The modern workforce sees side hustles as a way to not only earn income, but also to pursue their interests, expand their horizons, and to discover a whole new career path.
Whether you’re a tech guru, creative whiz, or a service-oriented person, there’s a side hustle just waiting for you to find it.
In this resource, we discuss side hustle statistics that reveal fascinating figures and data for you to consider.
Key Statistics
- 45% of Americans engage in side hustles.
- 43% of side hustlers do this because they want to.
- 53% of those 18 to 26 years old work side hustles.
- 42% of Gen Z and 39% of Millennials work side hustles in the United Kingdom.
- Australia’s population has the most interest in side hustles.
- In Asia, Japan is the country with the highest interest in working side hustles.
- 28% of the Canadian population works side hustles.
- Nearly 60% of American side hustlers spend between 5 and 20 hours on side hustles.
- The United States side hustle industry is worth more than $2.58 trillion.
- The global gig economy market was valued at over $413 billion in 2022.
Top Side Hustle Statistics in 2025
1. 45% of Americans Engage in Side Hustles.
As of 2023, 45% of people in the United States have side hustles.
Men are more apt to have side hustles than women.
Also, younger people aged 18 to 34 are more apt to engage in the side hustle, or gig economy.
(Zippia)
2. 43% of Side Hustlers Do This Because They Want To.
People working side hustles aren’t always doing it to earn extra income.
Data shows that 43% of those engaging is side hustles are doing it because they want to.
Many of these people working side hustles already have full-time jobs and 34% of them say they use that extra money as disposable income.
(Luisa Zhou)
3. 53% of Those 18 to 26 Years Old Work Side Hustles.
The Gen Z generation accounts for 53% of those with side hustles in the United States.
The age range is between 18 and 26.
Moreover, 50% of the Millennial crowd have side hustles which includes those aged 27 to 42.
(Bankrate)
4. 42% of Gen Z and 39% of Millennials Work Side Hustles in The United Kingdom.
In the United Kingdom, the side hustle industry is booming with 42% of Gen Z and 39% of Millennials saying they work side hustles.
It shouldn’t come as any surprise that side hustles are affecting the world since high inflation is currently impacting the globe.
(Side Hustle Nation)
5. Australia’s Population Has the Most Interest in Side Hustles.
Statistics show that over the past year, Australians have shown the most interest in working side hustles.
The most interest in side hustles in Australia is for Uber driving, app developing, and small business ownership.
(Adobe)
6. in Asia, Japan Is the Country with The Highest Interest in Working Side Hustles.
Japan shows the highest interest in the Asia Pacific region in side hustles.
The side hustles they are most interested in include being a small business owner, a TikTok Shop seller, and a pet groomer.
(Adobe)
7. 28% of The Canadian Population Works Side Hustles.
Global statistics about side hustles reveal that 28% of Canadians work side hustles.
Among this 28%, 35% are Gen Z aged.
In Canada driving for Uber is the number one side hustle.
Amazon selling and being a YouTube influencer are the second and third side hustles in Canada.
(Adobe, Side Hustle Nation)
8. Nearly 60% of American Side Hustlers Spend Between 5 and 20 Hours on Side Hustles.
Statistics show that 59.7% (nearly 60%) of Americans working side hustles work 5 to 20 hours per week on their side hustle.
How many hours they work is often impacted by whether they have a job (full-time or part-time) already or not.
Also, 46.1% of these side hustlers work fewer than 10 hours a week and 46.8 work over 11 hours per week.
(Zippia)
9. the United States Gig Market Industry Is Worth More than $2.58 Trillion.
The United States side hustle market alone is valued at more than $2.58 trillion (USD).
Moreover, an estimated 83 million people in America will be working side hustles by 2027.
For reference, 57 million Americans work side hustles in 2023.
The side hustle market is also referred to as the “Gig Market”. This includes freelancing, driving, and any other side job.
