Gig Worker Demographics: Who Does Gig Work in the U.S.? (2026)
Who does gig work? Federal Reserve, BLS, and Pew data on gig workers by age, gender, race, and ethnicity, plus the gaps in education, veteran, and disability data.
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The most useful single figure is the BLS share of independent contractors among all workers. In July 2023, independent contractors on their sole or main job were 7.4 percent of total employment. That is a federal measure of contractor work, not a count of platform gig workers, and the rest of this report explains the difference.
This report is for people who run hiring or trust-and-safety at gig platforms, small employers without HR staff, and independent workers. It covers the demographic patterns that show up in the best available data. It is one report in our gig worker demographics statistics collection, and it links every figure to its publisher. Create a free PreHireBadge account if you want to try screening that fits this kind of hiring.
The numbers at a glance
Are younger adults more likely to do gig platform work?
Yes. In Pew's 2021 survey, younger adults were far more likely than older adults to have ever earned money on a gig platform. Three-in-ten 18- to 29-year-olds have ever earned money through an online gig platform, but that share drops to 18% among those ages 30 to 49 and even smaller for those ages 50 and up.
Older adults show a similar pattern in a different survey. About 10% of adults ages 65 and older said they performed any gig activities in the previous month, compared with 17% of younger adults. That series uses the Federal Reserve's 2022 survey and a broader definition of gig activity, so it should not be compared directly with the bars above. Pew Research Center, 2023
Do men or women do more gig work?
The gap is small in Pew's platform data and wider in BLS contractor data. A summary of Pew's 2021 survey reports that 17% of female American adults reported having earned money from gig platform work at some point, while 15% of male US adults said they had earned money this way. The summary is a secondary source, so check the Pew report before quoting it. In BLS's July 2023 supplement, a summary of the data reports that men were independent contractors at an 8.7% rate, compared with 5.8% for women.
How does gig platform work vary by race and ethnicity?
Hispanic and Black adults were more likely than White adults to have done platform gig work in Pew's 2021 survey. Hispanic adults stand out for participating in the gig labor force: 30% have ever earned money in this way, compared with 20% of Black adults, 19% of Asian adults and 12% of White adults. Pew's definition of a gig platform worker covers driving, delivery, errands, and household tasks done through apps or websites. Pew Research Center
BLS contractor data tells a different story because it measures a different population. In July 2023, White workers (7.9 percent) and Hispanic or Latino workers (7.4 percent) were more likely to be independent contractors than Black workers (5.4 percent) and Asian workers (5.4 percent). These shares are of all workers in each group, so they are not comparable to Pew's share of adults who ever did platform work.
| Group (July 2023) | Share who were independent contractors |
|---|---|
| White | 7.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.4% |
| Black | 5.4% |
| Asian | 5.4% |
Is gig work usually someone's main job?
For most people, no. Pew found that gig work was a main job for a minority of current and recent gig workers. 31% of current or recent gig workers – representing 3% of U.S. adults said it was their main job. Lower-income workers were more likely to depend on it. Those shares are even higher for those who are less affluent: 42% of current or recent gig workers who have lower incomes say it has been their main job over the past year.
How many workers are in alternative arrangements?
Federal data puts contractor work near the top of the range. In 2023, 10.2 percent of the workforce were engaged in alternative arrangements as their main job, including 7.4 percent as independent contractors. The BLS figure counts people who hold these jobs as a main job, so it leaves out most side work. Among workers with alternative work arrangements in July 2023, 11.9 million were independent contractors.
Why do gig worker estimates differ so much?
The definition drives the number. Federal Reserve data shows the gap clearly. About 4% of all adults did one of these short-term tasks using an app or website or a platform task in the prior month and 20% of people did one of the categories of gigs that we asked about in the prior month. A research estimate reaches the same conclusion from a different angle: between 5-15% of the US population participates in gig work, broadly defined as any income-generating work outside of standard, long-term, direct-hire employment. Estimates of participation in platform-based gig work such as Uber are lower at roughly 2-4% of the population.
| Measure | Who is counted | Figure | Source and year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform short-term tasks, prior month | U.S. adults using apps or websites | About 4% | Federal Reserve SHED, 2024 |
| Any gig activity, prior month | U.S. adults, broad definition | About 20% | Federal Reserve SHED, 2024 |
| Ever earned on a gig platform | U.S. adults | 16% | Pew Research Center, 2021 |
Where do education, veteran, and disability data stand?
We did not find a sourced figure that shows how gig participation varies by education, veteran status, or disability status, so this report does not give one. The BLS publishes labor-force data for people with a disability and for veterans, but those releases measure overall employment, not gig or platform work. Until a federal series reports these groups by gig status, treat any single number for them with caution. For background on how job types are recorded in screening, see our background check statistics hub.
Putting these numbers to work
- Gig platforms: Because platform participation skews younger and more diverse (Pew's 30% for Hispanic adults and 30% for ages 18 to 29), set screening rules by job and role, not by who you think your workers are. Document them in writing. See how PreHireBadge screening works.
- Small employers: Most gig work is a side job, so a candidate may already be working elsewhere. Ask every applicant the same questions, and use the same process for each. Read FCRA Compliance for Employers before you order a report.
- Workers: The Pew data show that gig work often starts as a side job. If your background is clean, a clear report can help you move faster. Review what shows up on a background check so you know what to expect.
Screen gig workers for $5. PreHireBadge charges $5 flat per national criminal employment report, with no subscription. Prepaid packs cost $45, $200, and $375. ScreenForge Labs is the FCRA consumer reporting agency behind the reports. Each order is an invite the candidate finishes on their own phone, so you never enter an SSN, date of birth, or address. Create an account, no card required. You can also review pricing, identity verification, and how we compare with other providers.
Common questions
Who does gig work most often?
In Pew's 2021 survey, younger adults, Hispanic adults, and lower-income adults were the groups most likely to have ever earned money on a gig platform. Pew Research Center
Do most contractors want to be employees?
Most do not. Independent contractors overwhelmingly preferred their alternative work arrangements over W-2 employment (80.3 percent), according to the BLS July 2023 data. Only 8.3 percent said they would prefer a traditional arrangement.
Is gig work a main job or a side job?
For most people it is a side job. Pew found that 31% of current or recent gig workers said it was their main job, which is 3% of U.S. adults. Pew Research Center
Why does the report leave out education, veteran, and disability numbers?
We did not find a sourced figure for gig participation by those groups. A number without a source would not meet our standard, so we left them out. The BLS disability release and BLS veterans release measure overall employment, not gig status.
How should a platform use these numbers in screening?
Use one written policy for all workers in the same role. The demographic data describe who does gig work. They do not show who is a safe hire. For the rules that apply, see our Ban the Box guide. You can also use the free hiring and compliance tools.
About this data
Figures come from BLS, the Federal Reserve, Pew Research Center, and one research firm, and each figure links to its publisher. Some figures come from secondary summaries, which are named in the text. "Gig work," "gig platform worker," and "independent contractor" are defined differently from one source to the next, so compare only figures that use the same definition.
Sources
- BLS, Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023
- BLS, Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements release, November 2024
- Congressional Research Service, Nontraditional Workers and Retirement Saving (R48484)
- Gig Economy Data Hub, Contingent Worker Supplement
- Infocrowdsourcing, Freelancing Statistics (secondary summary of BLS data)
- Pew Research Center, The State of Gig Work in 2021
- Pew Research Center, Americans' experiences earning money through online gig platforms
- Pew Research Center, Racial and ethnic differences stand out in the U.S. gig workforce
- Pew Research Center, Older Workers Are Growing in
