The Best Small U.S. Cities for Starting an Online Side Hustle

The Best Cities Online Side Hustle
Jordan Sprogis

Writer: Jordan Sprogis

Jordan Sprogis

Jordan Sprogis, Contributing Expert

Jordan Sprogis is a creative writer and tech researcher who has been working on online content for the better part of a decade. She holds a bachelor's degree in professional writing from Western Connecticut State University and has devoted much of her career to crafting content for various web verticals, including CyberSpyder and The Echo. Since joining HostingAdvice, Jordan has combined her storytelling ability with her fascination for advancements in technology to pen over 500 articles geared toward industry pros and newcomers alike.

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Lillian Castro brings more than 30 years of editing and journalism experience to our team. She has written and edited for major news organizations, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the New York Times, and she previously served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Florida. Today, she edits HostingAdvice content for clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement.

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Cristian Lopez uses his Business Marketing background from the University of Illinois at Chicago to create comfortable environments for customers, clients, and colleagues to share their thoughts and ideas openly. From interviewing tech leaders to conducting UX market research projects, Cristian knows the importance of storytelling — a key variable for innovation and inspiration. His goal at HostingAdvice is to wow readers on the ever-evolving nature of the tech industry and bring his audience the most reliable and exciting content on all things hosting.

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The HostingAdvice team of research and technology experts conducts our studies through nationwide surveys and in-depth data analysis.
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Key Takeaways

These days, starting an online side hustle can be as simple as opening a laptop. Whether you’re freelancing, selling products online, creating content, consulting, or tutoring, it’s possible to earn money outside of a traditional job without having to rent office space or open a storefront.

But while the work can happen from pretty much anywhere, not every place has the same advantages for getting started.

Reliable internet, for starters, is more than a convenience when you’re meeting with clients or uploading content on a deadline. The cost of living can also affect how much financial flexibility you have to invest in things like a good internet connection, while communities with more independent workers may offer a stronger environment for those looking to do the same.

To find the best small U.S. cities for starting an online side hustle, HostingAdvice analyzed 284 communities across four categories: Digital Infrastructure, Affordability, Side Hustle Opportunity, and Economic & Workforce Environment. The analysis considered everything from broadband access and internet speeds to living costs, self-employment, remote work, educational attainment, and population growth.

The results show that there isn’t one perfect formula for building an online income stream: Some of the highest-ranked cities stand out because of their exceptional connectivity, while others rise to the top because of their stronger independent-work activity, affordability, and favorable economic conditions.

Graphic titled Top 5 Best Small U.S. Cities for Starting an Online Side Hustle, listing Wendell, North Carolina; Verona, Wisconsin; Lexington, Massachusetts; Woodstock, Georgia; and Cranford, New Jersey, alongside a man working on a laptop in a downtown cafe. HostingAdvice.com logo at the bottom.

Main Findings

The cities at the top of the ranking don’t necessarily dominate every category — the strongest tend to strike a balance between the infrastructure needed to work online and local conditions that make independent work more practical and accessible.

Digital connectivity is one of the clearest strengths among the highest-ranked cities. Each of the top five has essentially universal high-speed broadband, while Verona earns the strongest Digital Infrastructure score among the top 10 at 84.61. Woodstock records the fastest median download speed among the top five at 173.11 Mbps (megabits per second).

Self-employed and work-from-home-based work also help separate the leaders. Cranford earned the highest Side Hustle Opportunity Score among the top 10 at 79.58, while Wendell followed closely at 78.85. Wendell also records the highest self-employment measure among the top five, while Cranford leads the group in working from home.

Interestingly, affordability isn’t necessarily a requirement for reaching the top. Lexington and Cranford rank among the five best cities despite median gross rents of $2,891 and $2,458, respectively. Strong performance in connectivity, independent work, and workforce characteristics helps offset those higher costs.

Georgia also emerges as one of the strongest states in the ranking, placing three cities among the top seven: Woodstock at No. 4, Smyrna at No. 6, and Decatur at No. 7.

Full Rankings: Best Small Cities for Online Side Hustles

Note: Stanford originally ranked No. 5 but was excluded from the final study because it is not technically classified as a city. As a result, the official ranking numbers skip from No. 4 to No. 6, while Cranford remains the fifth city included in the final results.

