Freelance work on the rise in the Valley
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Phoenix is one of the fastest-growing markets in the U.S. for freelancers.
The big picture: From 2018 to 2023, Phoenix saw a 23% increase in the number of independent professionals, and they saw a 42% jump in income, according to a new report by freelance platform Fiverr published in partnership with market research firm Illuminas.
- The report is based on data from several government sources, researchers' estimates and a survey of 801 freelancers conducted earlier this year.
By the numbers: According to the report, freelancers in the Valley earned an estimated average of $45,884 in 2023, the 14th most among the country's 30 biggest metro areas.
- The highest-earning group, in the Valley and elsewhere, was technical freelancers in fields like computers and architecture, averaging $60,799 here.
What they found: 29% of freelancers also had a traditional job, though the share who solely freelanced hit 71% in 2023, compared with 61% in 2021.
- Freelancers accounted for 4.1% of the U.S. labor force, per the report.
Between the lines: The report categorized Phoenix as being in the "Sun Belt professional haven," a group of "large, sun-drenched, rapidly growing" metro areas in Arizona and Florida.
- They stand out for having a higher-than-average share of independent workers and revenues in the professional services category, and economies with higher-than-average representation of leisure and financial service jobs.
- Among the nine market categories in the report, the Sun Belt professional haven saw the fastest growth in the number of freelancers over the past five years.
Caveat: The report's earnings data is based on individual tax filings as a "good approximation" for freelancers.
- Some freelancers may be involved with more than one tax entity, while others may work together on a business that counts as a single tax entity.
Stunning stat: Gen Z freelancers appear to be acknowledging the value of their work, with 76% saying they're at least somewhat likely to raise their rates or fees in the coming months, compared to 49% of freelancers overall.
Reality check: While freelancing can have its benefits — like flexible schedules and locations — it can sometimes be tough to get started, to be treated well and paid promptly by clients, and to get health care and other benefits.
- It's also harder for freelancers to join in on organized labor's recent muscle-flexing — though some cities, like Columbus, are passing freelance protection rules.
What they're saying: "We are in our seventh year of putting this report together, and year over year, we see more and more people choosing the freelance lifestyle," writes Fiverr founder and CEO Micha Kaufman.
- "It confirms my belief that independent work is the future."