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16 High-Demand Side Hustles in Major Cities Across the US

April 19, 2025

4 min Read

Written by Gabrielle Olya

Edited by Molly Sullivan

ESB Professional / Shutterstock.com

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Many Americans are now participating in the gig economy, with recent studies concluding that somewhere between 25% and 35% of workers are taking on gig work. The motivation to take on part-time work varies, though the most common reasons are to supplement their regular income (72%) and for the flexibility it provides (44%), a recent TurboTax survey found.

If you’re looking for gig work, where you live can affect the opportunities available to you. A recent TurboTax study analyzed search interest related to popular gig roles to find cities that have the strongest consumer demand for each role.

Based on this analysis, these are the cities with the highest demand for popular side hustles.

Freelance Graphic Design

City with the highest demand: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
City with the second-highest demand: Mobile, Alabama
City with the third-highest demand: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Dog Walking

City with the highest demand: Boston
City with the second-highest demand: Chattanooga, Tennessee
City with the third-highest demand: New York

Pet Sitting

City with the highest demand: Bend, Oregon
City with the second-highest demand: Charleston, South Carolina
City with the third-highest demand: Gainesville, Florida

Online Tutoring

City with the highest demand: Huntsville, Alabama
City with the second-highest demand: Houston
City with the third-highest demand: Miami

Today's Top Offers

Ride-Share and Delivery Services

City with the highest demand: Honolulu
City with the second-highest demand: Jacksonville, Florida
City with the third-highest demand: Memphis, Tennessee

Virtual Assistance

City with the highest demand: Santa Barbara, California
Cities with the second-highest demand: Tulsa, Oklahoma; Richmond, Virginia, and Portland, Oregon
City with the third-highest demand: Washington

Handyman Services

City with the highest demand: Youngstown, Ohio
City with the second-highest demand: Eureka, California
City with the third-highest demand: Twin Falls, Idaho

Social Media Management

City with the highest demand: Champaign, Illinois
City with the second-highest demand: Davenport, Iowa
City with the third-highest demand: West Palm Beach, Florida

Photography

Cities with the highest demand: Elmira, New York; Rapid City, South Dakota, and Charlottesville, Virginia
City with the second-highest demand: Rockford, Illinois
City with the third-highest demand: Cedar Rapids, Iowa