Rank City State Total Score Digital Infrastructure Affordability Side Hustle Opportunity Economic & Workforce Environment
1 Wendell NC 61.99 65.94 41.73 78.85 66.53
2 Verona WI 60.87 84.61 45.66 59.82 45.56
3 Lexington MA 60.29 76.84 50.87 56.81 51.82
4 Woodstock GA 59.11 76.08 45.09 63.41 46.05
6 Cranford NJ 58.87 69.21 36.63 79.58 48.16
7 Smyrna GA 55.68 62.73 43.66 67.42 46.05
8 Decatur GA 55.49 60.84 42.2 64.94 55.63
9 Fort Mill SC 55.38 60.44 43.79 61.5 58.27
10 Fairfax VA 54.9 68.53 38.67 61.02 49.87
11 Jenkintown PA 54.83 68.44 34.18 64.75 52.36
12 Avon OH 54.54 59.93 54.23 50.79 50.61
13 Needham MA 54.48 68.65 42.49 53.7 51.43
14 Bluffton SC 53.88 64.41 55.84 42.4 48.02
15 Paramus NJ 53.16 78.04 46.61 38.93 40.23
16 Morristown NJ 52.7 75.36 33.43 54.28 43.26
17 Grapevine TX 52.58 70.36 41.08 52.01 40.97
18 Chapel Hill NC 52.31 59.86 45.35 52.5 50.8
19 Cherry Hill NJ 52.31 61.92 46.59 53.22 43
20 West Hollywood CA 52.17 63.74 28.68 69.81 46.59
21 Noblesville IN 52 65.95 44.39 47.3 47.15
22 Sturbridge MA 51.55 59.58 44.5 55.74 42.6
23 Highland Park NJ 51.39 67.69 26.46 60.91 52.79
24 Mount Pleasant SC 51.25 53 49.55 50.67 52.1
25 Linwood NJ 51.18 59.75 53.34 40.98 46.69
26 North Augusta SC 51.04 65.78 46.49 39.6 49.72
27 Greer SC 51.03 58.01 44.87 45.99 57.78
28 Melrose MA 51.03 64.89 34.86 59.59 41.41
29 Fayetteville AR 50.95 64.6 45.54 43.22 47.34
30 Lawrence KS 50.79 59.74 47.72 47.67 44.26
31 Royal Oak MI 50.78 55.18 37.06 64.53 46.49
32 Monroeville PA 50.52 65.96 42.27 48.34 39.76
33 Woodway TX 50.38 62.26 53.89 34.74 45.68
34 East Lansing MI 50.35 65.8 41.7 46.04 43.92
35 White Plains NY 50.25 69.96 33.34 50.15 44.82
36 Somerville NJ 50.17 73.51 25.23 52.93 48.76
37 West Hartford CT 49.72 61.35 39.76 50.06 45.83
38 Johnson City TN 49.62 61.79 50.16 37.31 44.74
39 Edmond OK 49.6 61.08 51.86 35.73 45.2
40 Champaign IL 49.54 67.33 44.44 39.31 41.25
41 Myrtle Beach SC 49.47 66.82 45.37 38.02 42.05
42 Glastonbury CT 49.47 61.86 38.73 50.4 44.62
43 Bellevue NE 49.45 70.57 47.46 33.08 38.44
44 Jackson TN 49.23 66.1 56.03 28.33 36.7
45 Ames IA 49.16 56.83 48.75 41.54 47.33
46 Moraga CA 49.11 56.63 39.46 51.36 49.59
47 Northampton MA 49.06 54.68 38.16 60.62 40.37
48 Red Bank NJ 48.98 72.07 29.12 49.8 41.17
49 Safety Harbor FL 48.92 61.7 42.43 51.43 32.19
50 Longmont CO 48.89 66 36.96 50.85 35.22
51 Auburn AL 48.89 55.01 51.45 34.59 55.36
52 Greenville NC 48.68 58.41 49.14 40.94 41.23
53 Fort Lee NJ 48.66 70.83 33.36 41.62 46.62
54 West Lafayette IN 48.56 67.52 45.07 26.83 53.82
55 Rogers AR 48.51 58.54 49.1 39.5 42.29
56 Appleton WI 48.48 70.47 43.26 37.88 32.62
57 Boonton NJ 48.41 76.16 26.04 47.43 39.3
58 Aiken SC 48.34 63.33 46.68 27.45 56.51
59 Satellite Beach FL 48.2 61.43 46.7 39.78 38.78
60 Dedham MA 48.19 62.35 36.11 51.29 38.87
61 St. Augustine FL 48.1 62.25 43.06 44.16 36.45
62 Clarks Summit PA 48.09 60.87 46.27 37.27 44.23
63 Provincetown MA 48.05 43.41 38.42 68.74 42.1
64 Charlottesville VA 47.88 57.63 41.62 48.96 39.06
65 Panama City Beach FL 47.84 58.97 48.88 40.16 36.3
66 Bend OR 47.74 51.82 40.62 54.91 41.83
67 Salem MA 47.63 60.04 32.53 59.16 33.82
68 Plymouth MA 47.63 64.26 32.42 54.52 33.32
69 Kingsport TN 47.55 63.14 50.45 29.29 41.02
70 Bristol VA 47.4 73.36 48.61 27.84 25.69
71 Coral Gables FL 47.3 64.86 32.67 42.26 49.84
