Reversing declines seen in some tech hubs, such as San Francisco and San Jose, during the pandemic, all 30 markets experienced growth in independent workers in the past year. The surge aligns with other data showing that U.S. businesses have increased freelance hiring by 260 percent in recent years. The U.S. now has an estimated 6.9 million independent professionals and nearly 4 million freelancers concentrated in the top 30 cities -- an annual increase of 4.3 percent. The report also shows independent professionals in the U.S. are estimated to generate $319 billion in revenue, representing 1.1 percent of U.S. GDP, and $208 billion in just the top 30 markets.