In today's dynamic job market, the rise of the gig economy has significantly altered the way people work and earn money. Whether it's driving for a ride-sharing service, delivering food to hungry customers, or shopping for groceries on-demand, gig work offers flexibility and autonomy that traditional employment often lacks. However, understanding earnings trends within this ever-evolving landscape is crucial for gig workers to maximize their income potential. The Solo Market Pulse bridges the gap between drivers and the information they need to make informed decisions about gig work.

Check out numbers for May and June in Solo’s second monthly Market Pulse to see how earnings for rideshare and food delivery have both increased as we look back at June.

Rideshare Trends:

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Ridesharing platforms like Uber and Lyft have significantly altered urban transportation, providing convenient alternatives to traditional taxis. However, earnings in the ride-share sector can fluctuate significantly based on various factors such as location, time of day, and demand. 

Seasonal trends play a significant role, with peak hours during rush periods and weekends often yielding higher earnings due to increased demand. Take a look at the chart below to see comparisons between states’ hourly earnings:

We also took a look at how rideshare earnings are changing month-to-month in each state. Many states had steady month-over-month per hour, but a few states changed significantly. Take a look at the graph below to see how each state either increased (positive value) or decreased (negative value) from May to June. Nevada and South Carolina saw the greatest decreases MoM, while Oregon, Alaska, and Montana saw the greatest increases, with Montana increasing by over 10% going into June. Georgia, Massachusetts, and California stayed steady in rideshare earnings.

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Food Delivery Trends:

Food delivery services such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub have experienced a surge in popularity, especially amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, as more people opt for the convenience of having meals delivered to their doorstep. This has resulted in more drivers taking on gig work as a full-time, yet flexible way to work.

Just like rideshare, food delivery earnings can vary based on location and time. Lunch and dinner hours, especially on weekends, typically see higher demand. This results in increased earnings potential for delivery drivers during those time periods. The biggest tip that we saw in the dinner rush for drivers across the country was $216 on DoorDash. 

Understanding regional variations in earnings is essential for gig workers to optimize their income. Below is a comprehensive earnings trend map of the United States. These maps  highlight the earnings per hour in each U.S. state, allowing you to be informed about the changes in earnings over time in your area. Washington, Vermont, and Alaska were the states with the highest earnings per hour in food delivery, with Washington at $17.89 per hour on average. Mississippi had the lowest earnings per hour, at $12.23 per hour.

We also took a look at how food delivery earnings are changing each month, specifically from May to June this year. North Dakota and Massachusetts saw near 3 percent decreases in hourly earnings, while Maine saw a 10 percent increase from May to June 2024. Other states, like Tennessee and Nebraska, stayed steady in their hourly earnings for food delivery.

‍About the Author

Shaili is the Business Operations Manager at Solo. With her background in supply chain and operations, analytics, and research, Shaili helps Solo scale and serve as many gig workers as possible.

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With this blog series, Solo aims to empower drivers to thrive in the gig economy by providing access to the most current and accurate information. By staying informed about seasonal fluctuations and leveraging resources like Solo's earnings trend map, gig workers can maximize their income and achieve financial stability in an ever-changing landscape. Check back next month for another release of Solo’s Market Pulse! In the meantime, you can read other blog posts here.