72 Walnut Creek CA 47.26 56.07 35.73 50.49 47.31
73 Davis CA 47.26 51.61 41.12 46.49 52.15
74 Marietta GA 47.25 58.8 41 44.82 40.7
75 Urbana IL 47.25 60.6 41.81 40.87 42.05
76 Whitehouse TX 47.23 56.16 51.12 36.18 40.04
77 Hudson MA 47.02 77.27 24.9 45.31 33.6
78 St. Charles IL 46.91 60.81 39.53 44.28 38.25
79 Santa Barbara CA 46.89 59.75 41.73 41.16 41.06
80 Atlantic Highlands NJ 46.88 64.67 28.3 50.83 41.85
81 Temple TX 46.87 62.74 48.77 31.5 36.95
82 Camarillo CA 46.77 62.9 44.6 37.4 34.49
83 Eau Claire WI 46.74 60.08 42.94 43.36 33.3
84 Belton TX 46.66 63.81 49.13 29.95 35.27
85 Santa Cruz CA 46.65 54.29 40.69 47.56 41.78
86 Rochester Hills MI 46.59 54.54 41.63 43.66 45.5
87 Moline IL 46.58 67.61 46.22 29.95 32.97
88 Lake Charles LA 46.53 59.33 54.89 23.8 42.09
89 Forsyth GA 46.47 68.56 47.51 22.56 40.03
90 Waynesboro VA 46.45 62.35 45.11 35.71 35.24
91 Willoughby OH 46.37 52.58 43.37 47.22 38.53
92 St. Joseph MO 46.26 70.22 50.4 23.33 28.28
93 Jonesboro AR 46.18 61.84 52.2 26.99 34.8
94 Staunton VA 46.1 60.12 45.18 33.22 41.38
95 Naples FL 45.96 59.29 48.59 29.27 41.83
96 Richfield WI 45.96 48.93 42.43 51.72 37.45
97 Fredericksburg VA 45.88 65.33 27.79 48.69 38.47
98 Cape Girardeau MO 45.87 55.01 50.49 34.75 36.9
99 Greenfield IN 45.86 63.25 40.7 36.27 37.4
100 De Pere WI 45.77 59.43 42.62 40.21 34.01
101 Columbia TN 45.76 61.66 40.05 37.28 39.5
102 Lawton OK 45.73 64.16 52.29 27.75 25.72
103 Bloomington IN 45.61 57.08 42.06 41.28 37.02
104 Lynchburg VA 45.49 57.38 48.78 33.01 35.9
105 Conway AR 45.45 52.29 47.7 36.07 42.86
106 Bonita Springs FL 45.35 68.37 42.57 27.68 34.3
107 Lafayette IN 45.29 65.91 42.54 29.79 35.4
108 Hilton Head SC 45.26 58.17 42.33 32.36 46.76
109 Suffolk VA 45.25 58.66 43.91 35.68 37.08
110 Bossier City LA 45.23 55.64 56.55 23.95 37.25
111 Lawrenceville GA 45.07 63.61 41.47 32.97 35.37
112 Dothan AL 45.05 58.84 55.46 22.56 34.15
113 Ithaca NY 45.03 52.11 33.49 46.53 51.43
114 Asheville NC 45.01 52.9 43.35 44.48 33.45
115 Valdosta GA 44.91 63.9 50.16 24.03 31.21
116 Morgantown WV 44.88 56.92 40.23 37.09 43.06
117 Sioux City IA 44.87 60.42 51.64 25.92 31.79
118 Florence AL 44.87 55.29 51.48 30.94 34
119 Leavenworth KS 44.83 68.6 46.53 20.72 34.04
120 Sarasota FL 44.71 65.01 39.02 32.59 35.69
121 Grand Junction CO 44.67 58.75 40.44 37.56 36.81
122 Mankato MN 44.67 53.79 47.32 36.9 34.09
123 Rock Island IL 44.67 64.66 45.21 28.53 30.49
124 Waterloo IA 44.61 62.92 49.78 28.13 25.14
125 La Crosse WI 44.59 55.39 43.93 39.69 32.5
126 Seminole FL 44.58 61.37 41.82 38.48 26.69
127 Longview TX 44.56 63.7 49.08 25.85 28.4
128 Wausau WI 44.54 61 42.55 37.48 27.38
129 Ashland KY 44.44 65.24 46.76 25.83 29.24
130 San Angelo TX 44.42 64.54 45.35 29.48 27.25
131 St. Cloud MN 44.41 55.18 50.27 33.23 29.76
132 Macedon NY 44.39 51.17 45.09 38.31 39.55
133 Owensboro KY 44.38 65.18 47.04 24.56 30.5
134 Parsippany NJ 44.27 68.36 24.18 39.95 43.48
135 Monterey CA 44.25 53.11 40.3 43.55 35.57
136 Oak Ridge TN 44.22 51.41 44.79 35.12 43.89
137 Winchester VA 44.19 62.26 41.92 37.07 24.46
138 Waukesha WI 44.18 54.46 39.49 44.2 33
139 Hinesville GA 44.07 71 44.06 21.41 27.99
140 Biloxi MS 43.99 61.32 48.06 25.28 32.4
141 San Luis Obispo CA 43.91 52.17 34.25 46.42 42.51
142 Bryan TX 43.82 56.37 48.42 29.38 33.57
