10 Best Places to DoorDash (2024): The Top DoorDash Cities & States
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Working in busy areas is one factor to boost your DoorDash earnings. In this article are the best cities and states to deliver for DoorDash.
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To maximize your earnings during your DoorDash hours, here are the prime locations you should consider DoorDashing.
The 10 Best Places To DoorDash
Based on market share, here are the best US states to DoorDash:
1. California
California is home to over 38 million people, and it being the largest state by population makes it the best place to DoorDash. The heightened population density in various areas translates to an increased influx of food orders and the potential for higher earnings.
Furthermore, because of California Proposition 22, DoorDash workers are guaranteed good treatment. Prop 22 ensures that Dashers receive 120% of California’s minimum wage for every hour they spend driving for the app, plus $0.34 for each mile traveled.
According to this data, Doordash drivers in California are guaranteed a minimum hourly wage of $19.20, aligning with the state’s $16 minimum wage in 2024.
Opting to work in cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, and the Bay Area could potentially boost your earnings to around $30 per hour.
2. Arizona
Arizona has several big cities where you can make more money as a Doordash driver or dasher. DoorDash works in cities like Phoenix (which has close to 1,000 restaurants), Tucson, Chandler, and Mesa.
According to Indeed, you can earn $18.95 per hour on average in Phoenix. Plus, the state of Arizona also has its proposition (Arizona Proposition 206) just like California.
Because of this Act, the minimum wage in Arizona has been raised to $14.35 in 2024, and this benefits all workers, including those delivering with gig economy apps like DoorDash, Roadie, Shipt, and Instacart.
So, this makes Arizona one of the best places to DoorDash.
3. Texas
Another best place to DoorDash is Texas. The Lone Star State has over 30 million people, making it a great place to deliver food with DoorDash since demand is high.
Additionally, the state of Texas offers various benefits. The cost of living is 8% lower than the national average, and housing is also 16% more affordable.
This means you can DoorDash in major Texas cities like Houston, Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio, and still pocket significant savings on expenses like gas.
As reported by Talent, DoorDash delivery drivers in Texas pull in an average of $15.94 per hour in 2024. This figure is noteworthy, especially in a state known for its low cost of living.
4. Illinois
If you find yourself dashing in Chicago, Illinois, get ready for some generous tips from customers, courtesy of DoorDash’s pricing strategy.
In this city, DoorDash customers may pay a bit more for their meals but catch a break on delivery expenses. As a result, they have more left to tip decently.
The driving force behind this approach is Chicago’s cap on fees imposed on third-party delivery services like DoorDash, Instacart, Grubhub, and Shipt—limiting them to 15%.
In summary, Illinois is a big state with many busy areas for DoorDash deliveries. If you work in Chicago, and other in busy places like the Arlington Heights and Schaumburg areas, you will pocket some good money.
5. Pennsylvania
Thinking about a cool place where you can start Dashing? Pennsylvania is a great pick, especially if you focus on cities like Philadelphia, where DoorDash rules with a 50% market share.
According to Indeed, Dashers make an average of $19.44 per hour in Pennsylvania. So, you’re making about 15% more than the national average. Now, that’s some good news for you if you’re gearing up to hit the streets and earn with DoorDash!
Furthermore, Grubhub is also popular in Philadelphia, so you can work for both apps to maximize your earnings. With Grubhub, you can be making around $21 per hour in Philadelphia.
6. Georgia
If you are DoorDashing in Georgia cities like Atlanta, Macon, Augusta, and Savannah, you can make decent money.
These are busy cities with more than 1,000 restaurants to make deliveries for (Atlanta alone has about 1,338 DoorDash restaurants).
With DoorDash having half of the market share in Atlanta, you can expect more orders, good wages, and tips.
7. Florida
Florida is also a great place for DoorDash drivers because many orders are placed daily. In major cities like Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville, and Tampa, you can receive more orders to complete.
In Orlando, there’s no shortage of orders to grab, especially during DoorDash’s peak hours, with a whopping 1,100 restaurants partnering with the food app. Miami also has close to 900 restaurants.
8. New York
New York is big and densely populated, with about 7,000 restaurants partnering with DoorDash. So, working in New York City as a Dasher means there will be no slow time on the app.
However, in New York, Dashers might find lower hourly pay, but the potential for higher tips makes up for it. Customers pay more for their meals and less for deliveries, resulting in a culture of generous tipping due to minimized delivery fees.
This mirrors Chicago, where the city also limits third-party delivery service fees to a maximum of 15%.
By DoorDashing in New York, you can expect to make approximately $18.05 per hour, according to Indeed.
9. Washington DC
DoorDash drivers in Washington DC earn an average of $22.80 per hour according to Indeed. This is 38% above the national average. So, you can expect decent pay while working in this state.
DoorDash has partnered with approximately 2,196 restaurants in Washington DC. Just focus on working during DoorDash’s peak hours, and you’ll be able to pocket some good money.
10. Michigan
The state of Michigan is home to close to 10.2 million people. So, by DoorDashing in this state, you can be sure of receiving more orders to complete. If you work in big Michigan cities like Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Lansing, you can earn decently.
In every city, there are a minimum of 350 restaurants collaborating with DoorDash. Thus, there’s little or no downtime on DoorDash. If you have the energy, you can keep yourself busy with orders.
The table below shows DoorDash’s market share in the US. I prepared this based on 2021 data, with the help Second Measure and Backlinko.
Metropolitan area | Market share |
San Francisco | 74% |
Houston | 64% |
Dallas-Fort Worth | 56% |
Philadelphia | 54% |
Phoenix | 53% |
Atlanta | 46% |
Washington DC | 45% |
Los Angeles | 46% |
Chicago | 38% |
Boston | 35% |
New York City | 35% |
Miami | 31% |
These are the biggest metropolitan areas in the United States and the percentage of the market controlled by DoorDash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which City Uses DoorDash The Most?
San Francisco. DoorDash had 74% market share in San Francisco according to data released in 2021. This might not come as a surprise since DoorDash is a San Francisco-based food service app.
Is DoorDash Available In All 50 States?
Yes, DoorDash is available in all 50 states across the US. DoorDash made this happen back in January 2019, so you’re covered no matter where you are.
DoorDash’s market share is around 67% as of 2023, by Statista. So, it’s the most used food delivery service in the US. However, this may fluctuate depending on the source and how you define the market.
Date | Market share |
June 2018 | 18% |
September 2019 | 35% |
April 2020 | 45% |
October 2020 | 48% |
January 2021 | 53% |
May 2021 | 57% |
June 2022 | 53% |
February 2023 | 67% |
Source: Edison Trends, Bloomberg, Second Measure, Backlinko.
Is DoorDash USA only?
No, at the time of writing this article, DoorDash is available in 5 countries outside the US. These countries include:
- Canada
- Mexico
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Japan.
Nonetheless, DoorDash is in the midst of expanding, so it will be active in several countries in the future.
Manuelo is an entrepreneur and a personal finance nerd. He is the founder of Dollars And Freedom. An expert in side hustles, online gigs, and everything about making money. His works have been featured on major financial publications, like Business Insider, GoBankingRates, Investopedia, Entrepreneur, and more. When he’s not busy with his blog or writing for others, you’ll catch him hanging out with loved ones or reading books on stoicism and self-development.
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