US Side-Hustle Economy Diversifies in 2025 as Nearly Four in 10 Adults Seek Extra Income to Fight Inflation

Side hustles in the United States have expanded beyond ride-hailing and food delivery to include renting out swimming pools, coordinating weddings, livestream selling and marketing professional skills. Americans are monetizing their time, space and personal networks as wages from primary jobs struggle to keep pace with prices and bills. Extra income has become an important pillar for households seeking to offset inflation, repay debt and build emergency savings.

A Bankrate survey released on July 9, 2025, found that 27% of US adults had a side hustle, earning an average of $885 a month but a median of just $200. A LendingTree survey that year put the share at 38%, with average monthly earnings of $1,215 and a median of $400. Although the figures differ because of variations in definitions and samples, both indicate that earnings are highly concentrated and that cost-of-living pressures are the main motivation.