143 Iowa City IA 43.8 38.75 45.8 44.25 49.18
144 Jupiter FL 43.7 64.11 32.81 35.95 37.59
145 Oshkosh WI 43.62 60.7 40.82 35.23 29.08
146 Lancaster PA 43.62 61.22 37.8 34.66 35.04
147 Clemson SC 43.59 53.17 41.55 27.22 55.78
148 Lockport IL 43.55 54.56 34.42 42.63 41.37
149 Pensacola FL 43.52 55.96 40.07 38.52 33.84
150 Texarkana AR 43.5 63.65 54.29 18.5 23.31
151 Traverse City MI 43.5 51.21 41.17 40.17 38.32
152 Joplin MO 43.46 50.97 52.55 29.47 33.59
153 Romeoville IL 43.45 52.99 40.69 44.78 27.69
154 Fort Smith AR 43.42 57.84 50.92 25.87 28.82
155 East Peoria IL 43.39 63.7 42.62 31.05 24.88
156 Hattiesburg MS 43.38 52.5 50.3 30.38 32.96
157 Kingston NY 43.37 53.8 37.95 39.42 39.94
158 Attleboro MA 43.35 54.28 38.39 42.42 32.92
159 Frederick MD 43.34 54.93 30.31 49.98 35.16
160 Hagerstown MD 43.18 62.56 41.99 30.44 28.08
161 Albany NY 43.17 52.26 35.34 40.62 44.92
162 Danbury CT 43.17 63.3 34.89 37.82 28.38
163 Brunswick GA 43.15 63.01 49.25 19.57 30.57
164 Bowling Green KY 43.13 57.43 46.21 27.14 35.03
165 Victoria TX 43.03 59.63 49.76 24.58 27.13
166 Munster IN 42.94 56.78 34.1 36.62 43.5
167 Neptune City NJ 42.94 70.03 20.43 44.35 31.45
168 Elkhart IN 42.79 63.71 45.98 20.59 31.56
169 Blacksburg VA 42.75 49.42 48.53 28.18 42.14
170 Manchester CT 42.75 63.25 33.29 37.39 29.59
171 Oxford OH 42.73 59.4 38.08 26.3 46.06
172 Gainesville GA 42.72 59.69 41.15 27.55 37.18
173 Pottstown PA 42.71 69.91 31.43 31.98 28.76
174 Melbourne FL 42.67 59.31 40.02 34.16 28.88
175 Point Pleasant Beach NJ 42.54 56.16 25.54 44.58 45.86
176 Jefferson City MO 42.51 50.98 46.24 32.85 34.22
177 Logan UT 42.43 50.26 39.85 44.1 29.16
178 Bristol CT 42.35 62.23 37.13 35.19 24.96
179 Southfield MI 42.09 50.95 36.35 41.7 36.47
180 Janesville WI 42.04 56.03 41.68 33.38 29.21
181 Spartanburg SC 42.01 53.59 46.6 24.1 39.49
182 Ocala FL 41.92 51.46 44.59 30.93 35.84
183 Hot Springs AR 41.91 51.17 51.69 24.78 32.35
184 Livonia MI 41.87 53.4 36.04 38.79 35.58
185 Muncie IN 41.87 51.71 47.74 29.44 31.16
186 Fort Walton Beach FL 41.84 61.99 40.88 30.14 22.98
187 Boone IA 41.83 57.17 45.41 30.12 23.49
188 Westfield MA 41.81 58.47 39.09 31.76 30.71
189 Geneva NY 41.81 58.49 35.05 30.81 40.32
190 Des Plaines IL 41.75 56.91 35.82 35.47 33.78
191 Magnolia NJ 41.72 54.97 34.34 39.59 33.52
192 Terre Haute IN 41.7 55.41 48.6 21.44 34.25
193 Charleston WV 41.64 49.19 46.92 31.41 32.99
194 Daytona Beach FL 41.62 62.21 37.59 28 31.19
195 Jacksonville NC 41.58 57.14 48.84 23.42 26.18
196 Crystal Lake IL 41.5 52.84 33.42 40.08 37.36
197 Bethlehem PA 41.43 48.81 37.59 39.12 38.19
198 Harrisonburg VA 41.41 54.66 42.08 30.19 32.26
199 Binghamton NY 41.41 57.71 39.79 25.37 38.8
200 Fort Myers FL 41.39 58.5 37.32 32.21 30.6
201 Arcadia CA 41.22 54.22 30.42 37.07 43.7
202 Dalton GA 41.22 59.13 46.69 23.05 24.73
203 Kalamazoo MI 41.21 54.74 40.32 34.14 27.74
204 Haverhill MA 41.21 61.61 29.61 39.06 27.19
205 Weslaco TX 41.2 50.86 52.36 21.5 32.38
206 Monroe LA 41.13 46.3 54.54 20.47 38.37
207 Alton IL 41.13 59.37 38.83 31.83 24.72
208 Pittsfield MA 40.99 51.15 40.88 34.41 31.86
209 Machesney Park IL 40.98 58.56 44.93 26.7 21.73
210 Harrisburg PA 40.93 62.28 34.09 30.56 29.22
211 State College PA 40.9 49.05 40.71 24.29 52.68
212 Denham Springs LA 40.9 57.29 45.55 19.14 35.07
