Study: Greenville a boomtown for gig delivery economy

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While the COVID-19 pandemic may have wreaked havoc on some staples of the gig economy like Uber and Lyft, Grubhub and DoorDash have become pillars of the brave new socially-distanced world — especially in Greenville, according to a new study.

According to Advisor Smith’s “Best Cities for Gig Workers” study, Greenville ranks in as the fifth best midsize city and 10th best overall metro for its 683 gig delivery workers based off income and index living value, according to a news release. Advisor Smith, a small business research firm, used data from the U.S. Census Bureau for the study.

Greenville’s average gig delivery worker brings home an average of $15,481 per year, which is lower than the nationwide $16,923 average but stretches further in a region where the index living value is 95, or below the national average. Advisor Smith’s Cost of Living Index takes into the cost of food, housing, utilities, transportation, health care and discretionary spending.

Tyler, Texas; St. Cloud, Minn.; Ocala, Fla.; and Prescott, Ariz., also top the list of gig boom cities with a population of 200,000 to 1 million, with Beckley, W.Va.; Tyler, Texas; Homosassa Spring, Fla; St. Cloud; and Ocala topping the list of all metro areas.