Which Texas cities are most eager for side hustles?

DALLAS (KDAF) — A nationwide analysis by direct-to-film pros Ninja Transfers looked at Google search data from over 170 major U.S. cities to find out where Americans are most eager to land a side hustle. From freelance writing and podcasting to mystery shopping and more, the study tracked 80 different job titles and how often folks searched for phrases like “how to make money with [job]” or “[job] gig” over the past year.

How Texas Cities Stack Up

While cities like Atlanta and Orlando topped the national list, several Lone Star towns made a strong showing:

• Denton came in at #34 nationwide, with 275.8 searches per 100,000 residents.
• Killeen wasn’t far behind, ranking #43 with 264.2 searches per 100,000.
• McKinney landed at #46, clocking 337.5 searches per 100,000.
• Frisco followed close at #48, with 350.0 searches per 100,000.

America’s top side-hustle cities

Rank	City	Population	Average monthly searches for side hustle-related terms	Average monthly searches per 100,000 people
1	Atlanta, Georgia	499,127	1,914	384
2	Orlando, Florida	316,081	1,140	361
3	Salt Lake City, Utah	204,657	653	319
4	St. Louis, Missouri	286,578	815	284
5	Birmingham, Alabama	196,910	558	283
6	Fort Lauderdale, Florida	183,146	503	275
7	Minneapolis, Minnesota	425,096	1,146	270
8	Miami, Florida	449,514	1,208	269
9	Cleveland, Ohio	361,607	969	268
10	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	302,898	776	256

“Many Americans nowadays are looking to explore further than the standard 9-to-5,” Victor Ilisco, Director of Sales & Operations at Ninja Transfers, said. “A Bankrate study from back in 2023 found that 39% of Americans have a side hustle, and this number has likely grown since then. They are becoming increasingly accessible thanks to digital platforms and tools, and the barrier for starting one is a lot smaller than what it used to be, and whether it be something that’s driven by cost-of-living pressure or ambition, there are plenty of options on things Americans can do to earn money on the side.”