213 Superior WI 40.87 46.98 46.71 34.54 27.5
214 Watertown NY 40.79 50.53 49.55 23.77 32.16
215 Cheyenne WY 40.66 54.94 38.43 32.03 30.98
216 Rome GA 40.57 53.28 46.82 23.92 30.37
217 Portsmouth VA 40.55 57.87 39.33 30.01 25.93
218 Steubenville OH 40.42 49.58 44.13 29.77 32.41
219 Kenosha WI 40.39 56.48 32.39 36.15 31.29
220 Henderson KY 40.38 64.55 37.74 22.84 26.58
221 Schenectady NY 40.3 57.88 34.1 28.75 36.77
222 Roanoke VA 40.27 51.7 40.8 31.03 31.74
223 Taunton MA 40.14 57.88 33.77 33.31 28.76
224 Belleville IL 40.13 51.77 38.9 35.9 26.38
225 Bremerton WA 40.02 55.24 33.29 34.95 31.47
226 West Monroe LA 39.98 49.57 53.49 16.26 33.32
227 Newton IA 39.95 56.04 40.72 28.02 26.12
228 Ogden UT 39.85 58.5 34.11 34.02 23.73
229 Fond Du Lac WI 39.82 53.7 42.44 29 24.88
230 Palm Springs CA 39.8 58.25 30.61 29.73 38.03
231 Haysville KS 39.72 56.26 49.28 16.18 26.78
232 Ripon WI 39.71 49.06 40.04 36.04 26.44
233 Anniston AL 39.64 51.76 49.35 22.16 25.13
234 Elmira NY 39.61 62.35 38.07 20.49 29.03
235 Chicopee MA 39.52 54.08 39.78 29.91 25.84
236 Harlingen TX 39.42 49.09 51.55 22.63 23.83
237 Poughkeepsie NY 39.19 60.93 23.14 33.09 37.94
238 Albany GA 39.13 49.55 48.96 24.3 23.35
239 Wilkes-barre PA 39.07 54.11 40.03 24.98 30.57
240 Decatur IL 38.98 49.96 46.29 24.6 26.36
241 Gadsden AL 38.97 52.02 49.97 17.85 26.09
242 Palmer MA 38.96 52.08 38.36 31.62 26.14
243 Wheeling WV 38.92 53.03 45.56 22.11 25.46
244 Altoona PA 38.85 51.12 44.14 25.04 26.7
245 York PA 38.81 51.74 37.39 31.07 28.71
246 Culpeper VA 38.72 61.61 24.26 34.5 28.86
247 Butler PA 38.72 57.76 36.06 24.92 28.93
248 Yuma AZ 38.64 55.61 44.28 22.05 21.12
249 Erie PA 38.38 49.5 42.78 25.1 29.49
250 Dekalb IL 38.37 63.5 25.79 27.47 31.46
251 Merrillville IN 38.37 55.36 30.19 29.42 35.66
252 Punta Gorda FL 38.11 58.79 37.21 16.66 34.3
253 New Brunswick NJ 37.98 60.3 25.43 29.44 32.65
254 Canton OH 37.83 48.22 44.84 25.39 23.76
255 Salisbury MD 37.79 49.01 43.28 25.5 24.87
256 Carson City NV 37.77 48.57 38.13 27.8 32.08
257 Kokomo IN 37.51 49.54 46.01 21.54 23.09
258 Mansfield OH 37.36 55.64 45.05 16.17 20.72
259 Meriden CT 37.3 59.7 28.89 31.93 18.23
260 Youngstown OH 37.16 52.07 45.86 17.36 22.92
261 Redding CA 36.97 48.13 36.42 26.44 33.25
262 Whittier CA 36.94 57.4 25.47 29.49 31.36
263 Newton NJ 36.9 64.72 18.97 29.47 29.48
264 Middletown NY 36.83 59.65 27.68 24.48 30.05
265 Petersburg VA 36.81 42.8 37.27 35.33 26.4
266 Utica NY 36.63 47.97 41.49 19.72 32.43
267 Lima OH 36.62 50.64 45.35 17.75 22.55
268 Anderson IN 36.49 50.13 36.32 24.77 29.08
269 Newburgh NY 36.43 59.25 24.08 28.05 29.46
270 Southgate MI 36.35 49.43 32.52 31.03 26.72
271 Saginaw MI 36.27 47.97 43.77 23.05 19.9
272 Johnstown PA 36.01 41.83 46.69 23.55 23.79
273 Paradise CA 35.91 51.83 33.22 17.06 40.87
274 Trenton NJ 35.89 59.4 31.05 20.13 24.82
275 Hollister CA 35.63 50.32 30.51 28.7 28.02
276 Reading PA 35.47 52.82 36.66 18.88 26.05
277 Monroe MI 35.38 50.73 39.48 22.35 18.17
278 Fall River MA 34.94 50.14 30.83 27.56 25.09
279 Kingston TN 34.49 41.95 37.57 20.96 35.94
280 Pontiac MI 34.35 51.28 31.53 22.3 26.21
281 El Centro CA 33.97 49.61 39.34 14.01 25.22
282 Atlantic City NJ 33.79 45.6 35.05 20.68 29.46
283 Flint MI 32.51 44.5 40.3 18.83 15.72
284 South El Monte CA 30.58 52.13 22.79 18.68 22.92

