Fascinated by the state of side hustles in 2023?
We’ve got you covered.
We’ve collected, organized, and vetted a list of cutting-edge stats, facts, and trends below.
Top Side Hustle Stats (Editor’s Picks)
- As of 2023, 39% of adults in the United States have a side gig.
- Side hustles are prevalent among young adults, with 53% of Gen Zers (18–26) and 50% of Millennials (27–42) having one.
| Age Distribution of Side Hustlers (2023) | Share |
|---|---|
| Gen Zers (18–26) | 53% |
| Millennials (27–42) | 50% |
| Gen Xers (43–58) | 40% |
| Baby Boomers (59–77) | 24% |
- Side hustles are more common among men, with 43% of males stating they earn money on the side, in contrast to 35% of females.
- The average monthly income for US adults with a side hustle is $810.
- The primary motivation for side hustling is to cover daily expenses (33%).
| How Side Hustle Earnings Are Used | Share |
|---|---|
| Income needed to pay for regular living expenses | 33% |
| Discretionary income for spending | 27% |
| Income for savings | 25% |
| Debt payoff | 12% |
| Other | 3% |
- Approximately 28% of people with a side hustle think they’ll always need one to cover their expenses.
General Side Hustle Statistics, Facts, and Trends
- The global Google search volume for the term “side hustle” has grown by +371% in the last five years. As of June 2023, it enjoys 201,000 monthly searches, according to Exploding Topics.
- Nearly 39% of adults in the United States have a side gig.
- A lack of interest (20%) is the leading factor for not engaging in a side hustle.
| Top Reasons for Not Having a Side Hustle | Share |
|---|---|
| I don’t want one | 20% |
| I don’t have an idea or a hobby to monetize | 15% |
| I’m too stressed to consider a side hustle | 10% |
| It never occurred to me | 10% |
| I don’t need the money | 9% |
- Despite not wanting to, 20% of Americans feel compelled to work a side hustle.
- 29% of people point to inflation as a motivating factor for embarking on a side hustle.
- Most individuals with side hustles (68%) say they rely more on this supplementary income due to inflation.
- If the extra income vanished, 71% of side hustlers are unsure if they could cover all their expenses.
- Around 65% of Americans with a side hustle employ automation in their business, with nearly half (48%) relying on it for at least 50% of their processes and ~14% using it for all of them.
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The Portrait of a Typical Side Hustler
- Side hustles are prevalent among young adults, with 53% of Gen Zers (18–26) and 50% of Millennials (27–42) having one.
| Age Distribution of Side Hustlers (2023) | Share |
|---|---|
| Gen Zers (18–26) | 53% |
| Millennials (27–42) | 50% |
| Gen Xers (43–58) | 40% |
| Baby Boomers (59–77) | 24% |
- Side hustles are more common among men, with 43% of males stating they earn money on the side, in contrast to 35% of females.
- Those earning more than $100,000 in household income are also the ones who typically pursue a side gig.
| Side Hustlers by Household Income | Share |
|---|---|
| $100,000 and over | 45% |
| Under $50,000 | 40% |
| Between $50,000 and $79,999 | 39% |
| Between $80,000 and $99,999 | 35% |
Reasons for Having a Side Hustle
- The primary motivation for side hustling is to cover daily expenses (33%).
| How Side Hustle Earnings Are Used | Share |
|---|---|
| Income needed to pay for regular living expenses | 33% |
| Discretionary income for spending | 27% |
| Income for savings | 25% |
| Debt payoff | 12% |
| Other | 3% |
- Women are more likely than men to rely on side hustle income for everyday expenses: 37% vs. 29%.
- In contrast, men are more inclined to allocate side hustle income toward savings, with 29% of men using it for this purpose, compared to 21% of women.
- People with lower incomes are more prone to using side hustle income for living expenses. Among those earning less than $50,000 annually, 42% rely on these funds for living expenses, compared to only 22% earning $100,000 yearly.
- Those with an annual income of $100,000 or higher are the most likely (38%) to allocate side hustle earnings toward discretionary spending.
