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Recent Data Study Reveals Most Popular Side Hustle in Every U.S. State
39% of Americans are currently working a side hustle in addition to their full-time job to pay their bills. Younger generations are even more likely to have one – 53% of Gen Z and 50% of millennials have a side hustle.
Dec. 13, 2023
By Mark Webster.
In 2023, the pursuit of side hustles reached an all-time high over the past two decades, as revealed by a recent study from Authority Hacker. This surge can be attributed to several factors: inflation has gone up, but the average American’s wages have stayed the same for decades. On top of that, 49% of adults have less savings compared to a year ago, and 22% have no emergency savings at all, according to Bankrate’s 2023 Emergency Savings Report.
In fact, 39% of Americans are currently working a side hustle in addition to their full-time job to pay their bills. Younger generations are even more likely to have one – 53% of Gen Z and 50% of millennials have a side hustle.
Authority Hacker compiled and analyzed data from sites like Google Trends, Indeed, Zip Recruiter, and other relevant sources in all 50 U.S. states to identify the most popular side hustle in each state.
You can see the results on this interactive map: https://www.authorityhacker.com/side-hustles/
The study also reveals that the most popular side hustle in America is being a virtual assistant, indicating the popularity of work-from-home jobs.
States with the highest level of interest in side hustle jobs in 2023 are Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah – which could mean that the western U.S. is feeling the economic impact the most.
States with the least interest in finding a side hustle are Florida, Vermont, and Maine – all of which are on the East Coast.
States in the northeast – including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire – overwhelmingly prefer babysitting as a side hustle.
Southern states overwhelmingly favor virtual assistants and DoorDash side hustles.
Notably, some side hustles can be surprisingly lucrative. Examples include an Oregon teacher who makes over $10,000 per month selling classroom worksheets, a college student who turned a dorm room side hustle into a $56 million business, and a 30-year-old who makes $22,000 a month working only two hours a day.
According to data gathered from popular job websites, the most profitable side hustles this year are:
- DoorDash with $5,021 average monthly pay
- Virtual Assistant with $5,285 average monthly pay
- Online Tutoring with $3,259 average monthly pay
It’s important to remember that these are gross income rates, and don’t account for expenses or other factors. For example, DoorDash and Uber drivers have to pay for gas, car maintenance, and similar expenses.
These findings not only shed light on current economic realities but also reveal deeper social dynamics within the United States.
“Times are changing, and so are the ways we make extra money,” says Mark Webster from Authority Hacker. “Right now, everyone’s looking for side hustle, and it’s not just about earning some extra cash. Finding what works best in your state is important, because what’s big in Texas might not work in Maine. This study can help you figure out which side hustles are worth your time and can really add to your wallet. It’s all about smart choices, not just hard work.”