(Market Research Blog, USA Today)
10. The Global Gig Economy Market Was Valued at Over $413 Billion in 2022.
Statistics from 2022 show that the total global gig economy market size was valued at over $413 billion.
It’s expected to have a CAGR of 14.22% between 2022 and 2028 to achieve over $918 billion (USD) by 2028.
(GlobeNewswire)
11. 44% of Individuals Working Side Hustles Believe They Will Always Need It.
A significant percentage of people who work side hustles believe that they will always need it.
Therefore, many people who are taking on side hustles, or gigs, are in it for the long haul.
Many workers are underpaid which prompts them to take side hustles even though others do it for fun.
Inflation is also a driving force behind the side hustle revolution all over the world.
(CNBC)
12. 5.4% of Provo-Orem, Utah, USA Residents Have Side Hustles.
In terms of American locations, Provo-Orem, Utah, USA has 5.4% of its state population working side hustles.
The median income for Utah side hustlers accounts for $9,000 per year.
Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA accounts for 3.9% of its residents having side hustles and their median annual income is $10,000.
(Millennial Money)
13. 39% of Americans Believe that Having a Side Gig/hustle Will Become the Norm.
The percentage of Americans who believe having a side hustle will become the norm is 39% according to one survey.
Due to the growth in side hustles or second jobs all over the world today, many global citizens likely feel the same way about it.
(Incfile)
14. 31.3% of people with side hustles use their money to pay for living expenses.
We know that some people use side hustle as their primary source of income and some (35.4%) use their extra funds as disposable income, but what about those who need it to live?
Data shows that 31.3% of people with a side hustle need the money to pay for their living expenses.
Another 28.1% put that spare money in savings.
(Zippia)
15. 55% of Individuals in A Survey Said They Want to Turn Their Hobby Into Side Income Someday.
In a Vistaprint survey of people in the United States, 55% said they wanted to turn their hobby into a side hustle someday.
So, singers, writers, crafters, marketers, and other creative people want to turn that passion into side income.
Do you have a creative side that can be turned into side money?
(Luisa Zhou)
16. In 2019, Millions of British Citizens Were Using Side Hustles to Increase Their Income.
A U.K. study by Vistaprint in 2019 revealed that millions of Brits said they chose to increase their income via side hustles.
In fact, the study revealed that these side hustle workers were earning an average of £6,600 per year through side hustles.
Moreover, 15% of these British side hustlers made £12,000 per year with their side hustle.
(Vistaprint 2019)
17. 61% of People in The Survey Said They Don’t Do Anything to Earn Supplement Income.
In a Bankrate survey in April 2023, it was discovered that 61% of respondents said “No,I don’t” when asked if they do anything to earn extra money on the side outside of their main source of income.
The survey revealed that 39% said “yes, I do” to that question.
(Bankrate)
18. 41% of People Working Side Hustles Said They Do It to Have More Time to Do Things They Love to Do.
In a Vistaprint survey, 41% of respondents admitted that they work side hustle to have more time to do things they love to do.
Moreover, 62% of those with side hustles said they do it to earn additional income and 37% said they do this to pursue their passion.
(Millennial Money)
19. $4,500 per Month Is Needed to Consider Leaving a Full-Time Job for A Side Hustle.
While there are people who are able to leave their full-time or part-time jobs using a side hustle, you must consider that you would need an average of $4,500 per month to consider leaving your job to solely work a side hustle.
Some side hustlers work more than one kind of side hustle to achieve this.
(Incfile)
20. 38.7% of Bankrate Survey Respondents Said They Work Side Hustles for Personal Freedom.
Different surveys reveal different kinds of data.
For instance, in a Vistaprint survey, 62% respondents said they work side hustles to earn extra cash.
In a Bankrate survey, 38.7% of respondents said they word side hustles to gain personal freedom.
The questions asked in each survey differed, so the answers differed. Bankrate’s survey appeared to be more detailed in nature.
