Female self-employment is on the rise. Half a million more women are self-employed today than before the pandemic, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 

But which cities are home to the most women’s self-employment?

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According to a new study conducted by ChamberofCommerce.org, Scottsdale ranks 5th in the nation for cities with the most women who work for themselves. 

Nearby, Mesa ranks 26th in the nation. 

The study analyzed U.S. Census Bureau data in 170 of the most populated cities across the country in order to determine which cities have the highest percentage of women who work for themselves within the workforce.  

Here are the highlights for Scottsdale: 

  • Number of employed women: 61,205
  • Number of self-employed women (incorporated businesses): 3,956
  • Number of women who work for themselves (unincorporated businesses): 5,038
  • Median income for self-employed women: $96,965
  • Total number of women who work for themselves: 8,994
  • Percent of self-employed women: 14.7%

Nationwide, 6.2 million women work for themselves, representing about 8.2% of all women in the workforce. 

Overall, the number of females utilizing self-employment has increased by 556,818 since 2019 (pre-pandemic). 

Which cities have the most women who work for themselves?

Nowhere else in the country is self-employment more common for females than in the Miami metropolitan area. According to the Census Bureau, 16.1% of working females living in Miami are self-employed. 

Not only is Miami ranked No. 1 in the nation for self-employed women, but it’s also becoming more common for women in Miami to be self-employed. Overall, the number of self-employed women has increased from 14.5% during the pre-pandemic era to 16.1% today.  

In nearby Hialeah, 15.1% of women work for themselves, while 14.2% of women in Hollywood, Florida, are self-employed. 

Overall, Florida is a hotspot for women who work for themselves, with Fort Lauderdale ranked second on our list, along with St. Petersburg, Florida, ranked 15th and Orlando ranked 24th. 

Elsewhere, several cities within California rank within the top 20, including Los Angeles (No. 7), Huntington Beach (No. 9), Chula Vista (No. 10), Glendale (No. 14), and Palmdale (No. 19). 

Along with Chula Vista, two other cities within San Diego County made the top 25, including Escondido (No. 21) and the city of San Diego (No. 23).