Freelancing is a popular option for those who want more flexibility in their work and the ability to do their jobs remotely.
A recent study from Hotsinger ranked the nine best U.S. cities for freelancing based on factors such as internet quality, freelance income potential, cost of living and professional resources, determining a ranking and a freelance attractiveness score. Data for metrics like download speed, average revenue per freelance worker, self-employment tax rates, co-working spaces, and cost of living were collected from publicly available sources.
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Miami is the best city for freelancing. With its lack of a self-employment tax, almost half of the workforce participates in freelance work. Additionally, the city has 433 co-working spaces.
Other top cities for freelancing are Las Vegas and Nashville. Las Vegas has one of the highest average revenues per freelance worker at $50,056, as well as a 0% state income tax. Nashville has no self-employment tax, and offers more affordable housing.
"Freelancers succeed in cities that are affordable, provide strong earning potential, and accessible resources," a spokesperson from Hostinger said in a release. "Low taxes and abundant co-working spaces directly support independent professionals, while diverse industries create consistent opportunities for work. Cities with high income potential and manageable living costs enable freelancers to grow their careers and maintain a better quality of life. These factors make certain cities top choices for the expanding freelance workforce."
Read more about the best U.S. cities for freelancers.
Best U.S. cities for freelancing
| Rank | City | Freelance
Attractiveness
Score | Freelance
Workers | Average
Revenue
per
Freelance
Worker | Self-employed
Income
Tax
(Highest) | Cost of
Living
(with Rent) |
| 9 | Houston | 74.3 | 140.0K | $44,375 | 0% | $2,963 |
| 8 | Philadelphia | 75.09 | 120.5K | $43,930 | 3.07% | $2,671 |
| 7 | Austin, Texas | 76.11 | 68.0K | $41,734 | 0% | $2,630 |
| 6 | Los Angeles | 77.27 | 431.6K | $46,742 | 13.30% | $3,698 |
| 5 | Boston | 79.03 | 128.0K | $46,328 | 5% | $4,456 |
| 4 | San Francisco | 79.45 | 160.0K | $51,903 | 13.30% | $4,038 |
| 3 | Nashville, Tennessee | 85.44 | 55.4K | $47,980 | 0% | $2,962 |
| 2 | Las Vegas | 87.1 | 44.2K | $50,056 | 0% | $3,133 |
| 1 | Miami | 100 | 210.8K | $45,610 | 0% | $3,888 |
