Brennan Hallock

Large cities are filled with people, events, cars, sports, and—of course—businesses. For these reasons, many freelancers gravitate to large cities to find their work. Your chances of finding work should increase if there are more businesses, right?

The answer to this isn’t as simple as “Yes” or “No.” Large cities bring many opportunities unavailable in smaller cities, but they also bring challenges. And these opportunities and challenges are often very different than those faced by freelancers in small cities.

Opportunity: The number of businesses

Zack Posthumus, who is a designer in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, says the biggest advantage is the number of businesses. “There is a huge potential to work with more businesses because there are simply just more businesses,” he explains.

Challenge: More competition

More businesses also means more competition. Kristen Vogler, a designer who recently moved to the Boston area, says the biggest challenge she has found is the level of competition.

“Larger cities are more apt to heavily invest in good design. Because of the location they have a much larger pool of freelancers to choose from,” she explains. “Larger cities also house many more digital or advertising agencies. If you prefer to work with your own clients instead of an agency, that can cause some issues.”

Opportunity: Limitless resources

Vogler says the biggest advantage to freelancing in a big city is the resources. “Whether you are looking for a creative group, a co-working space, or dozens of Facebook groups, being located in or near a large city can offer it all,” she says.

Vogler says she’s found that the suburbs have their own Facebook groups. “Residents post for advice on who to talk to for services,” she explains. “Getting your foot in the door and building your reputation as a local expert can be made simpler this way.”

Challenge: Too many options for businesses

Another challenge is that businesses may become overwhelmed with the number of options available to them. There are so many options—and businesses have a limited amount of time to investigate them. They may not know where to begin when trying to find a freelancer who fits their needs.

“It’s great to have such a wide range of freelancers to choose from as long as a client has the time to talk to them all until they find the perfect fit,” explains Vogler. “The disadvantage comes when an individual or business feels overwhelmed with so many options. Options are great, but some people handle a limited number much better.”

Opportunity: Bigger budgets

“The budgets for larger cities varies,” says Posthumus, “but from what I’ve seen it seems like people are more willing to spend more money for higher quality work.” He explains that since moving to the Dallas/Fort Worth area, it’s felt like the standard for paying creatives is at a better level than when he was in a smaller city.

Challenge: Cost of living

Another challenge that is almost inescapable in a big city is the cost of living. Some large cities are affordable, but overall they tend to require a much higher income in order to live comfortably.

For example, the median monthly rent in Boston is nearly $1,400. The cost of a two bedroom apartment in Dallas is about $1,100. Compare these costs to the median price of an apartment in Lincoln, Nebraska, which is $577, or Lexington, Kentucky, where the median cost of an apartment is $624. You will have to make a much higher amount from your freelance work in order to justify spending that kind of money.

Freelancing in a large city has many advantages, but it is becoming easier and easier to find some of those advantages in small cities. “I don’t think I would have too much of an issue moving to a smaller city considering the rise in the comfort with remote workers,” explains Vogler. “In a small city you certainly have an advantage to make a local name for yourself. In addition, you still have many websites that can connect you with people in larger cities in your state, country, or the world.”

Nevertheless, some people need the advantages offered by large cities in order to take their businesses to the next level. “I used to freelance in Lincoln, Nebraska, but I started to feel like there wasn’t enough work for me to do it full time,” says Posthumus. “I’ve only lived in Dallas/Fort Worth for a year now. But the biggest thing that has helped me get work is networking, doing some speaking events, and being consistent on social media.”

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Kristen Vogler, graphic/web/UI/UX/print designer, is based in the Boston area. A passion for clean design and details with the possibility of trying something new are the things that get her out of bed every day. kristenvogler.com