Top 5 Best Small U.S. Cities for Starting an Online Side Hustle

  1. Wendell, North Carolina
  2. Verona, Wisconsin
  3. Lexington, Massachusetts
  4. Woodstock, Georgia
  5. Cranford, New Jersey

A Closer Look at the Top 5 Cities

The five highest-ranked cities each bring something different to the table. Some stand out for their internet infrastructure, while others score highly because of their self-employment and work-from-home rates and favorable economic conditions. Here’s a closer look at what helped each city rise to the top.

Top 25 Small U.S. Cities for Starting an Online Side Hustle

Rank #1 Rank #25

1. Wendell, North Carolina

Wendell takes the No. 1 spot, combining strong connectivity with some of the highest self-employment and work-from-home KPIs among the top-ranked cities.

The North Carolinian community earns a 78.85 Side Hustle Opportunity Score. Its self-employment measure of 36.10 is the highest among the top five, while its work-from-home measure reaches 18.11.

Connectivity is another bonus: Wendell has 100% high-speed coverage, median download speeds of 133.05 Mbps, median upload speeds of 25.61 Mbps, and fiber availability just a hair above 72%.

The city also recorded 17.28% population growth in just one year, beating the rest of the top five by a pretty big margin.

2. Verona, Wisconsin

Verona’s biggest advantage is its internet infrastructure. The Wisconsin city earns an 84.61 Digital Infrastructure score, which is the strongest in the top five. High-speed coverage also reaches 100% while 96.17% of households have internet access.

Median download speeds reach 151.24, plenty fast for the usual bandwidth-heavy suspects, but Verona’s upload performance is especially notable at 132.35 Mbps. For side hustlers regularly uploading videos, sharing large files, or working in the cloud, that kind of upload speed certainly doesn’t hurt.

Verona also performed well on the study’s self-employement and work-from-home metrics, helping it secure the No. 2 position.

3. Lexington, Massachusetts

Lexington proves that even a high cost of living doesn’t automatically knock a city out of contention.

