In recent years, side hustles have gained significant traction as individuals seek additional income streams and entrepreneurial opportunities. A new study by The Kaplan Group examines search trends for various side hustles, the challenges associated with starting these ventures, and the geographic distribution of new business applications across the United States.
Key Takeaways
- Dropshipping emerges as the most sought-after side hustle, with a search volume of 5,000.
- Home services dominate the side hustle landscape, comprising 60% of the top 5 most searched business ideas.
- Wyoming leads in entrepreneurial spirit with 720.46 new business applications per 100,000 residents, while Florida demonstrates economic dynamism with the highest absolute number of 44,666 new business applications
Dropshipping as the Top Side Hustle
More and more people are looking to bring some extra money and potential having their own business. The most recent data on public interest show that dropshipping consistently emerges as the most searched side hustle, with a search volume of 5,000. Following dropshipping, the top five include landscaping (2100), photography (2000), lawn care (1800), and pet sitting (450). Notably, three of these—landscaping, lawn care, and pet sitting—are home services businesses, reflecting a significant interest in services that cater to residential need.
Landscaping and lawn care, with search volumes of 2,100 and 1,800, respectively, highlight the growing trend of individuals seeking to start businesses that enhance home aesthetics and maintenance. Pet sitting, with a search volume of 450, underscores the increasing need for pet care services as more households own pets.
The data reveals a strong entrepreneurial spirit across the United States, manifesting in both less populous states and larger economic hubs. States like Wyoming and Delaware lead in new business applications per capita in September, with Wyoming having 720 applications per 100,000 people and Delaware 449. Interestingly, when looking at the absolute number of applications, larger states such as Florida, California, and Texas dominate, with Florida leading at 44,666 applications.
| State | New Business Application in September | Applications per 100,000 |
| Wyoming | 4156 | 720.5 |
| Delaware | 4447 | 449.2 |
| Florida | 44666 | 207.4 |
| Montana | 2050 | 189.1 |
| Colorado | 9473 | 164.1 |
| Georgia | 16412 | 153.2 |
| District of Columbia | 1024 | 148.5 |
| Nevada | 4586 | 147.7 |
| Utah | 4190 | 128.1 |
| Arizona | 8963 | 125.3 |
| New Mexico | 2624 | 123.9 |
| Texas | 35407 | 121.5 |
| New Jersey | 11155 | 120.1 |
| Idaho | 2160 | 117.4 |
| South Carolina | 5763 | 112.6 |
| North Carolina | 11581 | 110.9 |
| Maryland | 6791 | 109.9 |
| Oregon | 4607 | 108.7 |
| Mississippi | 3130 | 105.7 |
| New York | 21049 | 104.2 |
| Missouri | 6384 | 103.7 |
| Virginia | 8943 | 103.6 |
| California | 37988 | 96.1 |
| Louisiana | 4467 | 95.9 |
| Illinois | 12125 | 94.6 |
| Indiana | 6369 | 93.9 |
| Oklahoma | 3702 | 93.5 |
| Connecticut | 3355 | 93.0 |
| South Dakota | 819 | 92.4 |
| Michigan | 9155 | 90.8 |
| Alaska | 664 | 90.5 |
| Washington | 6955 | 90.3 |
| Tennessee | 6228 | 90.1 |
| New Hampshire | 1222 | 88.7 |
| Hawaii | 1270 | 87.3 |
| Ohio | 10147 | 86.0 |
| Kentucky | 3826 | 84.9 |
| Arkansas | 2542 | 84.4 |
| Alabama | 4206 | 83.7 |
| Minnesota | 4653 | 81.5 |
| Pennsylvania | 10317 | 79.3 |
| Vermont | 509 | 79.2 |
| Nebraska | 1519 | 77.4 |
| Kansas | 2268 | 77.2 |
| Massachusetts | 5415 | 77.0 |
| Maine | 1038 | 76.2 |
| Wisconsin | 4297 | 72.9 |
| Rhode Island | 783 | 71.4 |
| Iowa | 2233 | 70.0 |
| North Dakota | 542 | 69.6 |
| West Virginia | 1062 | 59.2 |
This study provides valuable insights into the current trends in side hustles and new business applications. As the entrepreneurial landscape continues to evolve, understanding these trends can help aspiring entrepreneurs identify opportunities and navigate challenges in starting their ventures.
Methodology
This study utilizes data from two primary sources to analyze trends in side hustles and new business applications. The search volume data for side hustles was sourced from Ahrefs, a comprehensive SEO tool that provides insights into keyword popularity and search trends. This data was used to identify the most searched side hustles and assess their relative popularity. The new business application data was obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau, which provides detailed statistics on business formation across the United States. This dataset was used to analyze the geographic distribution of new business applications in September, both in terms of per capita rates and total applications. The analysis involved sorting and visualizing the data to identify key trends and insights, such as the prevalence of home services in side hustles and entrepreneurial activity in less populous states.
