Atlanta is the No. 2 city in the nation when it comes to people finding work in the “gig economy,” according to a new report. All you have to do is look around you to see the many Uber, Lyft and Grubhub drivers on the streets and we see the freelance market is alive and well in the ATL.
The report from FitSmallBusiness.com looked at 20 cities in the United States and pulled info from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Brookings Institute to determine the best cities for gig economy jobs.
THESE ARE THE TOP 15 CITIES FOR GIG ECONOMY JOBS:
1) San Francisco
2) Atlanta
3) Los Angeles
4) Boston
5) Washington D.C.
6) Dallas
7) San Jose
8) San Diego
9) Miami
10) Phoenix
11) Minneapolis
12) Nashville
13) Denver
14) Chicago
15) Portland
FitSmallBusiness.com chose the following metrics to rank the cities:
Per Capita Revenue – 33%
Average Rent Costs – 33%
Growth of the Gig Economy – 33%
Qualitative Considerations (high-speed internet and shared workspace) – tie-breaker for similarly scored cities
“Certain cities have the magic ingredients to make it easier to be successful as a freelancer,” says Eric Noe, Editor-in-Chief, FitSmallBusiness.com. “Affordable rent, low overall cost of living and helpful resources for non-traditional workers all factor in, and our research clearly suggests that gig economies are strongest in metro areas where there’s a bigger demand for task services.”
It must be said that many workers aren’t joining the gig economy as a substitute for full-time employment. No, statistics show that workers are taking on temporary or freelance positions to earn extra money.
Indeed, earning extra income online has become one of the biggest things in the job market over the past 10 years.
Employers are become more open to gig workers because they help keep costs down: Typically contract workers don’t require insurance, a certainly not a 401(k) and other benefits.
Still, if you’re serious about working in the gig economy, there are some things you’re going to need:
- A car
- A computer
- A smartphone
Without all three, which incidentally are what you need for a full-time on-site job, your chances of working decrease exponentially.
But there are things you can do to sweeten your position in the job market. In the meantime, look for side jobs that work for you.
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Read more: Best work from home jobs in Atlanta, Georgia