Statistics

Side Hustle Statistics (2026)

Updated · Team Fonda

Short answer

About one in four US adults has a side hustle, but the figure depends on the definition. In Bankrate's 2025 survey, 27% of US adults said they earn extra money beyond their main source of income. The Federal Reserve found that 20% of adults did gig activities in the prior month in 2024. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts only formal second jobs: 5.4% of employed people held more than one job in October 2026.

Key takeaways

  • 27% of US adults had a side hustle in 2025, down from 36% in 2024 and 39% in 2023 (Bankrate).
  • 8,805,000 employed Americans held more than one job in October 2026, which is 5.4% of total employed (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, seasonally adjusted).
  • The average side hustler made $885 a month in 2025, but the median was $200 a month (Bankrate).
  • 70% of people who did gig activities spent less than 5 hours a week on them (Federal Reserve, 2024).
  • 16% of side hustlers want the side hustle to become their main source of income (Bankrate, 2025).

How many Americans have a side hustle?

No government agency counts "side hustles", so each source measures something a little different. Bankrate asks about any extra money earned beyond a main source of income. The Federal Reserve asks about gig activities, which covers selling things and doing short-term tasks. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts people who report more than one job in its monthly household survey, which misses a lot of casual selling and odd jobs. Pew Research Center looks only at work found through apps and websites. That is why the figures below range from about one in twenty workers to more than one in four adults.

Are side hustles growing or shrinking?

Bankrate's surveys show a clear fall from the 2023 peak, though the 2025 figure is still well above 2017. Bankrate's analyst put the drop down mainly to a strong job market and cooling inflation. Keep in mind that the 2017 survey was run by a different polling firm, so the long comparison is rough. The official count of people with more than one job is much smaller and was steady through 2026: between 5.3% and 5.5% of employed people each month from June to October, seasonally adjusted.

What kinds of side hustles do people have?

Selling things is the most common activity in both surveys that ask. App-based work gets most of the attention but is a small slice: the Federal Reserve found that only a few adults in a hundred did tasks arranged through an app or website. In Bankrate's survey, 43% of side hustlers said their work fit none of the 12 industries offered, so the range of activities is wide. For ideas grouped by skill and budget, see our list of side hustle business ideas.

How much do side hustles make, and how many hours do they take?

The average and the median tell very different stories. A small group of high earners pulls the average up, while the person in the middle earns a few hundred dollars a month. The time involved is small too: most people doing gig activities give them under five hours a week. If you sell your time, the freelance rate calculator shows what to charge so those few hours are worth it.

Who has a side hustle, and why?

Younger adults are the most likely to have one, and women are more likely than men to hold a second job. More side hustlers put the money toward spending than toward savings or debt. Only a minority of side hustlers want the work to replace their main income, and a larger group expects to always need it.

The Census Bureau does not say how many of those nonemployer businesses are side hustles and how many are full-time self-employment. The count simply shows how common it is to earn business income with no staff. Our small business statistics page has more on these one-person firms.

What this means if you are starting a business

  • Plan around the median. Half of side hustlers make $200 a month or less. Build your first budget on a modest number and treat anything above it as a bonus.
  • Small time, small money. In the Federal Reserve survey, 70% of people doing gig activities gave them under five hours a week. If you want it to grow, decide how many hours you can protect each week and choose an idea that fits them.
  • Selling is the most common side activity. You can test demand by selling a small batch or a few hours of a service before you build anything. Our guide to validating a startup idea shows how to run that test with real customers.
  • Few people make the jump, and that is a choice. Only 16% of side hustlers want it to become their main income. If you do, read how to turn a side hustle into a startup for the steps.
  • Know your number before you quit. With the quit your job calculator you can see how much side income and savings you need before leaving a paycheck.

If you are building on the side and want a structured way to test the idea, Fonda is an AI co-founder that walks you through market research, key risks and real customer interviews, then gives a go, refine or pivot Verdict with reasons. It is free to start, and the idea generator needs no signup.

Frequently asked questions

Why do side hustle statistics differ so much between sources?

Each source asks a different question of a different group. Bankrate asks all adults about any extra money. The Federal Reserve asks about gig activities in the prior month. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts employed people who report a second job in one survey week. A person who sells old furniture online twice a month shows up in the first two and rarely in the third.

Is a side hustle the same as a second job?

Not always. A second job usually means working for another employer on a set schedule. A side hustle is broader and often means working for yourself: freelancing, selling products or taking gigs through an app. Many are run as a sole proprietorship, where one person owns the business without setting up a separate company. The rules for registering differ by state and city, so check locally.

Do I have to pay tax on side hustle income?

In most countries, money you earn on the side counts as income, but the reporting rules, thresholds and deductions differ by country and sometimes by state. Check your tax authority's guidance on self-employment income or ask an accountant before your first filing, and keep a record of what you earn and spend from day one.

How recent are these numbers?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics figures are for October 2026. Bankrate's latest survey we could find is from June 2025. The Federal Reserve's gig work figures are from its 2024 survey, because its report on 2025 does not include a gig work section. The Pew figures are from 2021 and the Census count is for 2023.

Are these statistics only for the United States?

Yes. Every figure on this page describes US adults or US workers. Other countries define second jobs and self-employment differently, so their numbers are not directly comparable.

Sources

  1. Bankrate, Fewer Americans Have a Side Hustle in 2025 (press release, July 9, 2025; survey fielded by YouGov, June 2 to 4, 2025)
  2. Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024: Employment and Gig Work (May 2025)
  3. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation, Table A-9: Selected employment indicators (October 2026)
  4. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation, Table A-16: People not in the labor force and multiple jobholders by sex (October 2026)
  5. Pew Research Center, The State of Gig Work in 2021 (December 8, 2021)
  6. US Census Bureau, Census Bureau Releases New Data About Characteristics of Employer and Nonemployer Business Owners (November 20, 2025)

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