A new ranking has revealed the best and worst states for a DoorDash driver, with Wyoming named the top location for a food delivery side hustle - and North Carolina named bottom.
With grocery prices increasing and inflation continuing to rise, many are considering taking up a second job to make ends meet, with food delivery platforms like DoorDash proving a valuable route to do so - although some states are better for it than others.
High Rise Financial pulled together the ranking that scored each state across five key areas: weekly earnings, schedule flexibility, platform market share, gas prices, and living costs.
Weekly earnings were based on the typical hourly sum earnt by DoorDashers in each state (reported by ZipRecruiter) multiplied across the four hours each driver reportedly puts in each week - which found drivers make an average of $138 a week through the platform.
Schedule flexibility looks at the number of hours each person spends at their main job each week, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, to identify which states have more spare time to put into DoorDash as a second job or side hustle.
Platform market share reveals how prominent DoorDash is in each location when compared to other delivery apps, while gas prices are as reported by the AAA Gas Price Finder. Living costs show how far the average weekly earnings go compared to each state’s living wage.
And it turns out that when all these factors are considered, DoorDashers in Wyoming have a better chance of finding the time to pick up orders and turn a decent profit while doing so, compared to any other state - while North Carolina drivers will find it much harder.
Wyoming scored an overall 8.9 /10 and performed particularly well for market share, with DoorDash being the go-to food delivery app for around 71% of the state’s adults.
The state also scored well for gas prices, currently at $3.60 a gallon. This is a quarter (27%) cheaper than in the most expensive state, Washington, where it’s $4.96 a gallon.
DoorDashers in North Carolina also benefit from a fairly flexible schedule, and can stand to make a decent living if they were to take up food delivery full-time. This is because drivers only have to work 24 hours weekly to make the current annual living wage of $35.7k.
Following North Carolina as one of the best states for DoorDashers is Mississippi, which scored 8.8 /10 - but was let down by the typical hourly wage ($32.50) and living costs.
Regarding earning potential, New York came out on top, with the typical DoorDasher making $172.60 a week for four hours - 13% more than they could make in Nevada ($153). New Hampshire scored best for hours flexibility, meaning drivers can easily increase their activity.
However, drivers wanting to pursue DoorDash full-time as their only job should consider doing so in Nevada, as the typical hourly wage of $38.27 goes a long way compared to the state’s living wage of $33.8k - meaning drivers only have to work for 17 hours a week.
The top ten states for DoorDashers
State | Total Score | Top-Performing Category | State | Total Score | Top-Performing Category |
Wyoming | 8.9 /10 | Market Share | Louisiana | 8.4 /10 | Market Share |
Mississippi | 8.8 /10 | Market Share | South Dakota | 8.4 /10 | Living Costs |
North Dakota | 8.5 /10 | Living Costs | Indiana | 8.4 /10 | Living Costs |
Wisconsin | 8.5 /10 | Living Costs | Ohio | 8.3 /10 | Market Share |
Alaska | 8.4 /10 | Schedule Flexibility | Vermont | 8.3 /10 | Living Costs |
Drivers looking for a short-term cash injection - perhaps to cover an unexpected repair or to pay for an upcoming event - should consider New York or California, as despite a smaller market share (49% and 55%, respectively) most drivers earn over $40 per hour.
Meanwhile, North Carolina scored the worst in the ranking as the state where it’s hardest to make a living as a DoorDasher - largely due to a relatively low hourly wage ($28.91) - a third (32%) less than California’s $42.57 - and comparatively small market share (55%).
Of the states featured in the bottom ten, the majority scored poorly due to gas prices and schedule flexibility, meaning drivers struggle to find the time to work alongside their main job, and will likely often spend more than they earn to keep their tank full.
The worst ten states for DoorDashers
State | Total Score | Worst-Performing Category | State | Total Score | Worst-Performing Category |
North Carolina | 5.8 /10 | Living Costs | California | 6.7 /10 | Gas Prices |
Hawaii | 6.1 /10 | Gas Prices | Florida | 7 /10 | Schedule Flexibility |
Utah | 6.3 /10 | Schedule Flexibility | Colorado | 7.2 /10 | Gas Prices |
Idaho | 6.4 /10 | Schedule Flexibility | Maryland | 7.2 /10 | Gas Prices |
Washington | 6.5 /10 | Gas Prices | Oregon | 7.5 /10 | Gas Prices |
Rising gas prices is a key concern for food delivery drivers, as - despite costs soaring - DoorDash has reportedly never paid gas fares for its employees, meaning drivers must cover this cost independently outside of their wages.
Add to this that DoorDashers work as contractors that are paid on a per-delivery basis instead of a flat salary and rates are inconsistent, and it’s understandable that there’s a big discrepancy in earning potential between states.
The states that provide less financial security to DoorDashers - or where there’s more competition - are more likely to see drivers avoid taking time off to mitigate lost earnings, as data also shows the typical driver had to take 14 days off to recover from injuries last year.
Based on the national average hourly wage for drivers ($34.57) and reported 4 hours put in per week, this injury leave equates to $277 in lost earnings last year - before tips.
For DoorDashers drivers in Wyoming, these two weeks off equate to $294 in lost earnings, while North Carolina drivers will lose $231, based on hourly pay rates.
Speaking about the findings, a High Rise Financial spokesperson said: “In highly competitive jobs like food delivery, employees are more likely to avoid taking time off work even if it’s drastically needed, or will rush back to work before they’re ready to reduce their losses.
“Without a fixed number of days available for sick leave per year, many workers - particularly those working on a part-time or self-employed basis - may avoid addressing an injury altogether to avoid taking time off, which can result in legal implications for employers.”
Data gathered from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, YouGov and ZipRecruiter.
Post courtesy of highriselegalfunding.com.
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