New research from Plasma One, a stablecoin neobank, has named Phoenix the No. 15 best city in America for side hustles. The study comes as more Americans look for ways to boost their income, with U.S. Google searches for “freelance side hustle” surging 256% over the past three months. Arizona also ranks No. 16 nationwide for side hustle popularity, with Phoenix leading the state as its top metro area for freelancers.
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Top Cities for Side Hustles in America
Rank | Top Metro Area | Freelancers per 100,000 Residents in Metro Area | State Side Hustle Rank | Most Popular Side Hustle | Side Hustle Search Interest Score (/100) |
| 1 | Miami, FL | 21,422 | 5 | Delivery/courier work | 69.19 |
| 2 | Atlanta, GA | 11,876 | 9 | Rideshare/taxi driving | 97.95 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | 11,300 | 11 | Rideshare/taxi driving | 64.95 |
| 4 | New York City, NY | 10,983 | 3 | Rideshare/taxi driving | 75.88 |
| 5 | Nashville, TN | 10,681 | 10 | Rideshare/taxi driving | 114.31 |
| 6 | Dallas, TX | 10,336 | 1 | House cleaning | 78.37 |
| 7 | Denver, CO | 10,302 | 2 | Delivery/courier work | 125.00 |
| 8 | Washington, D.C. | 10,261 | 18 | Delivery/courier work | 97.19 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | 9,714 | 4 | House cleaning | 89.20 |
| 10 | Boston, MA | 9,194 | 12 | Freelance artists/writers/performers/creators | 100.28 |
| 11 | Detroit, MI | 9,190 | 8 | Rideshare/taxi driving | 96.00 |
| 12 | Baltimore, MD | 9,043 | 6 | Rideshare/taxi driving | 100.16 |
| 13 | Charlotte, NC | 8,840 | 15 | Delivery/courier work | 90.90 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | 8,625 | 13 | Delivery/courier work | 99.41 |
| 15 | Phoenix, AZ | 8,234 | 16 | Delivery/courier work | 115.00 |
| 16 | Philadelphia, PA | 8,215 | 17 | Delivery/courier work | 95.38 |
| 17 | Trenton, NJ | 8,214 | 7 | Rideshare/taxi driving | 90.84 |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | 8,133 | 20 | Delivery/courier work | 139.13 |
| 19 | St. Louis, MO | 7,811 | 14 | Delivery/courier work | 148.06 |
| 20 | Seattle, WA | 7,408 | 19 | Delivery/courier work | 92.00 |
Phoenix ranks No. 15 for side hustlers nationwide
Phoenix ranks No. 15 nationally, with 8,234 freelancers per 100,000 residents in the metro area, making it one of America’s leading cities for side hustles. Arizona also ranks No. 16 nationwide for side hustle popularity, while delivery/courier work emerged as the state’s most popular side hustle category. The state also recorded a side hustle search interest score of 115.00, highlighting particularly strong interest in flexible ways to earn extra income.
Methodology
To identify where side hustles are most popular in the U.S., we analyzed U.S. Census Bureau Nonemployer Statistics across the 20 states with the highest number of nonemployer establishments, using these businesses as a proxy for freelancers, independent contractors, sole proprietors, and gig workers. We examined 20 common side hustle categories, matching each to the closest available NAICS industry classification, and calculated the number of establishments per 100,000 residents using 2025 U.S. Census population estimates. The most popular side hustle in each state was determined by the highest population-adjusted establishment rate. We also analyzed state-level search interest for supplemental income using monthly search volumes for terms related to side hustles and earning extra money, adjusted per 100,000 residents. To identify the top metro area in each state, we ranked metropolitan and micropolitan areas based on their number of nonemployer establishments per 100,000 residents.
