According to the US Census Bureau, several North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) sectors contribute to the gig economy, which relies on workers who provide on-demand work, services or goods. Most of these sectors are included in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Non-employer Statistics (NES) economic program – the most comprehensive public source of data on the “gig economy,” which primarily consists of individual (or sole) proprietorships. Industries contributing to the gig economy include – but are not limited to – taxi and limousine services, couriers and messengers, and special food services.
The industries with the largest number of individual proprietorships in 2023 were:
- Couriers and Messengers (1,430,708)
- Taxi and Limousine Services (1,355,360)
- Janitorial Services (1,072,010)
- Independent Artists, Writers and Performers (1,043,306)
- Child Care Services (529,554)
Individual proprietorships in these industries generated approximately $152.6 billion in receipts in 2023.
Source: US Census Bureau