(Side Hustle Nation)
FAQs
What Is a Side Hustle?
A side hustle is a business or a job that you use to make extra income while working at a regular, full-time job.
People working part-time also work side hustles and some people use side hustles as their primary source of income.
However, the concept is to make money on the side, like moonlighting.
Side hustles can include rideshare jobs, freelance writing, and other aspects of the side hustle economy.
What Are Some Popular Side Hustles?
Here are some examples of popular side hustles:
• Freelancing: Freelancing involves skilled workers who write, edit, design, market, consult, or other freelance work.
• Food delivery: DoorDash and Grubhub are two popular food delivery services that people use as a side hustle.
• Ridesharing: Transporting people to and from appointments, the airport, events, and other places is another side hustle. Some services include Uber and Lyft.
• Online survey taking: Websites will pay you to take surveys for a few extra bucks per month.
• Blogging/Vlogging: Blogging can earn part-time or full-time income depending on the niche and the time you put into it, but many people blog or vlog (video blog) as a side hustle using affiliate marketing or advertising as part of their income.
• Pet sitting: You can pet sit or walk dogs as a side hustle.
• Reselling items: Buying items low and selling them high is called flipping. For instance, if you find used items at a yard sale or thrift stores, you can resell them on eBay or other such platforms.
• Selling handmade crafts: If you sew, paint, draw, crochet, knit, or are creative in any way, you can make things to sell on Etsy and other marketplaces. You can also sell your goods at craft fairs.
• Renting space: Airbnb is an example of renting space. If you have a room, RV, extra house, or somewhere to rent, you can do that to earn side income.
• Teaching online: Platforms like Cambly offer a way for virtually anyone to teach conversational English. Also, if you are already a teacher with a degree, there are many opportunities to tutor and teach as a side hustle.
Keep in mind that there are those who turn these side hustles into full-time or better income by working just a few hours a week in some cases.
What Is the Average Income Earned from A Side Hustle?
How much a person earns from a side hustle primarily depends on how much time and effort they put into it.
It also depends on where you live, what the side hustles pays and if tips are involved.
That said, the average side hustle earns about $483 per month.
Demographic data reveals that men average about $596 per month while women average about $378.
Moreover, people between 55 and 64 years old tend to earn more than $1,000 per month while people between 18 and 24 earn an average of $533 per month.
As you can see, there are many factors that impact how much you can make from a side hustle.
However, 56.4% of people working side hustles don’t even make $500 per month. In contrast, 15% make $1,500 or more monthly.
What Is the Number One Most Popular Side Hustle?
Ridesharing is the most popular side hustle with Uber and Lyft at the top of the list of companies in this industry.
The ridesharing side hustle is popular because it can be done anywhere and at any time.
However, flexibility and being in charge of your own schedule is common among most side gigs.
Conclusion
The idea of side hustles has sparked a lot of growth in recent years making this method of earning side income or primary income not only popular, but profitable as well.
Based on these statistics, we can see how the world view of side hustles and it’s mostly in a positive light.
Do you work a side hustle or two?
Do you know someone who works side hustles?
Whether you’re currently working a side hustle, or you are thinking about finding a side hustle, it’s a growing and popular method for earning an income in the “new gig economy”.
Your reason for working side hustles may be different from those mentioned here, but the reason you want or need extra money is only part of the puzzle.
Many people just want to pursue their passion or do something for fun while making money doing it.
Just remember that if you’re wanting to quit your full-time job to work a side hustle you need to do the math and make sure you can make the money you need to handle the bills you have now and extra.
We’ve explored some ideas for side hustles like ridesharing as an Uber or Lyft driver, freelancing writing or graphic design on platforms like Upwork, and flipping good preowned items on marketplaces like eBay or Facebook Marketplace.
See the FAQs below to get more insights about how to earn money from side hustles.
We hope you have learned some new things from these side hustles so you can decide if this is something you want to do.
