Interesting article by WTIP this week about the increase in vacation rentals:
https://wtip.org/county-data-examines-dispersal-of-vacation-rentals-and-increase-over-past-two-years/

In the article, Andrew Beavers, the Vacation Rental Administrator and Compliance Officer for Cook County Land Services has an interesting quote: “Our main industry here is tourism, and the reason tourists want to come here is because there’s, it’s absolutely beautiful, and there’s all sorts of fun things to do, and they get to escape. And that’s the same thing that I believe, drives the real estate market for second homes, which far out match the the vacation rental homes in the county,”.

He offers no numbers to back up just how many homes in the county are second homes.

I've developed my own short term anecdotal evidence since moving to the mid-Gunflint trail area this summer, I've gotten to know quite a few of my year-round neighbors, and have been astonished at how many homes in the mid-Gunflint area are owned by people in the twin cities or Wisconsin, and how many of these homes sit empty most weekends of the summer and fall.

AirBnbs and VRBOs are commonly ranted against when discussing the housing shortage, but I'd be curious to know just how many homes in Cook County are second homes.

Being further south-like Brainerd all my life,I am amazed at all the second homes(lake homes). They are not small ma and pa cabins anymore. Its nothing to bull doze down a $400,000 home and build a million dollar home. Not much open lake shore left.
There is so much money out there and people will be from all over the country.
I see some lake homes by after the 4th of July these houses they will pull the dock in already-its just for aa month or two a year. Also none of them put there own dock in anymore or service their boats.
I think at least up the Gunflint people still trying to keep it a little more fitting in with nature.

Taxes

Marshall Helmberger
REGIONAL— Like many St. Louis County property owners, Sue Larson recently opened her truth-in-taxation statement for next year’s property taxes. The statements haven’t been bringing good news, with most units of government instituting hefty, proposed increases in their 2026 levies.
But the news for Larson was particularly disturbing. Her statement showed her taxes on her small, rustic island cabin on Lake Vermilion would increase by $903, a whopping 36.5-percent increase over last year’s tax bill of $2,471.
It turns out Larson wasn’t alone. Her neighbors, Mike and Lori Ptak, have seen their proposed property tax for their nearby water access cabin jump by $1,777 for next year, from $3,589 to $5,366. Mike Ptak said he understands the need for taxes and doesn’t mind paying his fair share but questioned what amounts to a 49.5 percent increase in just one year. He said there were no improvements that could have accounted for the increase, although county records show the completion of an eight-by-three-foot woodshed in 2024, which would likely make little difference in the property’s overall valuation.
The hefty tax increases are the result of a combination of factors, including sharp increases in property valuations on some lake parcels along with heftier-than-usual increases in 2026 tax levies by both Greenwood Township and St. Louis County.
For Larson, the county portion of her tax statement jumped a whopping $625, or 34 percent, to a total of $2,441. Her township levy went from $111 last year to $249 in 2026, a percentage increase of 124 percent. A relatively modest increase in her school tax made up the difference.
For the Ptaks, the county portion of their tax bill is slated to jump from $2,598 in 2025, to $3,760 next year. Their township portion will jump from $159 to $383.
Those increases were fueled by the county board’s decision to adopt a proposed 2026 levy increase of 12.4 percent. The county board could still opt to reduce that increase when it sets its final 2026 tax levy later this month, which could potentially drop tax bills modestly.

When I was in Ireland a friend who lives near the Cliffs of Moher told me that in order to buy property there, you needed to provide extensive proof of residency. She said you basically have to prove that you grew up there. Apparently the AirBNB purchases was becoming a big problem.

Does Cook County have the ability to download all tax listing - you could look at property address vs tax address to figure out what % are second homes, cabins, or str.

It’s not in Cook County’s 2026 budget, but I would be interested to know what % of the tax levy is generated from “second” homes. I would suspect it’s substantial and lowers the property tax obligations of all other taxable parcels.

Blatz: "When I was in Ireland a friend who lives near the Cliffs of Moher told me that in order to buy property there, you needed to provided extensive proof of residency. She said you basically have to prove that grew up there. Apparently the AirBNB purchases was becoming a big problem. "

I found lots of sources that disputes your friend’s claim, I could not find one that supports it.

I think there are a lot of second homes in Cook County. I still see that as the overwhelming preferred option if it is an either or option between AirBnB and second homes. Picturing how lakes and traffic would look like 4th of July weekend every day from May through Labor day and leaf peepers in Sep/Oct, it would undoubtably change the feel of the area completely in ways I wouldn't want to see.

Maybe that is the future, I guess it probably is. Efficient, maybe, except for septic systems and water quality perhaps.