35% of workers now have a side hustle, ZipRecruiter finds
ZipRecruiter Economic Research reported in 2026 that more than a third of U.S. workers — 35% — have a side hustle or multiple jobs. That is mainstream, not fringe. The same write-up highlights a twist many rent-stressed readers miss: workers earning over $150,000 were among the most likely to report supplemental income in related coverage citing ZipRecruiter's survey work. Sidequity summarizes ZipRecruiter's published findings and connects them to net-hourly planning. We did not conduct the survey.
Source: ZipRecruiter Economic Research. This page is Sidequity's summary and commentary. We do not republish the original article or use publisher photos. Read the full piece at the source link.
What ZipRecruiter reported
According to ZipRecruiter Economic Research, 35% of employed U.S. workers have a side hustle or hold multiple jobs. The research notes participation across age, income, and occupation — not only gig delivery. ZipRecruiter surveyed 1,500 employed individuals across business sizes and industries in January 2026, with a separate job-seeker sample in February 2026 cited in the same research hub.
High earners and side income
USA TODAY and other outlets citing ZipRecruiter's 2026 research noted that about 45% of workers earning more than $150,000 reported supplemental work, compared with roughly 31% among workers under $50,000 in the same reporting. That does not mean every high earner needs a hustle. It does mean side income is often about buffer-building and optionality, not only emergency cash.
Planning angle: a $150,000 W-2 household stacking a $400/month gig still needs net hourly and tax reserve math — gross participation rates do not show spendable dollars.
Optimism and multiple income streams
ZipRecruiter's research describes a link between expecting job-market improvement and already having supplemental income: 52.3% of workers who expected significant job-market improvement reported side hustles or multiple jobs, versus 24.8% among those expecting the market to worsen. Multiple streams may support confidence — or confident workers may be more likely to start them. Either way, the survey is not proof that a side hustle fixes a weak primary job.
First-time job seekers
ZipRecruiter also reported that first-time job seekers showed higher side-hustle participation than experienced seekers in its February 2026 sample. For people entering the labor market, the lesson is to compare net hourly on any gig against the hours needed for search, training, or relocation — not to assume extra work is free flexibility.
What this means for your math
A 35% participation rate tells you side income is common. It does not tell you whether your DoorDash week, Etsy shop, or freelance rate clears your floor after costs. Run a month-end audit with deposits, expenses, and hours before you add another channel because surveys say everyone else is.
Read the original
This page is Sidequity commentary on ZipRecruiter Economic Research. Read the original research post for charts, methodology, and quotes. We link out and do not republish their work.
This is an estimate, not advice
Every result here is a rough model based only on the numbers you enter. Sidequity is an informational tool and does not provide professional, tax, legal, investment, or financial advice, and it makes no income guarantees. Any tax set-aside is a planning placeholder, not a tax calculation.
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Published July 1, 2026. Back to story archive · Editorial policy