In 2023, 39% of Americans reported having a side hustle, up from 36% in 2021 as inflation pushed more people to earn extra. The average side hustler brought in $1,122 per month, while the top 10% exceeded $5,000. This snapshot of earnings and participation shows how supplemental work is becoming a predictable part of many income plans.
Key Takeaways
- The average side hustler earns $1,122 per month in 2023, with top 10% exceeding $5,000
- Ridesharing is the top side hustle at 24% of all side gigs in 2024
- Side hustle market projected to grow 20% annually to $455B by 2025
- In 2023, 39% of Americans reported having a side hustle, up from 36% in 2021, primarily driven by inflation pressures
- 36% of side hustlers are aged 25-34, the largest demographic group
Side hustles are growing fast, driven by people seeking extra income and greater flexibility.
Related reading
01 · Category
Average Earnings27 stats
01
The average side hustler earns $1,122per month in 2023, with top 10% exceeding $5,000
02
Freelance writers on Upwork average $28/hour for side hustle gigs in 2024
03
Rideshare drivers earn $15-25/hour net after expenses as side hustle, 2023 Gridwise report
04
Online tutors make $20-50/hour on platforms like VIPKid for side income
05
Etsy sellers average $1,800/month in side hustle profits after fees, 2024 data
06
Pet sitters via Rover earn $300-500/month part-time, per 2023 Rover report
07
Dropshippers on Shopify report $1,000-3,000/month average side income
08
Food delivery drivers (DoorDash) net $18/hour including tips, 2024 study
09
Virtual assistants charge $15-40/hour on Fiverr for side gigs
10
Stock photographers earn $500-2,000/month passively via Shutterstock
11
Handymen on TaskRabbit average $45/hour for side hustle jobs
12
Affiliate marketers generate $1,500/month average after 6 months
13
YouTube side hustlers monetize at $3-5 per 1,000 views, averaging $800/month
14
Airbnb hosts earn $14,000/year average for spare room side hustle
15
Resellers on eBay make $700/month flipping items part-time
16
Podcast sponsors pay $18-50 CPM for side hustle creators
17
Car wrap advertisers earn $300-500/month passively
18
Mystery shoppers average $150per assignment via IntelliShop
19
Transcriptionists earn $15-22/hour on Rev for side work
20
Social media managers charge $500-2,000/month retainer part-time
21
Print-on-demand sellers net $1,200/month via Printful averages
22
Fitness coaches online earn $50/session via apps like Trainerize
23
Voiceover artists make $100-400 per gig on Voices.com side hustle
24
Domain flippers profit $2,000-10,000 per sale annually part-time
25
Survey takers earn $50-200/month via Swagbucks consistently
26
Bloggers monetize at $1,000/month after 1 year via ads/affiliates
27
Event planners freelance at $50/hour for weddings part-time
Interpretation
Average Earnings Interpretation
Under the Average Earnings category, most side hustles tend to cluster around meaningful but varied income levels, with the typical side hustler at $1,122 per month in 2023 and many specific gigs ranging from about $15 to $25 an hour for rideshare drivers to $1,800 per month in Etsy profits.
02 · Category
Common Side Hustles25 stats
01
Ridesharing is the top side hustle at 24% of all side gigs in 2024
02
Freelance services account for 28% of side hustles, led by graphic design
03
Online selling (Etsy/eBay) makes up 18% of side hustle activities
04
Delivery driving (DoorDash/UberEats) is pursued by 22% of side hustlers
05
Tutoring/Teaching online represents 12% of side gigs globally
06
Pet care services (walking/sitting) comprise 15% of local side hustles
07
Content creation (YouTube/TikTok) is 10% and growing fastest at 30% YoY
08
Handyman/Repair services account for 11% of blue-collar side work
09
Virtual assistance holds 9% share in remote side hustles
10
Affiliate marketing is 7% of digital side hustles with high scalability
11
Photography/videography gigs make 8% of creative side hustles
12
Event staffing (bartending) is 6% seasonal side hustle choice
13
Dropshipping/e-commerce startups are 13% of entrepreneurial sides
14
Fitness training personal sessions account for 5% health side gigs
15
Writing/blogging freelancing is 14% for skilled writers
16
Car rental via Turo represents 4% passive vehicle side hustles
17
Survey/microtasks (MTurk) are 3% low-barrier entry sides
18
Crafts/DIY selling on marketplaces is 16% female-dominated
19
Music lessons private tutoring 5% arts side hustle niche
20
Real estate wholesaling emerging at 2% high-profit sides
21
House cleaning services 9% local service side gigs
22
App/web development freelance 11% tech side hustles
23
Voice acting for ads/games 1% specialized audio side
24
Plant care/sitting niche growing to 3% urban sides
25
Gaming streaming monetization 4% Gen Z sides
Interpretation
Common Side Hustles Interpretation
Among common side hustles in 2024, freelance services take the lead at 28% while ridesharing closely follows at 24%, showing that practical service-based work dominates the overall side-gig landscape.