How Much You Can Earn from Side Hustles
- On average, US adults with a side gig earn $810 per month, but the majority typically make little.
| Typical Side Hustle Earnings per Month | Share |
|---|---|
| $1–50 | 28% |
| $51–100 | 14% |
| $101–200 | 11% |
| $201–300 | 6% |
| $301–500 | 14% |
| $501–1,000 | 12% |
| $1,001–2,000 | 7% |
| More than $2,000 | 8% |
- On average, men with a side hustle make $989 per month, while women make $603.
- Millennials typically earn significantly more from their side hustle compared to other generations.
| Average Monthly Side Hustle Earnings by Generation | Share |
|---|---|
| Millennials | $1,022 |
| Gen Zers | $753 |
| Gen Xers | $670 |
| Baby Boomers | $646 |
How Much Time People Dedicate to Side Hustles
- Americans with a side hustle dedicate an average of 13.4 hours per week to it.
- Around 44% of people devote less than 10 hours weekly to their side hustle.
- Just 13% of side hustlers dedicate 30 hours or more per week to their side hustle.
- Men, on average, allocate 14.5 hours per week to their side hustle, surpassing women, who spend 12.2 hours on average.
- In response to inflation, 23% of Americans increased the time they spend on their side hustle.
Side Hustle Challenges
- When starting a side hustle, most people’s primary challenge is finding time for it (29.6%).
| Key Obstacles Encountered When Starting a Side Hustle | Share |
|---|---|
| Making time to work on it | 30% |
| Finding the right idea | 28% |
| Not knowing the first step | 14% |
| Lack of skills | 10% |
| Admin, legal, or tech issues | 9% |
| Not enough money to start | 8% |
- About 48% of Americans with a side hustle say they now spend less time with friends and family.
| Sacrifices Made to Start a Side Hustle | Share |
|---|---|
| Less time with friends and family | 48% |
| Fewer leisure activities | 45% |
| Less sleep | 42% |
| Less exercise | 36% |
| Less time spent on the primary job | 25% |
- Making time to work on it (30%) was the biggest hurdle in starting a side hustle.
Side Hustle Satisfaction
- Most Americans (90%) say they enjoy their side hustle.
- About 41% of individuals prefer their side hustle over their full-time job.
- Nearly half of people (49%) say they’d leave their full-time job if their side hustle generated sufficient income.
The Future of Side Hustles
- Approximately 28% of Americans believe they’ll always need a side hustle to make ends meet.
- Roughly 42% of people with a side gig want to scale up their little business.
- Most Gen Zers (70%) and Millennials (67%) are contemplating earning extra income through a side project or business in the future.
Stacking It All Up
There you have it.
A comprehensive list of side hustle statistics, facts, and trends.
Let us know in the comments if there are any other stats you’d like to see.
FAQ
How many Gen Zers have a side hustle?
About 53% of Gen Zers (ages 18–26) report having a side hustle.
How many Millennials have a side hustle?
Around 50% of Millennials (ages 27–42) say they have a side gig.
What percentage of Americans have a side hustle?
As of 2023, 39% of adults in the United States have a side gig.
What’s the average side hustle income?
The average monthly income for US adults with a side hustle is $810.
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Sources
- Bankrate, “Survey: 39% Have a Side Hustle, and 44% Believe They’ll Always Need One”
- DollarSprout, “Shifting Side Hustle Statistics Reveal New Trends About How We Earn”
- Exploding Topics, “Side Hustle”
- Insuranks.com, “Side Hustles 2022: 93% of Working Americans Have a Side Hustle”
- LendingTree, “Side Hustlers on the Rise, and Nearly 70% Say They’re More Reliant on the Extra Income Due to Inflation”
- Microsoft, “Great Expectations: Making Hybrid Work Work”
- Vista Newsroom, “STUDY: Millions of Americans Have a ‘Side Hustle’ to Boost Their Incomes and Pursue Their Passions”
- Zapier, “Zapier Report: 40% of Americans Have a Side Hustle in 2022”
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.