Nearly every household in Lexington has access to high-speed broadband, and its internet access rate reaches 98.20%, the highest among the top five. Median download speeds reach 135.78 Mbps, while median upload speeds reach about 80 Mbps.

Lexington’s workforce is nothing to scoff at, either. More than 84% of adults age 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, giving the city the highest level of educational attainment in the top five.

Of course, those advantages don’t come cheap. Median gross rent reaches $2,891, making Lexington one of the more expensive cities near the top of the ranking. Even so, its strong connectivity and workforce traits propel it to No. 3 anyway.

4. Woodstock, Georgia

Woodstuck takes fourth place with one of the most balanced profiles in the highest-ranking cities. The Georgia city has universal high-speed broadband coverage and a 98.40% internet access rate. Its median download speed of 173.11 Mbps is the fastest among the top five, too.

Woodstock, perhaps unsurprisingly, also performs well on the study’s self-employment and work-from-home measures, with a self-employment measure of 31.11 and a work-from-home measure of 14.63.

All of that helps Woodstock earn its No. 4 spot, but it’s not the only Georgia city having a good showing: Smyrna and Decatur also rank in the top seven.

5. Cranford, New Jersey

Cranford received the highest Side Hustle Opportunity Score among the five leaders at 79.58. Its work-from-home measure reaches 24.48, the highest in the top five, while its self-employment measure is at 28.18.

Cranford also has strong connectivity, including universal high-speed broadband, median download speeds above 102 Mbps, median upload speeds above 57 Mbps, and fiber availability exceeding 78%.

Its biggest drawback? Affordability. Cranford records an Affordability score of 36.63 out of 100, thanks in large part to its median gross rent of $2,458.

Still, its strong connectivity and high scores across the study’s self-employment and work-from-home measures help secure its place among the nation’s best small cities for starting an online side hustle.

Summary

The best small cities for starting an online side hustle are, perhaps surprisingly, not necessarily the cheapest places to live or the ones with the fastest internet.

Instead, the strongest performers tend to combine several advantages. Reliable broadband gives a solid foundation for working online, while affordability can give residents more financial flexibility as they build an income stream. At the same time, higher rates of self-employment and working from home can point to communities where independent and remote work are already more common.

The rankings ultimately show that there isn’t one magic formula for creating a side-hustle-friendly environment. Different combinations of connectivity, affordability, workplace characteristics, and economic conditions can give smaller communities a real advantage for people looking to make money online.

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Methodology

The methodology below explains the data inputs, scoring approach, and weighted metric framework used for this ranking.

Overview

The study ranks 284 U.S. cities with populations under 100,000 based on their suitability for starting an online side hustle. The evaluation considers four key dimensions: Digital Infrastructure, Affordability, Side Hustle Opportunity, and Economic & Workforce Environment.

The initial dataset included 386 cities that met the study’s population criteria. To ensure each city could be evaluated consistently, 102 cities with missing data for one or more required metrics were excluded, leaving 284 cities in the final ranking.

Data & Sources

Data for this study was sourced from a combination of federal and reputable databases, including FCC Broadband Data, the US Census Bureau, M-Lab, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Census Population Estimates Program.

Only cities with complete data across all metrics were included in the final analysis. Each of the 284 qualifying cities was evaluated using the same metrics and scoring framework.

Scoring Approach

Each city’s overall score is based on a weighted combination of metrics across the four categories, with higher scores indicated more favorable conditions for starting an online side hustle.

Each metric was normalized to a 0-100 scale using min-max normalization. For positively scored metrics, the city with the lowest observed value received a score of 0, while the city with the highest received a score of 100. Other cities were scored proportionally between those values.

Cost-related metrics, including Regional Price Parity and median gross rent, were reverse-scored so lower values received higher scores. The normalized metric scores were then combined according to the weights described below to determine each city’s overall score.

Caveats

No ranking can capture every factor that influences whether an online hustle succeeds. Local regulations, cultural factors, individual circumstances, and the type of side hustle itself can all affect outcomes. The study should be viewed more as a guide to the general conditions that may make it easier — or harder — to get started, rather than a guarantee of entrepreneurial success.

It’s also important to note that the study’s self-employment and work-from-home metrics do not directly measure participation in online side hustles. Instead, they serve as indicators of how common independent and remote work are within a community.

Additionally, High-Speed Coverage Rate and Fiber Availability Rate are based on county-level broadband assigned to cities within each county. These measures reflect broader county-level infrastructure conditions and may not capture the differences in broadband availability within each individual city.

Digital Infrastructure — Overall Weight: 30%

For someone building an income stream online, a reliable connection isn’t exactly optional. A good business idea won’t get you very far if your video calls keep freezing or a 10-minute upload takes an hour.