03 · Category
Market Trends23 stats
01
Side hustle market projected to grow 20% annually to $455B by 2025
02
Gig economy platforms saw 15% user growth in 2023 to 100M active
03
AI tools boosted side hustle efficiency by 30% for freelancers in 2024
04
Remote side hustles increased 25% post-2020 to 60% of total gigs
05
Passive income side hustles grew 35% with digital products in 2023
06
Inflation drove 22% rise in side hustle searches on Google in 2023
07
Subscription box side businesses up 18% to $10B market in 2024
08
NFT/crypto side trading peaked then stabilized at 5% participation
09
Sustainability-focused side hustles like upcycling grew 28% in 2023
10
Short-form video monetization (TikTok) surged 40% earnings potential
11
No-code platforms enabled 50% more non-tech side hustles in 2024
12
Local service apps like Nextdoor boosted neighborhood gigs by 12%
13
E-learning side courses on Udemy generated $500M creator revenue 2023
14
EV charging station hosting as side hustle emerging with 10% adoption
15
Personalized print-on-demand customized 22% market share growth
16
Web3 freelance gigs up 30% with blockchain tools in 2024
17
Mental health coaching side hustles rose 25% post-pandemic
18
Reskilling platforms like Coursera fueled 18% side career shifts
19
Zero-waste product sides grew 15% amid eco-trends 2023
20
Voice AI assistants created new 8% niche for side developers
21
Side hustle failure rate 20% in first year due to saturation
22
Multi-hustle trend: 27% run 2+ gigs averaging 22 hours/week
23
Global freelance market hit $1.57T in 2023, 50% side hustle driven
Interpretation
Market Trends Interpretation
Under Market Trends, the side hustle landscape is accelerating fast as it’s projected to grow 20% annually to $455B by 2025, while remote gigs now make up 60% of total gigs and Google searches rose 22% in 2023 amid inflation.
More related reading
04 · Category
Popularity/prevalence30 stats
01
In 2023, 39% of Americans reported having a side hustle, up from 36% in 2021, primarily driven by inflation pressures
02
Approximately 45 million Americans engage in side hustles, representing about 36% of the working population as of 2024
03
44% of Gen Z workers have a side hustle compared to 36% overall, with many starting before age 18
04
Side hustle participation rose to 41% among full-time employees in 2023 from 34% pre-pandemic
05
1 in 3 working Americans has a side gig, earning an average supplemental income of $891per month
06
49% of side hustlers started their gig within the last two years as of 2024 surveys
07
In the UK, 4.6 million people had a side hustle in 2023, equating to 14% of the workforce
08
62% of Americans considered starting a side hustle in 2023 due to economic uncertainty
09
Side hustles are pursued by 51% of freelancers globally according to 2024 Upwork data
10
28% of side hustlers report it as their primary income source unexpectedly in 2023
11
Post-pandemic, side hustle engagement increased by 15% among millennials to 48% participation rate
12
In Canada, 24% of workers have side gigs, with numbers rising 8% since 2020
13
35% of U.S. adults under 30 have multiple side hustles averaging 12 hours weekly
14
Global side hustle market participants reached 1.4 billion in 2023, per World Bank estimates
15
40% of Uber drivers in the US rely on it as a side hustle exclusively, 2024 data
16
Side hustle apps saw 25% download increase in 2023, with TaskRabbit leading
17
33% of parents with young children engage in side hustles for extra family income
18
In Australia, 27% of full-time workers have side income streams as of 2024
19
47% of recent college graduates start side hustles within first year post-graduation
20
Side hustling among retirees grew 20% to 22% participation in 2023
21
55% of side hustlers dedicate 10-20 hours weekly, per 2024 Bankrate survey
22
In India, 15% of urban professionals have side hustles, up 10% YoY in 2023
