Are you curious about the state of the digital nomad movement?
We’ve curated, verified, and neatly categorized a selection of the most current digital nomad statistics for you, including demographic data, locations, and growth patterns.
Let’s dig in:
Top Digital Nomad Statistics
- In 2024, there were an estimated 45M digital nomads globally, with numbers projected to exceed 60M by 2030. (WYSE Travel Confederation)
- In 2024, over 18M American citizens considered themselves digital nomads, up 4.7% from 2023 and 147% since 2019. (MBO Partners)
| Year | Total Digital Nomads (in Millions) | Independent Nomads (%) | Traditional Nomads (%) | Independent Nomads: Growth (%) | Traditional Nomads: Decline (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 7.3 | 44% | 56% | ||
| 2020 | 10.9 | 42% | 58% | ||
| 2021 | 15.5 | 35% | 65% | ||
| 2022 | 16.9 | 34% | 66% | 2.3% | 4% |
| 2023 | 17.3 | 38% | 62% | 4.6% | 5% |
| 2024 | 18.1 | 44% | 56% |
- A little more than one in 10 US workers (11%) now consider themselves digital nomads. (MBO Partners)
- Digital nomad growth has slowed since the pandemic surge in 2020-2021 but has remained at 147% since 2019, now making up 11% of the US workforce. (MBO Partners)
- About 90% of digital nomads hold higher education, including 54% with a bachelor’s degree. (Statista)
- The average digital nomad is 37 years old. (MBO Partners)
- With 64% full-timers and 36% part-timers, many digital nomads work part of the year, leading to varied incomes. Still, 46% report a household income of $75,000 or more. (MBO Partners)
Digital Nomad Demographics
- The United States makes up 46% of the digital nomad community. (Nomads.com)
| Breakdown of Digital Nomads Worldwide by Nationality (as of March 2024) | Share |
|---|---|
| United States | 46% |
| United Kingdom | 7% |
| Russia | 5% |
| Canada | 5% |
| Germany | 4% |
| France | 3% |
| Brazil | 2% |
| Australia | 2% |
| Netherlands | 2% |
| Spain | 2% |
- Gen Z (26%) and Millennials (38%) comprise 64% of digital nomads. (MBO Partners)
| Age Cohort | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Gen Z | 21% | 26% |
| Millennials | 37% | 38% |
| Gen X | 27% | 25% |
| Baby Boomers | 15% | 11% |
- Digital nomads are 59% male, 40% female, and 1% nonbinary. (MBO Partners)
- Over 57% of digital nomads have a spouse or live with their partner. (MBO Partners)
- In 2024, digital nomads were 67% white, 21% African American, 11% Hispanic, 6% Asian, and 1% identified as other. (MBO Partners)
- Male digital nomads lean non-progressive (54%), while most women (72%) are progressive. (Nomads.com)
- Most digital nomads are non-religious (53%), with 28% prioritizing spirituality and 9% identifying as Christian. (Nomads.com)
- Most digital nomads (87%) are heterosexual, 8% identify as bisexual, and 5% as gay or lesbian. (Nomads.com)
- About 23% of digital nomads report bringing their children along while traveling. (MBO Partners)
- The majority of digital nomads’ children (86%) are school-age. (MBO Partners)
Digital Nomad Education and Skills
- Digital nomads are highly educated, with 52% holding a college degree or higher (compared to 35% of adult Americans) and 18% having advanced degrees (versus 13%). (MBO Partners)
- 79% of digital nomads are early tech adopters, and 76% use it to stay competitive at work. (MBO Partners)
- 79% of digital nomads use AI at work, with 35% identifying as advanced users and 51% as intermediate. By comparison, 60% of non-nomads use AI, with 24% considering themselves advanced users and 45% intermediate. (MBO Partners)
Digital Nomad Job Satisfaction and Career Choices
- Digital nomads work across various fields, including information technology (19%), creative services (14%), education and training (9%), sales, marketing, and PR (9%), finance and accounting (8%), and consulting, coaching, and research (7%). (MBO Partners)
- Nearly 79% of digital nomads are satisfied with their income, with 41% very satisfied and 38% satisfied. (MBO Partners)
- Most digital nomads are freelancers (35%), followed by full-time employees (32%) and business owners (14%). (Flatio)
- Most digital nomads work from home offices (59%), with coworking spaces (15%) and cafes (8%) trailing behind. (Nomads.com)
- Nearly 46% of digital nomads earn income through the creator economy, relying on strong internet and social media skills. (MBO Partners)
- Most digital nomads (59%) log 40 hours or fewer weekly. (Passport Photo Online)
| How Many Hours Do You Typically Work per Week as a Digital Nomad? | Entrepreneur | Remote worker | Freelancer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–20 | 14% | 14% | 14% |
| 20–30 | 22% | 19% | 23% |
| 30–40 | 20% | 27% | 24% |
| 40–50 | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| 50–60 | 13% | 7% | 15% |
| 60–80 | 9% | 13% | 7% |
| 80+ | 2% | 3% | 1% |
- Most digital nomads are happy with their work, with 79% highly satisfied, 12% satisfied, and just 4% dissatisfied. (MBO Partners)
- Most professionals (44%) increased their work hours after transitioning to digital nomadism. (Passport Photo Online)
| How Has Becoming a Digital Nomad Impacted Your Work Hours? | Share |
|---|---|
| I work more hours now | 44% |
| I work fewer hours now | 31% |
| My hours haven’t changed | 25% |
- Over half of digital nomads (52%) often or always work weekends. (Passport Photo Online)
| How Often Do You Work on Weekends? | Share |
|---|---|
| Always | 28% |
| Frequently | 24% |
| Occasionally | 21% |
| Rarely | 19% |
| Never | 8% |
- Most digital nomads (76%) check emails or messages outside regular work hours. (Passport Photo Online)
| How Often Do You Check Work-Related Emails or Messages Outside of Work Hours? | Share |
