How many gig workers are in Virginia

Nearly a quarter of a million Virginians are gig workers.

Why it matters: App-based work offers a flexible way to earn a living or just make an extra buck — but many such workers are fighting for better pay, benefits and more.

By the numbers: There are 222,000 app-based workers in Virginia, comprising 4.9% of the state's total workforce, per the study.

The big picture: About 4.3% of the overall U.S. workforce takes part in app-based work, demonstrating gig companies' influence.

• That's 7.3 million app-based workers nationwide.

How it works: That's per an Axios analysis of a new study from consultancy Public First and commissioned by Flex, a trade group representing DoorDash, Uber, Lyft and more.

• The Flex study is based on aggregated data collected in 2022 from several such platforms, plus "new consumer and app-based worker survey data."
• We compared the study's estimated numbers of app-based workers by state with the size of each state's overall civilian labor force.

Zoom in: Washington, D.C., is America's app-based work hotspot, with drivers or couriers making up 9% of the labor force there.

• D.C. aside, Florida (6.4% of the labor force), Nevada (6%) and Georgia (5.9%) have the highest share of app-based workers in their respective labor forces.
• Tennessee (0.5%), Vermont (1.5%) and South Dakota (1.6%) have the lowest.

What's next: "We estimate that the industry could be worth approximately $500 billion in 10 years' time," Public First director Vinous Ali said in a statement.