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While popular beach towns<\/a> and mountain getaways<\/a> usually dominate short-term rental rankings<\/a>, elevated mortgage rates<\/a> are shifting the focus to smaller, under-the-radar destinations that offer budget-conscious investors a chance to break into the market without breaking the bank.<\/p>\n AirDNA<\/a>, a firm that compiles and analyzes Vrbo and Airbnb data, on Monday releases its report on the Realtor.com\u00ae<\/a> shine a spotlight on 17 locations\u2014nearly all clustered in the Midwest or the South\u2014that are relatively affordable, but offer a high profit potential.<\/p>\n Topping the list of lesser-known short-term rental (STR) hot spots is Rockford, IL<\/a>, a familiar name to Realtor.com readers after clinching the No. 1 spot in the Realtor.com August 2026 Hottest Housing Markets ranking<\/a>, propelled by high buyer demand and fast market pace.<\/p>\n