|---|---|
| Always | 31% |
| Frequently | 26% |
| Occasionally | 19% |
| Rarely | 15% |
| Never | 8% |
- 83% of digital nomads feel guilty about taking time off or disconnecting from work. (Passport Photo Online)
- 77% of digital nomads report experiencing burnout at some point. (Passport Photo Online)
| Have You Ever Experienced Burnout from Your Work as a Digital Nomad? | Entrepreneur | Remote worker | Freelancer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 80% | 78% | 73% |
| No | 10% | 13% | 17% |
| Not sure | 11% | 9% | 10% |
- 14% of digital nomads with traditional jobs say their employers are unaware of their nomadic lifestyle, while 22% work nomadically with their boss’s permission but no formal policy. Together, about one-third are “hidden nomad employees.” (MBO Partners)
Digital Nomad Lifestyle and Preferences
- The top reasons young Americans pursue digital nomadism are exploring new places (79%), reducing living costs (49%), and seeking a more intentional lifestyle (45%). (Howdy)
- The top countries for digital nomads are Japan (Tokyo), Portugal (Portimão), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo), the United States (Chicago), Bulgaria (Varna), and Croatia (Dubrovnik). (Nomads.com)
- About 11% of digital nomads bring their pets along when they travel. (MBO Partners)
- Digital nomads prioritize the cost of living (70%), internet connectivity (50%), and climate (42%) when choosing where to live. (Howdy)
- In 2024, digital nomads visited an average of 6.6 locations, down from 7.2 in 2023, but stayed longer, averaging 5.7 weeks per location compared to 5.4 in 2023. (MBO Partners)
- Just 15% of digital nomads have been nomadic for over five years, while 67% have done so for three years or less. (MBO Partners)
- Even after stopping, digital nomadism appeals to many—21% of former nomads plan to return, and 58% say they might. (MBO Partners)
Challenges Faced by Digital Nomads
- Digital nomads’ top challenges include financial stress (27%), missing family and friends (26%), personal safety (24%), time zone issues (23%), and travel burnout (21%). (MBO Partners)
- About 41% of digital nomads report challenges in maintaining romantic relationships due to their lifestyle. (Passport Photo Online)
- On average, 40% of digital nomads often or always feel lonely. (Passport Photo Online)
| As a Digital Nomad, How Often Do You Feel Lonely? | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Never | 11% | 9% |
| Rarely | 18% | 17% |
| Sometimes | 30% | 37% |
| Often | 14% | 13% |
| Always | 28% | 24% |
- 77% of nomads worry about financial stability, with remote workers (84%) most concerned, surpassing entrepreneurs (71%) and freelancers (75%). (Passport Photo Online)
| How Often Do You Think About Your Financial Stability as a Digital Nomad? | Entrepreneur | Remote worker | Freelancer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Never | 11% | 4% | 10% |
| Rarely | 19% | 13% | 15% |
| Sometimes | 26% | 31% | 35% |
| Often | 10% | 15% | 13% |
| Always | 35% | 38% | 27% |
- Most digital nomads (84%) report dealing with tax-related issues at some point. (Passport Photo Online)
- Just 12% of digital nomads report never feeling FOMO. (Passport Photo Online)
| How Often Do You Experience Fomo? | Share |
|---|---|
| Always | 26% |
| Frequently | 21% |
| Occasionally | 21% |
| Rarely | 21% |
| Never | 12% |
- About 51% of digital nomads report experiencing road fatigue often or always. (Passport Photo Online)
- With most digital nomads’ kids being school-age (86%), education poses a significant challenge. Parents often choose homeschooling, private or public schools, or specialized programs to educate their children. (MBO Partners)
Digital Nomad Trends and Future Outlook
- In 2024, 95% of digital nomads said they would definitely (60%) or maybe (35%) continue their lifestyle. (MBO Partners)
- About 39% of Gen Z and Millennials aim to work and live overseas in 2025. (Howdy)
- 40% of digital nomads plan to spend more time in the US and less abroad in 2025, likely due to work restrictions, global conditions, or personal reasons. (MBO Partners)
- Given the stress and complexity of constant travel and work, about 15–17% of digital nomads transition back to traditional lifestyles yearly. (MBO Partners)
- In 2024, 21M adult Americans planned to become digital nomads within 2–3 years, with 45M considering it—a 7% drop from 2023, likely due to return-to-work policies and global unrest. (MBO Partners)
- Despite aspirations, just 7–9% of those intending to be digital nomads within 2–3 years actually make the leap. (MBO Partners)
Digital Nomad Visas
- At least 41 countries, including Portugal, Spain, Estonia, Costa Rica, and Brazil, now offer digital nomad visas with unique requirements and benefits for remote workers. (Deel)
- As of March 2024, Europe leads in countries providing or planning to offer digital nomad visas. (Global Citizen Solutions)
| Number of Countries Worldwide Offering or Planning Digital Nomad Visas, Categorized by Region (as of March 2024) | Share |
|---|---|
| Europe | 18% |
| Americas | 16% |
| Africa | 4% |
| Asia | 4% |
- Most aspiring digital nomads (77%) are drawn to countries offering digital nomad visas. (Howdy)
Learn More
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As a Digital PR specialist and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Max has 5+ years of writing experience.
Over the course of his career, Max’s work has garnered significant attention, with features in numerous prominent publications such as The New York Times, Forbes, Inc., Business Insider, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, BBC, TechRepublic, Glassdoor, and G2.