The Digital Infrastructure category looks at the technological foundation that’s available to support online work and business activities. It considers broadband availability, household internet access, and actual internet speeds.

1. High-Speed Coverage Rate — Single Weight

The High-Speed Coverage Rate measures the estimated share of serviceable locations within a county with access to high-speed broadband. Higher coverage rates received higher scores because widespread broadband access gives more residents the foundation they need to work and do business online.

2. Internet Access Rate — Single Weight

The Internet Access Rate measures the percentage of households with an internet subscription. This metric offers a look at how widely the internet connectivity has actually been adopted within each community. Higher internet access rates received higher scores.

3. Median Download Speed (Mbps) — Single Weight

Median Download Speed measures the typical speed at which users can receive data, based on M-Lab speed tests. Higher download speeds can make everyday online tasks a little less painful, from using cloud-based software and accessing large files to participating in video calls. Higher values received higher scores.

4. Median Upload Speed (Mbps) — Single Weight

Median Upload Speed measures how quickly users can send data from their devices to the internet. Upload speeds can be particularly important for content creators, freelancers sharing large files, and businesses that regularly use cloud platforms. After all, working online isn’t just about downloading things. Higher upload speeds received higher scores.

5. Fiber Availability Rate — Single Weight

The Fiber Availability Rate measures the percentage of residential locations within a county with access to fiber-to-the-premises broadband service. Fiber connections generally offer faster and more reliable internet service, making widespread availability a useful indicator of a city’s digital infrastructure. Higher availability rates received higher scores.

Affordability — Overall Weight: 30%

The Affordability category looks at how local living costs may affect the financial flexibility of someone starting a side hustle. Building an additional income stream often takes time before it starts paying off — unfortunately, bills are not known for their patience. Lower living expenses can leave more room in a person’s budget while they get something off the ground.

1. Regional Price Parity (Overall) — Double Weight

Regional Price Parity measures the relative cost of living in different regions compared to the national average, with a score of 100 representing the national baseline. Lower price parity values indicate a lower overall cost of living and received higher scores in the ranking.

2. Median Gross Rent — Double Weight

Median Gross Rent reflects the typical housing costs within a city. Housing is one of the largest expenses for most households, so lower rent can mean greater financial flexibility for people investing time and money into a new income stream — basically, a little more breathing room while waiting for the side hustle to start generating income. Lower median gross rent values received higher scores.

Side Hustle Opportunity — Overall Weight: 25%

The Side Hustle Opportunity category looks at two indicators associated with independent and remote work: self-employment and working from home. Neither metric directly measures how many residents have side hustles — if only it were that easy — but together, they offer insight into how common these types of work arrangements are within a community.

1. Self-Employed — Single Weight

The Self-Employment metric measures the share of employed residents who work for themselves, including both incorporated and unincorporated workers, which can indicate that working for yourself is more common within a community. Higher self-employment rates received higher scores.

2. Work from Home — Single Weight

The Work from Home metric measures the percentage of workers who primarily work from home. Higher rates are an indicator of how common remote work arrangements are within a community and received higher scores.

Economic & Workforce Environment — Overall Weight: 15%

The Economic & Workforce Environment category looks at educational attainment, employment trends, and population growth to provide a broader picture of each city’s workforce and economic conditions. These metrics don’t tell the whole story on their own, but together they do help paint a picture of where a community is possibly headed.

1. Bachelor’s Degree or Higher — Single Weight

The Bachelor’s Degree or Higher metric measures the percentage of adults age 25 and older who hold at least a bachelor’s degree. Educational attainment serves as one indicator of a community’s workforce skills and human capital. Higher percentages received higher scores.

2. Employment YoY Change (%) — Single Weight

Employment YoY Change measures the year-over-year percentage change in the number of employed people. Positive employment growth can point to a strengthening local economy and workforce. Higher employment growth received higher scores.

3. 1-Year Population Growth — Single Weight

The 1-Year Population Growth metric measures the percentage change in a city’s population over the most recent year. Population growth can signal that a community is expanding and attracting new residents. Higher population growth received higher scores.

About the Author

Jordan Sprogis
Jordan Sprogis
Contributing Expert

Jordan Sprogis is a creative writer and tech researcher who has been working on online content for the better part of a decade. She holds a bachelor's degree in professional writing from Western Connecticut State University and has devoted much of her career to crafting content for various web verticals, including CyberSpyder and The Echo. Since joining HostingAdvice, Jordan has combined her storytelling ability with her fascination for advancements in technology to pen over 500 articles geared toward industry pros and newcomers alike.

View Jordan Sprogis's Full Profile »

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