35 Gig Economy Statistics (2026)

The gig economy might sound like a recent invention, but it really isn't. Freelancers, independent contractors, consultants, and contract workers have been an integral part of the economy for decades. They find clients, take on short- and long-term projects, and often run their own businesses as self-employed professionals.

What has changed is the pace of growth. Technology has opened up a far wider range of gigs that people can do remotely, and companies of every size now hire contractors for all kinds of projects. That gives more people access to work, and more flexibility with it, whether they're after full-time independence or simply a side hustle for extra income.

The statistics below help shed light on just how much this flexible, market-driven way of working has to offer.

Top Statistics

1. In the United States, roughly 57 million people, about 35% of the workforce, worked as freelancers in 2019.⁽⁴⁾
2. Freelancers contribute nearly $1 trillion in income to the economy each year, roughly 5% of GDP.⁽⁴⁾
3. 33% of businesses use gig workers.⁽¹⁾
4. Since 2010, the share of gig workers at U.S. businesses has grown by 15%, adding roughly 6 million more of these workers over the following decade.⁽⁹⁾
5. More than half of freelancers would not return to traditional employment, no matter how much those jobs paid.⁽¹⁰⁾

A Primary Source of Income

The gig economy isn't just for people looking to make a little extra on the side. Many now rely on it for a full-time living.

• 44% of people working in the gig economy use it as their primary source of income.⁽¹⁾
• Among 18- to 34-year-olds in the gig economy, 53% treat it as their primary income source.⁽¹⁾
• More than half of full-time freelancers say they feel more financially secure than they would in a traditional job.⁽¹⁰⁾

The Need for Skilled Services

Gig workers aren't only driving and making deliveries. Across a wide range of industries and clients, many are highly skilled professionals whose technical and creative talents are in demand.

• 45% of freelancers provide skilled services such as consulting, marketing, and programming.⁽⁴⁾
• More than 80% of large corporations plan to increase their use of a flexible workforce.⁽⁷⁾
• There are roughly 170 gig economy businesses operating in the United States.⁽⁶⁾
• Skilled freelancers earn a median hourly rate of $28, compared with $20 for freelancers overall.⁽⁴⁾

Beyond the United States: Gig Workers Are Found All Over the World

The U.S. is far from the only country to see a surge in gig work. The shift toward independent work is playing out across the globe.

• In Australia, workers find gigs across more than 100 platforms, the most popular being Airtasker, Uber, Freelancer, Uber Eats, and Deliveroo, and more than a third of them use multiple platforms.⁽²⁾
• Roughly 7% of working people in Australia use the gig economy to find jobs.⁽³⁾
• Between 2016 and 2019, the United Kingdom's gig economy doubled in size.⁽⁶⁾
• Gig platform use has risen by more than 30% in developing countries.⁽⁶⁾
• 97% of people in Mexico and India are open to gig work, including freelance, temporary, and contract roles.

More People Want to Work Independently

The data consistently points one way: more people are choosing gig work, and the number of gig workers is expected to keep climbing in the years ahead.

• The U.S. freelance workforce is projected to keep growing, with estimates suggesting 86.5 million people could be freelancing by 2027.⁽¹⁾
• The share of full-time freelancers rose from 17% in 2014 to 28% in 2019.⁽⁴⁾
• 53 million people freelanced in 2014, rising to 57 million by 2019.⁽⁵⁾
• 60% of people who freelance say they got into the gig economy by choice.⁽²⁾
• 64% of freelancers want to stay independent rather than return to a traditional workplace.⁽¹⁰⁾

Generational Differences

Younger workers are the most likely to freelance, but you'll find gig workers across every generation.

• 53% of Gen Z workers freelance.⁽⁵⁾
• 40% of Millennials freelance.⁽⁵⁾
• 31% of Gen Xers freelance.⁽⁵⁾
• 29% of Baby Boomers freelance.⁽⁵⁾

Why People Choose Freelancing and Gig Work

While some turn to gig work because they can't land a traditional job, a growing number are actively leaving conventional employment for it, and once they do, most have no intention of going back.

• 71% of freelancers say they can work from anywhere, and 7 in 10 are interested in living somewhere other than a large city.⁽⁴⁾
• 46% of freelancers cite flexibility they can't get as traditional employees as the reason they made the switch.⁽⁴⁾
• Part-time freelancers value the gig economy as a way to earn extra income.⁽⁴⁾
• 70% of freelancers say a better work-life balance is why they chose gig work.⁽⁶⁾

Similarities with Non-Freelancers

When it comes to the things that keep them up at night, freelancers and non-freelancers turn out to have a lot in common.

• Both groups worry about the same core issues: access to affordable healthcare, saving enough money, being paid fairly, and preparing for retirement.⁽⁴⁾
• Freelancers tend to worry about unpredictable income, while non-freelancers worry more about high tax rates.⁽⁴⁾
• 83% of full-time freelancers have health insurance.⁽⁴⁾
• About two-thirds of freelancers would rather take home more pay and buy their own benefits than earn less and have an employer or client cover them.⁽⁴⁾

Taken together, the numbers paint a clear picture: people working in the gig economy tend to be content, and many prefer it to traditional work strongly enough that they'd never give it up. For anyone looking to run a business as a self-employed professional, having access to gigs through online platforms opens the door to pursuing their ambitions on their own terms.

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