Freelancing Growth in Florida Cities Tops US Charts

Fiverr, an international marketplace for freelance services, published its 7th Annual Freelance Economic Impact Report.

The 47-page report provides detailed insights into how freelance work is evolving. One of its most prominent findings is that Florida cities are leading US freelancer growth.

The report highlights that freelancers based in major cities earn about 10% more than the national average freelancer does – and this income difference holds even for freelancers working in the same niches. New York, Los Angeles, and Miami had the biggest total freelancer populations. Still, the cities with the fastest-growing concentrations of freelancers were Orlando, Miami, Las Vegas, Houston, and Tampa.

Freelancers also leverage artificial intelligence in their work, with 40% reporting that they used AI tools in 2023 and most reporting better productivity. Gen Z is leading the pack: more than half of Gen Z freelancers used AI tools.

While 3 in 10 freelancers also hold a permanent job, the trend leans towards full-time freelancing. 71% of independent workers exclusively freelanced in 2023, compared to 64% in 2022; 57% of Fiverr sellers exclusively freelanced in 2023, up from 52% in 2022. Women, in particular, were more likely to report valuing their ability to control their own schedule and work location.

Fiverr Founder and CEO Micha Kaufman said: “While we speak at Fiverr every day of the enormous impact we see freelancers having on businesses – this report is tangible proof of that ongoing impact and the enormous potential of the independent workforce for 2024 and beyond.”

Fiverr carried out the research in partnership with Illuminas to augment its own data set of freelancers with additional market data, including data from the US Census Bureau and survey responses from hundreds of freelancers.

Illuminas carries out market research to help companies better understand key issues. It works with companies in various industries, from technology to finance and education.

The stats suggest that now might be a great time to give freelancing a go, especially if you’ve never tried it before.