Want to Work in the Gig Economy? Rent in These Three Cities.

In recent years, the gig economy — in which independent workers complete short-term tasks for multiple businesses — has changed the way Americans think about work. Thanks to advances in technology and the ascendance of social media, it’s easier than ever to get paid for a day’s work… on your own terms and according to your own schedule.

Currently, the gig economy is estimated to be about 34% of the American workforce. By 2020, that figure is expected to grow to 43%. 

But like any industry, the gig economy is more prevalent in some places than others; you wouldn’t move to Arizona to be a shrimper, would you? In general, major metropolitan areas offer the ideal concentration of people and tasks — where there are people, there are jobs to do, and money to make. A broad spectrum of needs assures a broad spectrum of on-demand tasks.

It might be more expensive than owning a home out in the ‘burbs, but if you want to gig, you’ll have better luck in the city. Here are three places with plenty of opportunities — and plenty of places to rent.

1. New York

With over 8 million calling New York City home, The Big Apple is the largest city in the country. It’s almost twice as populous as Los Angeles, the next-largest city. Such a high concentration of people and industries leads to a diverse economy, with work in a wide variety of fields. The city never sleeps, but the city never stops hustling, either.

The gig economy is big enough in NYC that 21% of respondents in a recent WONOLO poll reported that on-demand work was their sole source of income. That is especially impressive considering New York’s famously high rents: According to apartment-search app ABODO, one-bedrooms in New York City currently sit at a median of $2,704 per month.

2. Minneapolis

One way to make the gig economy work for you is to live in a large-ish city with affordable rents. Minneapolis is one of the largest cities in the Midwest, a business capital and cultural center with respected arts and culinary scenes. It’s growing, too, adding almost 200,000 people since 2010.

The gig economy is alive and well in Minneapolis. The Brooking Institution estimates that non-employer “gig” employment grew 42.4% from 2012 to 2014, outpacing traditional job growth by a factor of three. Plus, rents are far more affordable than they are on the coasts. With a median one-bedroom rent of $1,555, apartments in Minneapolis won’t take 80-hour work-weeks to afford.

3. San Jose

Yes, rents are high — according to ABODO, the median price for a one-bedroom in the heart of Silicon Valley is $2,479 per month, and that’s if you can even find a place. But the gig economy is growing at a truly unprecedented rate in San Jose. The Brookings Institution found that from 2012 to 2014, none-employer “gig” employment grew 145%, while traditional payroll employment fell 30%.

What’s happening in San Jose is ground zero for the gig economy in the U.S. A densely populated area, a tech-dominated business environment, and a workforce that feels little loyalty to the traditional 9-5 business model — these are ideal conditions for the proliferation of the gig economy.

Workers in the gig economy currently make up 34% of the U.S. economy, and if cities like San Jose have anything to do with it, that number should exceed 40% by 2020.

Why not get in on the ground floor?