Ranking It
Austin freelancers have it pretty damn good, swears this new study
According to a new study, Austin is one of the best places in the country for independent contractors. Financial site NerdWallet crunched the numbers and determined that Austin is the fourth best U.S. city for freelancers.
Four more Texas cities rank in the top 20, including Dallas (No. 10), Houston (No. 12), Plano (No. 18) and Fort Worth (No. 20).
For its findings, NerdWallet analyzed factors such as self-employment income by household, health insurance costs and median rent in the 100 largest U.S. cities. Self-employment stats were weighted more heavily.
The Austin numbers break down thusly: 14.56 percent of households report self-employment income, at an average of $39,648.65 per year. Twelve percent of the population has direct-purchase health insurance, at an average cost of $168.31 per month. Median monthly rent is $1,008.
Freelancers in Scottsdale, Arizona, are living large. The city ranks No. 1 on the list, thanks to an average self-employment income of $66,309.09. Rents there are higher, with a median of $1,134, but healthcare costs are lower, at $162.19.
Rounding out the top five are Los Angeles; Portland, Oregon; and Boise, Idaho. For all the details on the top 20 cities for freelancers, visit the NerdWallet blog.