes as vacant because they are for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use across the nine-county Tri-Cities region.

The county with largest share – but not the largest number – is Johnson. The county with the second highest share is Scott Co. VA.

Here’s a county count with the number of second homes and their share of their county’s total housing…