Americans Look for Side Hustles To Survive Inflation
Wealth of Geeks
United States citizens searched the web for more income opportunities over 133,000 times last year. Residents of South Carolina, Louisiana, and Nevada lead the hunt.
The annual inflation rate for the U.S. was up 3.7% since last August, according to U.S. Labor Department. With no end in sight, Americans are taking to the Internet to find ways to make extra cash.
By comparing the 30-day and 12-month total search volumes by state, a study ranked each state’s interest in earning supplementary income.
As part of their recent merger with Thrifty Guardian, news outlet Mama Say What?!’s research reveals U.S. citizens are seeking ways to earn more money besides their primary jobs.
The study shows which states are increasingly concerned and where in the country residents are most satisfied with their current income.
States Searching in The Last 30 Days
South Carolina is where the most side hustle-related queries are submitted on Google, specifically over the last 30 days.
This data is notable, as South Carolina’s interest in side hustles has only recently emerged. This state does not appear on the top 10 list for the 12-month review. This newfound interest indicates a spike in residents’ need for additional income amidst the current cost of living crisis.
South Carolina earns an aggregate score of 220, solidifying its first-place standing, while Louisiana and Nevada take second and third place with twin scores of 210.
Iowa ranks fourth with a score of 200. These top four states’ preferred search term is “side hustle ideas,” over others like “ways to make money” or “side hustle from home.”
Kansas comes in fifth with a score of 195. Oregon and Missouri secured the sixth and seventh spots, with scores of 194 and 184, respectively.
Arizona, Ohio, and Michigan complete the top 10 list, with Arizona ranking eighth at 176 points, Ohio in ninth with 175 points, and Michigan securing the tenth place slot with 173 points.
The state of Montana earns an honorable mention as the region with a current perfect score, indicating a peak in interest, for the term “side hustles” despite ranking 29th overall on the 30-day list.
Americans in the District of Columbia, Vermont, Hawaii, and North Dakota rank lowest in the country for interest in finding extra income in both the last 30 days and over the past 12 months.
Other states seeing spikes in side hustle-related searches include Louisiana,
Nevada, Kansas, Oregon, Ohio, and Michigan, which all rise in the standings compared to the 12-month overview.
States Searching in The Last 12 Months
Appearing at the top of the 12-month list is Utah, with a score of 304. This ranking is in stark contrast to its 30-day placement of 14th, with a score of only 168. Utah’s rapid decline in the rankings shows residents’ decreased interest in making additional money in the most recent month.
Utah is one of many states seeing a rapid decline in interest, with Indiana dropping from second place on the 12-month list (with a score of 299) to 24th on the 30-day list.
In third place is Missouri, with a score of 296. Following Missouri is Kentucky at 293, and Arkansas rounding out the top five with a score of 290 points.
Also appearing on the top 10 list are Idaho, Arizona, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee, where points span from 286 to 257. Pennsylvania and Tennessee represent the states with the most significant point gap on the top 10 list, with a spread of 15 points between the two.
Consistent interest in additional income sources is apparent in three key states — Missouri, Arizona, and Iowa — on both the 30-day and 12-month top 10 lists.
Maine and New Hampshire join the lowest-ranking states of DC, Vermont, Hawaii, and North Dakota, where residents have the lowest number of side hustle-related search terms. Given that most of these states are in the northern U.S., it seems clear that residents in the Northern states are more satisfied with their current income levels than other states.
Side Hustles in America
Supplementary income sources, aka side hustles, help Americans earn more without seeking a promotion or raise at their current full-time jobs.
For this study, the Mama Say What?! researchers analyzed the frequency of searches for the terms “side hustle,” “side hustle ideas,” “ways to make money,” and “side hustles from home.” The most popular of these search terms among Americans was “side hustles,” generating 50,000 searches each month. The terms “side hustle ideas” was searched 32,000 times per monthly, while “ways to make money ” pulled in 28,000 searches, and “side hustles from home” racked up 23,000 searches.
As Americans search for side hustle ideas, they may consider pursuing freelance careers trying their hand at the gig economy, or looking for online options to earn extra cash. The hunt for supplementary income will likely continue until the high inflationary period is over.
**Disclosure: This post was produced by Mama Say What?! and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.**