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Senior citizens earn thousands by sharing their homes, says Airbnb

Senior citizens across the U.S. are earning an extra $7,000 per year on average by opening up their homes on Airbnb.

Thousands of senior citizens across the United States are finding a profitable side hustle --- opening up their homes to strangers on Airbnb.

Nearly 78,000 seniors (ages 60 and up) across the U.S. shared their homes on Airbnb in 2017 -- accounting for $700 million in earnings, the company reports.

The typical host earned an extra $7,000 in income a year -- a positive boost for people living on fixed incomes.

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Airbnb is a website that allows people to open up their homes for vacation rentals or short-term leasing. There are over 5 million homes listed on Airbnb in over 81,000 cities.

According to Airbnb's annual survey, 41 percent of seniors reported that hosting their home has helped them afford to stay in their homes -- places they've often lived most of their lives.

Airbnb states that 45 percent of senior hosts rely on that extra income to make ends meet and spend it on important costs of living.

Senior hosts are beloved on Airbnb, the company said.

88 percent of trips hosted by seniors last year resulted in 5-star reviews.

Percentage of active listings with senior Airbnb hosts 

New Mexico 34%
Maine 32%
Vermont 28%
Hawaii 26%
Delaware 26%

Typical host earnings for seniors by state 

Hawaii $14,000
California $11,700
Washington, D.C. $10,500
Washington $8,700
Rhode Island $8,500

Percentage of senior host reviews with 5-stars 

Nebraska 93%
North Dakota 93%
Kansas 93%
South Dakota 92%
Indiana 91%