23
42% of U.S. teachers have side hustles due to low salaries, 2023 NEA report
24
Gig economy side hustles account for 36% of U.S. workforce participation indirectly
25
31% of healthcare workers turned to side hustles post-COVID for stability
26
Side hustle prevalence in Europe averages 18%, highest in Spain at 25%, 2024 Eurostat
27
38% of Americans plan to start a side hustle in 2024 per Gallup poll
28
Among blue-collar workers, 29% have side hustles, often in trades, 2023 data
29
Side hustles spiked 18% among single parents to 52% in 2023
30
45% of corporate employees moonlight with side gigs undetected, 2024 SHRM survey
Interpretation
Popularity/prevalence Interpretation
Side hustle participation keeps climbing across the country, with 39% of Americans reporting one in 2023 up from 36% in 2021, showing that this form of popularity or prevalence has become steadily more common especially among younger and full-time workers.
05 · Category
User Demographics25 stats
01
36% of side hustlers are aged 25-34, the largest demographic group
02
Women represent 57% of side hustlers in the U.S. as of 2024 surveys
03
48% of Gen Z (18-24) have side hustles, highest among generations
04
Urban dwellers are 1.8x more likely to have side hustles than rural, 2023 data
05
College-educated individuals comprise 62% of side hustlers vs 38% non-college
06
Single individuals without kids have 29% side hustle rate, lower than parents at 45%
07
African Americans participate in side hustles at 45% rate, higher than average
08
52% of side hustlers have household incomes under $50,000 annually
09
Millennials (25-40) account for 44% of all side hustle activity in 2024
10
28% of side hustlers are parents aged 30-49 seeking family support
11
Hispanic workers engage in side hustles at 41% rate, driven by entrepreneurship
12
35% of side hustlers are full-time professionals in tech/white-collar jobs
13
Boomers (55+) represent 19% of side hustlers, up from 12% in 2019
14
61% of female side hustlers are in creative fields like crafting/content
15
Low-income earners (<$30k) have 55% side hustle participation rate
16
40% of side hustlers are married with dual incomes supplementing
17
Students comprise 22% of side hustlers, averaging 15 hours/week
18
47% of male side hustlers focus on gig economy driving/delivery
19
Retirees aged 65+ make up 15% with passive side income streams
20
33% of side hustlers live in the South U.S., highest regional share
21
Entrepreneurs under 25 are 2x more likely to have side hustles at 60%
22
39% of side hustlers have bachelor's degrees, 25% advanced degrees
23
Blue-collar workers aged 35-54 represent 26% of side hustlers
24
51% of side hustlers are women in suburban areas
25
Gig apps like Uber are used by 65% of 18-29 year old side hustlers
Interpretation
User Demographics Interpretation
User demographics show that side hustle participation skews toward younger adults and higher education, with 36% of side hustlers aged 25 to 34 and 62% being college educated, while women make up 57% and Gen Z leads participation at 48%.
report visual · Breakdown
What side hustles people choose
Ridesharing is the most common side hustle, while delivery driving and other categories follow.
35%
Passive income side hustles grew 35% with digital products in 2023
65%
Gig apps like Uber are used by 65% of 18-29 year old side hustlers
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
James Okoro. (2026, February 13). Side Hustle Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/side-hustle-statistics
MLA
James Okoro. "Side Hustle Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/side-hustle-statistics.
Chicago
James Okoro. 2026. "Side Hustle Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/side-hustle-statistics.
Sources & references
67 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
shopify.com